GRAND SLAM OF DARTS QUALIFIER SUMMARY

• Stephen Bunting headlines list of ten qualifiers.
• Niko Springer averages 112.25 to seal Wolverhampton return.
• Joe Cullen & Ricky Evans advance in impressive fashion.
• Danny Noppert, Damon Heta & Michael Smith amongst big names to miss out.

Stephen Bunting, Joe Cullen and Niko Springer were among the ten players to secure their spots in the 2026 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts at Friday’s Tour Card Holder Qualifier.

Following the conclusion of the PDC ProTour season on Thursday, 91 players returned to Leicester’s Mattioli Arena to compete for the remaining ten spots in this year’s Wolverhampton showpiece.

2023 semi-finalist Bunting was the highest-ranked player to come through Friday’s event, producing a trio of ton-plus averages in wins over Arno Merk, Callan Rydz and Jimmy van Schie respectively.

Former Masters champion Cullen will also star in Wolverhampton, overturning a 4-2 deficit against Stephen Burton before defeating 2022 champion Michael Smith 5-3 in their winner-takes-all showdown.

Springer - who defeated Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson at last year’s event - sealed his immediate return in sensational fashion, averaging 112.25 to dispatch Stefaan Henderyck.

Former World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks also impressed in Leicester, averaging 106.31 to deny 2014 runner-up Dave Chisnall and secure Grand Slam qualification for the first time since 2021.

Last year's quarter-finalist Ricky Evans enjoyed a welcome return to form, overcoming William O’Connor and Cristo Reyes to advance through the Tour Card Holder Qualifier for a second consecutive year.

Alan Soutar dumped out Madars Razma, Mickey Mansell and Mike De Decker to seal his place in Wolverhampton alongside Maik Kuivenhoven - a two-time runner-up on the ProTour in 2026.

Kuivenhoven will be one of three Tour Card Holder Qualifiers making their debut in Wolverhampton, with Tom Sykes and Carl Sneyd also winning through Friday’s event in the East Midlands.

Austria’s Rusty-Jake Rodriguez completed the list of qualifiers, accounting for Australian number one Damon Heta and former European Champion Ritchie Edhouse en route to progressing.

Heta was one of several big names to miss out on qualification, succumbing in the opening round alongside 2025 semi-finalist Danny Noppert, World Matchplay semi-finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode and three-time runner-up Peter Wright.

2012 Grand Slam of Darts champion Raymond van Barneveld was beaten in the penultimate round of qualification, while 2022/23 World Champion Smith narrowly missed out on a place in the 48-player field.

The draw for the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts will be made on Monday November 9 and will be available through the PDC’s social media channels, as a star-studded cast compete for the £200,000 top prize and the coveted Eric Bristow Trophy.

Click here for match stats & results.

2026 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts Tour Card Holder Qualifier
Mattioli Arena, Leicester
Friday November 6
Last 20
Stephen Bunting 5-2 Jimmy van Schie
Maik Kuivenhoven 5-2 Chris Landman
Tom Sykes 5-3 Adam Leek
Rusty-Jake Rodriguez 5-2 Tom Bissell
Niko Springer 5-1 Stefaan Henderyck
Ricky Evans 5-3 Cristo Reyes
Carl Sneyd 5-2 Andy Boulton
Bradley Brooks 5-2 Dave Chisnall
Joe Cullen 5-3 Michael Smith
Alan Soutar 5-3 Mike De Decker