Clayton confirms Grand Slam qualification with World Cup glory

Jonny Clayton (Jonas Hunold/PDC)

Jonny Clayton has joined the list of confirmed qualifiers for the 2023 Grand Slam of Darts, after helping Wales to a second My Diesel Claim World Cup of Darts title on Sunday.

Clayton and Gerwyn Price repeated their 2020 heroics by celebrating a second World Cup of Darts success as a partnership at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle from June 15-18.

The Welsh duo demolished Scottish veterans Peter Wright and Gary Anderson 10-2 in Sunday’s showpiece to claim the £80,000 top prize and secure glory for their nation.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Price was already assured of a place in November’s event after reaching last month’s Premier League final, and he will now be joined in Wolverhampton by his compatriot Clayton.

Wright and Anderson are provisionally set to feature in this year’s Grand Slam, after rekindling their World Cup partnership by guiding Scotland to a fifth final in the unique Pairs event.

The finalists from PDC televised events over a 12-month period will make up 16 places at this year’s Grand Slam, with eight of those spots currently confirmed following Wales’ World Cup win.

As a result, Wright and Anderson can still be knocked out of the provisional qualification places, with the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, European Championship and World Series of Darts Finals all taking place before the qualification cut-off.

If the 16 places are not filled from the televised events, winners from the 2023 PDC European Tour and then Players Championship events will secure Grand Slam spots.

Reigning champion Michael Smith will headline this year’s field, alongside World Championship runner-up Michael van Gerwen – a three-time Grand Slam winner.

Masters champion Chris Dobey and UK Open champion Andrew Gilding have also sealed their spots, as have last year’s runner-up Nathan Aspinall and Masters finalist Rob Cross.

At present, Dave Chisnall is a provisional qualifier from European Tour events following his wins in Kiel and Leeuwarden, with former UK Open champion Danny Noppert next in line from the list of Players Championship event winners.

A further eight players will come through the PDC Tour Card Holder Qualifier on November 3, before the 32-player field is completed with an additional eight qualifiers.

World Youth Champion Josh Rock – who enjoyed his televised breakthrough at this event 12 months ago – will make his Grand Slam return alongside World Youth Championship runner-up Nathan Girvan.

The top ranked player from the Winmau Challenge Tour, Development Tour and Women’s Series Orders of Merit will also qualify, alongside the 2023 Women’s World Matchplay winner.

The 2023 PDC Asian Champion will also feature, along with the winner of October’s CDC Continental Cup - which replaces the North American Championship for 2023.

The 2023 Grand Slam of Darts will see 32 players competing in group and knockout stages for the coveted Eric Bristow Trophy and £650,000 in prize money from November 11-19 at Wolverhampton's WV Active Aldersley.

The tournament will be broadcast on Sky Sports for viewers in the UK & Ireland, through the PDC's international broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).

2023 Grand Slam of Darts
Qualifying Players (invited in the following order)
2022/23 PDC World Champion - MICHAEL SMITH (1)
2022 Grand Slam Champion - (Michael Smith)
2023 Premier League Champion - MICHAEL VAN GERWEN (2)
2023 World Matchplay Champion -
2023 World Grand Prix Champion -
2023 Masters Champion - CHRIS DOBEY (3)
2023 UK Open Champion - ANDREW GILDING (4)
2023 European Champion -
2022 Players Championship Finals Champion - (Michael van Gerwen)
2023 World Series of Darts Finals Champion - 
2023 World Cup Champions x2 - GERWYN PRICE & JONNY CLAYTON (5&6)
2022/23 PDC World Championship runner-up (Michael van Gerwen)
2022 Grand Slam runner-up -  NATHAN ASPINALL 7
2023 Premier League runner-up - (Gerwyn Price)
2023 World Matchplay runner-up - 
2023 World Grand Prix runner-up - 
2023 Masters runner-up - ROB CROSS (8)
2023 UK Open runner-up - (Michael van Gerwen)
2023 European Championship runner-up -
2022 Players Championship Finals runner-up - (Rob Cross)
2023 World Series of Darts Finals runners-up - 
2023 World Cup runners-up x2 - (PETER WRIGHT & GARY ANDERSON 9&10*)

*Peter Wright and Gary Anderson will qualify if the 16 available places are not filled from the remaining televised events.

2023 European Tour Event Winners
In order of number of event wins and then PDC Ranking Order
(DAVE CHISNALL x2)
Gerwyn Price x2)
(Michael Smith)
(Michael van Gerwen)
(Peter Wright)
(Rob Cross)
(Jonny Clayton)

2023 Players Championship Event Winners
In order of number of event wins and then PDC Ranking Order
Dirk van Duijvenbode x3
Michael Smith
Michael van Gerwen
Rob Cross
Jonny Clayton
Danny Noppert
Damon Heta
Ryan Searle
Ross Smith
Krzysztof Ratajski 
Gary Anderson
Kim Huybrechts

PDC Tour Card Holder Qualifier
8x Players (Friday November 3)

Additional Qualifiers
2022 World Youth Champion -  JOSH ROCK
2022 World Youth Championship runner-up -  NATHAN GIRVAN
Top-ranked non-qualified player from Challenge Tour Order of Merit - October 29
Top-ranked non-qualified player from Development Tour Order of Merit - August 19
2023 Women’s World Matchplay Winner - July 23
Top-ranked non-qualified player from 2023 Women's Series Order of Merit - October 15
2023 PDC Asian Championship Winner - October 8
2023 CDC Continental Cup Winner - October 22 *

* Under PDC Rule 3.9, as a PDC Tour Card Holder of more than two years, Jeff Smith was not able to qualify by virtue of winning the 2023 North American Championship. As such, the place has been awarded for 2023 to the CDC Continental Cup winner.