THEIR World Championships in February saw World Seniors Darts Tour announce new qualifying criteria for the 2025 event which included a new opportunity to reward players who consistently achieve away from the spotlight.
The ‘Race to the Tavern’ gives 4 places to any player not already sitting inside the top 12 on the Official World Rankings, and is based purely on prize money won at the 2024 LP Metal Detecting and Target Open Series qualifying events in Reading and Newbury.
The changes saw an extra £10,000 added to those funds with prize money paid down to the last 32 of every event. With 14 events played – and still 10 remaining – the opportunity is still there for players to find some form and climb the ladder.
Currently in Pole position is Scotland’s Ross Montgomery, who only joined the Seniors Tour this season but has already asserted his domination of the ‘Floor Event’ calendar with multiple event wins.
It seems the man from Glasgow already has one foot in the tavern. Ross is currently 23rd on the World Ranking so a climb to 12th would see him qualify via that route rather than the one year list, opening up chances for those currently lower on the ‘Tavern’ rankings.
Following his victory in Newbury Derek Coulson is currently in second but with this list being his only realistic chance of the Tavern, outside of winning one of the stand alone Qualifying Events, he will need to continue his good form.
Basingstoke’s Paul Hogan who had a run to the semi finals in a TV Event this year, sits third but is already in the World’s top 10 so looks likely to qualify via that route if he stays a consistent performer at the Floor Events.
Newly crowned Champion of Champion Richie Howson sits 4th but he will definitely qualify via the World Rankings as he sits number 2, with only Robert Thornton preventing him from becoming World Number 1.
So with Paul and Richie looking most likely via the World Rankings we can look below the top 4 on the Race to the Tavern List.
As with all ‘Orders of Merit’ and qualification systems every answer seems to beg another question.
Intriguingly sitting at 5 is Jim Long from Canada, but he is also sitting in the last automatic place on the World Rankings and with every floor event requiring a Trans-Atlantic trip from him he could well need to attend a few events to cement that place. Below Jim is John Henderson, who as current World Champion will be automatically placed anyway.
These permutations mean those sitting just below should really fancy their chances of getting one of those top 4 slots. That list includes former World Champion Scott Mitchell (10th), Flash Mark Dudbridge (9th) and former Seniors Masters Champion David Cameron (14th)
Wayne Davies and Nick Fulwell (7th and 8th respectively) are knocking on the door but there is work to be done for the likes of Martyn Turner (45th) who made his tv debut at the tavern, and former professional Kevin Burness (36th) who won the very first World Seniors Event in 2021 but secured a PDC Tour card at the same time so was unable to take his place at inaugural WSDT event.
Other notable names who will need to play some darts are Blackpool Finalist Andy Hamilton who sits 26th on the Tavern list and 15th on the World Rankings and the player he beat in the Semi–Final Richard Rowlands who is 19th on the Tavern list and 20th in the Worlds.
There is plenty of Seniors Darts to be played in 2024 and some of the most interesting are likely to be on ‘ The Floor’.
We are sure to see the movement and drama start soon, with the next events back in Newbury on the 8th and 9th June.
WSDT Super 8 (with Darts Database)
1 Robert Thornton £47,340
2 Richie Howson £41,205
3 Leonard Gates £36,400
4 John Henderso £32,950
5 Colin McGarry £17,380
6 Phil Taylor £17,000
7 David Cameron £15,985
8 Kevin Painter £12,115
—–ENDS—–