PAUL NICHOLSON'S run to the final of the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic Players Championship could win him a place in the European Championship.
Nicholson won £3,000 for reaching the final of Sunday's event in Killarney, his second Players Championship final of the year.
The success saw him jump up to £13,250 in the Players Championship Order of Merit, which at present would see him qualify for the European Championship when the field of 32 players is confirmed next Monday.
Two final Players Championships will be played in Nuland this weekend before the cut-off for the European Championship.
The 32-player field will be comprised of the top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit, the top eight non-qualified players from the Players Championship Order of Merit and the top eight non-qualified players from the European Order of Merit.
Wayne Mardle's place in the top 16 could come under threat this weekend, as he loses £5,000 from the Order of Merit after winning a Players Championship in Germany two years ago, with Robert Thornton set to move into the world's top 16 for the first time.
Thornton, however, currently qualifies via the Players Championship Order of Merit, where he is second to Gary Anderson.
The current provisional qualifiers for the European Championship are as follows:
PDC Order of Merit - Current Top 16
Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, James Wade, John Part, Terry Jenkins, Mervyn King, Ronnie Baxter, Adrian Lewis, Dennis Priestley, Colin Lloyd, Alan Tabern, Mark Walsh, Andy Hamilton, Colin Osborne, Kevin Painter, Wayne Mardle
Players Championship Order of Merit - Provisional Qualifiers
Gary Anderson, Robert Thornton, Jamie Caven, Wayne Jones, Steve Beaton, Andy Smith, Wes Newton, Paul Nicholson
European Order of Merit - Provisional Qualifiers
Co Stompe, Vincent van der Voort, Carlos Rodriguez, Jelle Klaasen, Michael van Gerwen, Toon Greebe, Mensur Suljovic, Remco van Eijden