World Matchplay Darts qualification race: Which players are most at risk of missing out and who is best placed to climb into the qualification places
The World Matchplay is fast approaching and there’s just four more opportunities for those currently outside the qualification places to claw their way into the 32-player field.
- Scroll down for latest Order of Merit rankings
These remaining Players Championship events take place at the fifth Super Series of the season from Monday July 5 to Thursday July 8, with a total prize fund of £300,000 up for grabs (£75,000 per day) - although the absolute maximum any one player can pocket is £40,000 should they take home all four winners’ cheques of £10,000 apiece.
The top 16 from the main PDC Order of Merit will qualify for the World Matchplay as seeded players and as you can see from the top 20 below, very little can change. Ironically, the only one who could potentially slip out is one of the best in the business this season in Jonny Clayton as he sits just £4,250 higher than Ian White in 16th position.
If the £310,000 he’d cashed from winning the Masters and Premier League this season was ranked money, he clearly wouldn’t be in this position. However, even if he were to slip outside the top 16, he’s still guaranteed to qualify for Blackpool by virtue of his lofty position towards the top of the ProTour Order of Merit qualification race.
The top 16 from that list not already qualifying from the main Order of Merit will book their places at the Winter Gardens. Realistically it looks as though everyone from around 10th placed Vincent van der Voort are safe but those from 11th-14th have a little work to do while Jermaine Wattimena and Madars Razma are in huge danger.
Of those looking to make a late charge into the line-up are Blackpool stalwarts Adrian Lewis, Simon Whitlock, and Steve Beaton. The trio have been ever present since 2005, 2010 and 2001 respectively so their absences would be felt.
(Scroll to the bottom of article for the Order of Merit lists and prize money breakdown)
CLAYTON SEEDING PLACE AT RISK
Jonny Clayton might ridiculously go into the World Matchplay as a non-seeded player despite being one of the favourites to win the title!
That said, I’d still expect him to keep his top 16 status by the end of the Super Series and I wouldn’t be surprised if he does so by winning another title. Even if he does get surpassed by Ian White, it won’t really be his fault because he’s only in this position because his success has come in televised unranked evets.
What he needs to do at this stage of his career is climb up the Order of Merit to the place he deserves by enjoying similar success in the big ranked events – starting at the World Matchplay.
However, if he stays in 16th then he could end up playing world number one and world champion Gerwyn Price in the second round – so it won’t be easy! It could feasibly be a blessing in disguise if he drops out of the top 16 and get a random draw against any of the other seeds but that’s not to say he’d be afraid of Price – or indeed anyone.
WHO IS SAFE?
There can be a lot of movement in the rankings over four events but you can’t see anyone from Vincent van der Voort in 10th place on the Pro Tour Order of Merit list missing out on qualification.
Not only does he have just under £7,000 more than 17th placed Stephen Bunting, but he’d need seven players below him to surpass him and that’s asking a lot.
Ross Smith and Ian White are in a similar scenario just below him while Ryan Searle and Callan Rydz come next in the rankings after they enjoyed superb finishes to the last Super Series in June.
They’ve put themselves in a strong position but Jermaine Wattimena and Madars Razma, who has never played at the World Matchplay and will want it so badly, are in grave danger.
WHO COULD CLIMB UP?
Just outside the top 16, Stephen Bunting looked as though his game was improving at the last Super Series with some encouraging performances and he will be one to watch over the four events.
I’d say Martijn Kleermaker has produced the form and results to feel confident of qualification and while I haven’t seen enough promise from Darius Labanauskas, William O'Connor, Jamie Hughes and Steve Lennon of late, I certainly wouldn’t rule out Andy Boulton in 23rd place.
Lower down the field, the likes of Raymond van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis may need to reach a final – or even win a title – to make up the ground necessary but out of everyone in their position, we know they are most capable of such a feat.
The £7,000 gap that Barney has to make up could be closed without a title but he’ll need to perform consistently and reach the latter stages on at least three days.
Overall you’ve got to assess the form and capabilities of these players to reach such a stage of these tournaments alongside the world’s best – and that’s why I’m looking particularly favourably at Lewis.
He has a lot to make up but he performed so well over the last four Players Championship events, hoovering up the cash with plenty of livewire displays.
Of the big guns in trouble of missing out – including Barney, Simon Whitlock and Steve Beaton – he looks most likely to stand out and deliver.
Adrian won’t be thinking about how many people are above him – he can jump ahead of those in one fell swoop by focusing on what he needs to do and that’s to go on some big runs. In that respect, destiny is in his own hands.
Can other players in his position think like that right now? I’m not sure they can. There aren’t a great deal of winners on the tour this season – there’s a lot of repeat champions so you do need to produce something special to topple those at the top of the game right now.
However, the fact that some players were always used to seeing in big majors - Whitlock, Lewis and Beaton - are struggling to qualify just goes to show the strength and depth of tour players lower down the rankings.
There is an assault on the top 32 and we’ve already seen the likes of Damon Heta, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Luke Humphries burst up the rankings over the past 18 months or so. Many more are trying to follow them in, such as Callan Rydz.
The romantic side of me would love to see those stalwarts have a big run and give themselves another shot but perhaps the future of darts does need some more new faces making their World Matchplay debuts.
PDC ORDER OF MERIT
Top 16 qualify for World Matchplay as seeds
- Gerwyn Price 1,272,750
- Peter Wright 996,250
- Michael van Gerwen 938,500
- James Wade 474,250
- Rob Cross 456,250
- Gary Anderson 430,500
- Michael Smith 398,250
- Dave Chisnall 380,250
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 377,750
- José de Sousa 338,000
- Nathan Aspinall 325,250
- Glen Durrant 310,000
- Krzysztof Ratajski 300,750
- Daryl Gurney 300,000
- Joe Cullen 299,000
- Jonny Clayton 264,250
- Ian White 260,00
- Stephen Bunting 248,000
- Simon Whitlock 241,750
- Mervyn King 237,00
PRO TOUR ORDER OF MERIT
Top 16 qualify for the World Matchplay as unseeded players
- Devon Petersen 46,500
- Damon Heta 45,500
- Dirk van Duijvenbode 42,000
- Brendan Dolan 41,000
- Danny Noppert 40,250
- Mensur Suljovic 36,500
- Luke Humphries 30,750
- Mervyn King 29,000
- Gabriel Clemens 28,500
- Vincent van der Voort 28,000
- Ross Smith 27,500
- Ian White 27,250
- Callan Rydz 27,000
- Ryan Searle 26,000
- Jermaine Wattimena 23,250
- Madars Razma 21,750
- Stephen Bunting 21,250
- Martijn Kleermaker 21,250
- Darius Labanauskas 20,500
- William O'Connor 20,000
- Jamie Hughes 19,750
- Steve Lennon 19,000
- Andy Boulton 18,000
- Ron Meulenkamp 17,500
- Adam Hunt 17,000
- Raymond van Barneveld 16,750
- Simon Whitlock 16,250
- Ricky Evans 16,000
- Jeff Smith 16,000
- Max Hopp 16,000
- Adrian Lewis 15,750
- Ryan Joyce 15,500
- Kim Huybrechts 15,500
- Jason Lowe 15,500
- Steve Beaton 15,000
Daily Prize Fund for Super Series 5 events
- Winner £10,000
- Runner-up £6,000
- Semi-Finals £3,000
- Quarter-Finalists £2,250
- Last 16 £1,500
- Last 32 £1,000
- Last 64 £500
- Total £75,000
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