Challenge Tour Glory For Beveridge and Williams

The opening day of the PDC Challenge Tour took place in Milton Keynes today, where Darren Beveridge and Jim Williams took the honours.

Beveridge won his first Challenge Tour title back in 2019 before the COVID19 pandemic struck and today added to his tally of titles.

Despite averaging five points less, Beveridge defeated Martin Thomas in the final, winning 5-2.

In a star-studded lineup that could have easily been a Pro Tour, Beveridge had significant wins in the later stages over Conan Whitehead (5-4) and Keelan Kay (5-4).

Jim Williams also won his second PDC Challenge Tour title in the day’s second event, joining Darren Beveridge in the winner’s circle.

Williams defeated the former World Master Adam Smith-Neale 5-4 in the final, holding his nerve in the last leg shootout.

Event 2 was the same as the first event, with a packed lineup of talent in the final eight. Williams stopped Beveridge from winning the double in the quarterfinal, then seeing off Nathan Rafferty in the last four.

Both winners have played at the Online Darts Live League over the recent weeks. The match practice the players that have played in the Live League have had could be the differences over the weekend in Milton Keynes.

The Challenge Tour continues tomorrow from Milton Keynes with events 3&4. With all the results on Dart Connect.

Results

Challenge Tour 1

Quarter-Finals
Conan Whitehead 5-2 Nick Fullwell
Darren Beveridge 5-4 Keelan Kay
Connor Scutt 5-3 Matthew Dennant
Martin Thomas 5-3 Richard North

Semi-Finals
Darren Beveridge 5-4 Conan Whitehead
Martin Thomas 5-1 Connor Scutt

Final
Darren Beveridge 5-2 Martin Thomas

Challenge Tour 2

Quarter-Finals

Carl Beattie 5-0 James Richardson
Adam Smith-Neale 5-1 Kevin Burness

Nathan Rafferty 5-4 Tony Newell
Jim Williams 5-2 Darren Beveridge

Semi-Finals

Adam Smith-Neale 5-0 Carl Beattie
Jim Williams 5-0 Nathan Rafferty

Final

Jim Williams 5-4 Adam Smith-Neale