Edhouse and Springer Secure Double Qualification in Hildesheim’s European Tour Qualifiers

Ritchie Edhouse and Niko Springer emerged victorious in both qualifying events during Thursday’s PDC Tour Card Holder Qualifiers in Hildesheim, Germany, booking their places at European Tour Events 11 and 12.

The back-to-back qualifiers were held at the Halle 39 venue, where 87 Tour Card holders battled it out for a coveted spot in two upcoming major European Tour events: the Czech Darts Open (ET11), set to take place in Prague from September 5–7, and the Hungarian Darts Trophy (ET12) in Budapest from September 19–21.

Flawless Edhouse Turns on the Style

Ritchie Edhouse, the reigning European Champion, was a standout performer throughout Thursday’s proceedings. He came through six straight victories across the two qualifiers to achieve double qualification in commanding style.

Remarkably, Edhouse faced the same opponent—Thomas Lovely—in the decisive round of both events, defeating him twice to punch his ticket to both Prague and Budapest. The Englishman showed superb consistency and match control, reminding fans why he remains one of the most dangerous players on the ProTour.

Springer Impresses on Home Soil

Niko Springer also enjoyed a dream day in front of a home crowd, securing qualification for both ET11 and ET12 in what marks a significant moment in his senior career.

The young German, a three-time PDC Development Tour champion, made headlines by beating former UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh and 2019 World Youth Champion Bradley Brooks on his way to qualification for both tournaments.

Springer’s poise under pressure and ability to match established names shot him into the spotlight and bolstered his case for future inclusion in larger televised events.

Ratajski and White Among Notables to Advance

Polish star Krzysztof Ratajski was one of the marquee names to successfully qualify for the Czech Darts Open. Ratajski showcased his scoring power with a dominant whitewash victory over Christian Kist, where he averaged 100, before edging past Dylan Slevin in a tight decider to confirm his spot in Prague.

Ian White, enjoying a recent return to form, added to his growing list of European Tour appearances with another strong performance. After already qualifying for ET9 and ET10, the veteran Englishman produced a trio of victories over Max Hopp, Stefaan Henderyck, and Rob Owen to continue his resurgence.

Veenstra and Wenig Just Miss the Double

Dutchman Richard Veenstra managed to qualify for ET11 but was denied a perfect day when he lost out to Niko Springer in the ET12 decider. Meanwhile, Lukas Wenig, who had only just reached a Players Championship final earlier in the week, continued his impressive run of form by booking a place at the Hungarian Darts Trophy.

Leon Weber joined him to complete a trio of German players heading to Budapest, highlighting the depth of homegrown talent currently making waves on the circuit.

Other Qualifiers and Noteworthy Performances

The qualifiers also saw a wide range of international talent secure their spots in upcoming events. Brendan Dolan, William O’Connor, Kevin Doets, Cor Dekker, and Mike Kuivenhoven all progressed to the Czech Darts Open, strengthening their European Tour presence.

France’s Thibault Tricole, Scotland’s Darren Beveridge, and Welshmen Jim Williams and Rob Owen all claimed their tickets to Budapest, with Cam Crabtree producing a dominant whitewash win over Andy Boulton to seal his own place in ET12.

There was also drama in the form of a nine-darter—delivered by Croatian Pero Ljubic in his match against Benjamin Gotthardt during the Hungarian Darts Trophy qualifier. Unfortunately for Ljubic, his brilliance was short-lived as he eventually lost the match 6-3.

Tom Bissell also made headlines by squeezing past Owen Bates in a final-leg decider, showing composure well beyond his years.

Looking Ahead

With European Tour qualification heating up and new names constantly emerging, Thursday’s action in Hildesheim was a strong indicator of the ever-growing competitiveness of the ProTour. The double qualification achieved by Edhouse and Springer not only guarantees their presence in Prague and Budapest but could also prove pivotal in their push for spots in larger televised events like the European Championship and World Grand Prix.

As the countdown begins for September’s double-header in Eastern Europe, darting fans can expect more breakout moments, tight matches, and thrilling finishes from a ProTour field that is becoming more unpredictable by the week.

Edhouse and Springer Secure Double Qualification in Hildesheim’s European Tour Qualifiers

ET11 Tour Card Holder Qualifier

Last 20

Niko Springer 6-4 Andy Baetens

Ritchie Edhouse 6-2 Thomas Lovely

Krzysztof Ratajski 6-5 Dylan Slevin

Brendan Dolan 6-2 James Hurrell

William O’Connor 6-3 Darren Beveridge

Richard Veenstra 6-3 Berry van Peer

Ian White 6-2 Max Hopp

Kevin Doets 6-2 Andy Boulton

Cor Dekker 6-3 Madars Razma

Maik Kuivenhoven 6-5 Mario Vandenbogaerde

Qualifiers

Niko Springer, Ritchie Edhouse, Krzysztof Ratajski, Brendan Dolan, William O’Connor, Richard Veenstra, Ian White, Kevin Doets, Cor Dekker, Maik Kuivenhoven

ET12 Tour Card Holder Qualifier

Nine-Darter: Pero Ljubic achieved nine-dart finish in his tie with Kai Gotthardt

Last 20

Rob Owen 6-2 Viktor Tingstrom

Ritchie Edhouse 6-1 Thomas Lovely

Niko Springer 6-4 Richard Veenstra

Jim Williams 6-3 Dennie Olde Kalter

Cam Crabtree 6-0 Andy Boulton

Tom Bissell 6-5 Owen Bates

Thibault Tricole 6-2 Adam Paxton

Lukas Wenig 6-4 Matthew Dennant

Darren Beveridge 6-5 Kim Huybrechts

Leon Weber 6-5 Kai Gotthardt

Qualifiers

Rob Owen, Ritchie Edhouse, Niko Springer, Jim Williams, Cam Crabtree, Tom Bissell, Thibault Tricole, Lukas Wenig, Darren Beveridge, Leon Weber