2018 PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour

[The Jolly Man]

Brd
Finals
Rnd
B29 97.4 Rasztovits, Michael 5 - 3 Boulton, Andy 93.5 8-1
Brd
Semi-Finals
Rnd
B32 87.4 Rasztovits, Michael 5 - 4 Rafferty, Nathan 86.7 7-1
B27 87.1 Boulton, Andy 5 - 3 Robinson, Reece 80.5 7-2
Brd
Quarter-Finals
Rnd
B28 97.9 Rasztovits, Michael 5 - 1 Barnard, Michael 96.3 6-1
B29 91.7 Rafferty, Nathan 5 - 3 Lynn, Barry 80.6 6-2
B30 92.9 Robinson, Reece 5 - 3 Smith, Robert 89.7 6-3
B31 99.1 Boulton, Andy 5 - 2 Ryan, Sean 86.3 6-4
Brd
Top 16
Rnd
B7 93.5 Rasztovits, Michael 5 - 2 Smith, Justin 94.4 5-1
B1 88.8 Barnard, Michael 5 - 1 Evetts, Ted 85.0 5-2
B13 97.2 Rafferty, Nathan 5 - 3 Evans, Lee 90.5 5-3
B11 79.1 Lynn, Barry 5 - 2 Main, Jack 77.0 5-4
B24 85.3 Smith, Robert 5 - 3 Palmer, Ryan 80.7 5-5
B18 100.3 Robinson, Reece 5 - 2 Corner, Richie 94.5 5-6
B29 95.6 Boulton, Andy 5 - 4 Menzies, Cameron 88.2 5-7
B27 89.7 Ryan, Sean 5 - 3 Worsley, Jonathan 80.8 5-8

[The Jolly Man]

So ASN has barely scraped a grand in the 18 events and won the World Masters?

That’s why I think the BDO having 8 players at GSOD won’t continue for much longer. The PDC can’t be having CT players going across to the BDO and qualifying for events ahead of tour card holders.

With the rules that the BDO have changed they could really effect how the PDC work with them

[The Jolly Man]

Cody Harris knocked out in L64 of CT20. Menzies will need to reach semis to overtake him.

[only85]

So ASN has barely scraped a grand in the 18 events and won the World Masters?

That’s why I think the BDO having 8 players at GSOD won’t continue for much longer. The PDC can’t be having CT players going across to the BDO and qualifying for events ahead of tour card holders.

With the rules that the BDO have changed they could really effect how the PDC work with them

while i agree partly with m"learned poster if the bdo invites were scrapped then its just another tournament with pdc fodder (lower ranked) on offer against the best players & after the quality of darts we have witnessed the last 2 weekends on itv 4 the different aspect of interest the gsod provides would be a sorely mist & dont forget was it not mr hearn who pulled the pdc players out of the dutch tourny that preseeded the gsod so he could organise it keep the gate receipts to himself ?

[Zapp Brannigan]

So ASN has barely scraped a grand in the 18 events and won the World Masters?

That’s why I think the BDO having 8 players at GSOD won’t continue for much longer. The PDC can’t be having CT players going across to the BDO and qualifying for events ahead of tour card holders.

With the rules that the BDO have changed they could really effect how the PDC work with them

I think the pdc is going to change their contract and say “if you go to qschool you can’t play in any bdo televised event”

Means challenge tour players could go back and play opens but can’t go to the masters, wdt or lakeside

[The Jolly Man]

Menzies has been knocked out so Harris will go the worlds

[PreciesJJ]

Menzies has been knocked out so Harris will go the worlds

Not if Boulton wins this event...

[only85]

So ASN has barely scraped a grand in the 18 events and won the World Masters?

That’s why I think the BDO having 8 players at GSOD won’t continue for much longer. The PDC can’t be having CT players going across to the BDO and qualifying for events ahead of tour card holders.

With the rules that the BDO have changed they could really effect how the PDC work with them

I think the pdc is going to change their contract and say “if you go to qschool you can’t play in any bdo televised event”

Means challenge tour players could go back and play opens but can’t go to the masters, wdt or lakeside

i feel that would be a regressive step, whats wrong with ct players getting tv exposure elsewhere & challanging for honours, good for a players game, surely it cant be good for a system to allow ct players mainly a lesure centre experiance with a small chance of tv exposure then freeze when they finally get the chance once every blue moon

[Zapp Brannigan]

So ASN has barely scraped a grand in the 18 events and won the World Masters?

That’s why I think the BDO having 8 players at GSOD won’t continue for much longer. The PDC can’t be having CT players going across to the BDO and qualifying for events ahead of tour card holders.

With the rules that the BDO have changed they could really effect how the PDC work with them

I think the pdc is going to change their contract and say “if you go to qschool you can’t play in any bdo televised event”

Means challenge tour players could go back and play opens but can’t go to the masters, wdt or lakeside

i feel that would be a regressive step, whats wrong with ct players getting tv exposure elsewhere & challanging for honours, good for a players game, surely it cant be good for a system to allow ct players mainly a lesure centre experiance with a small chance of tv exposure then freeze when they finally get the chance once every blue moon

It’s 100% a regressive step but why would the pdc help the bdo with their tv endeavours by letting people trying to get a tour card go back and play on tv, it does t make any sense in a business sense.

The bdo tv deal has put them straight back in competition with one another, I can see the pdc going all out against them in January and next year

[only85]

if they do that there punishing player development by stifling tv exposure for lesser players who need the experience in my view to be able to compete,

[Astonvilla]

I doubt Hearn minds minor PDC players winning events like the World Masters.

[trotter]

I don't think the PDC or Sky will be changing the BDO qualification rules at all...they want the BDO participation for promotional reasons..they want the World Champion ,especially if he's as competitive as Durrant , and a couple of other competitive players , but they don't really care if it's a CT player making up the numbers..if anything they will see as confirmation of the strength of the PDC....but it's still the BDO participation that makes this event different even though the BDO participants get weaker all the time .....I still hate round Robin group events though

[mik252]

Ted Evetts beats David Evans 5-4 to take the final event title. This apparently means he now qualifies for Ally Pally via the CT table, which also means that George Killington qualifies via the DT table. Bit harsh on Cody Harris but I guess ‘themz da rulz’.

[Duneh9617]

Wow, those are some messed up rulen then. George Killington is the number 6 or so.ething on that list. Harris nr. 3. Unfair prioritizing if you ask me

[mik252]

Wow, those are some messed up rulen then. George Killington is the number 6 or so.ething on that list. Harris nr. 3. Unfair prioritizing if you ask me

I agree, as it wasn’t bad enough for Harris it also looks like he’s missed out on a tour card as Evetts gets his through the CT tour and RJR (who I think finished 7th on the DT rankings?) gets one.

If this is the case, I do wonder whether the PDC need to have a look at these rules for next year, for the reason you’ve already given.

[Duneh9617]

Luckily the PDC decided they preferred the international flavor of the tournament and gave the spot to Harris! Bit harsh on Killington now though. They really should get their rules fair and clear beforehand.

[Kyeavfc]

Dammed if they do.. and damned if they don’t...

[ssjsa]

CODY HARRIS will star in the 2018/2019 William Hill World Darts Championship having secured qualification via the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour.

Sunday saw the final two events of the year take place at the East of England Arena in Peterborough, after which the final Challenge Tour Order of Merit was confirmed.

Harris finished third on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit behind Michael Barnard, who had already sealed his World Championship return via the ProTour Order of Merit, and Ted Evetts, whose qualification was already assured via the Development Tour.

New Zealander Harris made his Alexandra Palace debut last December and, thanks to a strong year on the Challenge Tour including one tournament win, has ensured his return at this year's event.

Sunday's play saw Evetts, who also made his World Championship debut last December, claim victory in Event 20 and his runner-up place on the Challenge Tour with a 5-4 defeat of David Evans in the final.

Austria's Michael Rasztovits claimed the first £2,000 title of the day with a 5-3 win over Andy Boulton in the final of Event 19.

See full results from Events 19 and 20 in the MATCH CENTRE.

2018 PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour Final Order of Merit
1. Michael Barnard - £11,600
2. Ted Evetts - £6,100
3. Cody Harris - £5,650
4. Cameron Menzies - £5,300
5. Krzysztof Ratajski - £4,200
6. Andy Boulton - £4,050
6. Martin Atkins (Wigan) - £4,050
8. Dennis Nilsson - £4,000
9. David Evans - £3,850
10. Simon Preston - £3,800
11. Adam Huckvale - £3,400
12. Jamie Hughes - £3,350
13. Michael Rasztovits - £3,150
14. Jason Cullen - £3,100
15. Diogo Portela - £3,050
15. Jarred Cole - £3,050
17. Jonathan Worsley - £2,900
18. Yordi Meeuwisse - £2,800
19. Mark Frost - £2,750
20. Matthew Dennant - £2,550

PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour Event 19
Last 16
Michael Rasztovits 5-2 Justin Smith
Michael Barnard 5-1 Ted Evetts
Nathan Rafferty 5-3 Lee Evans
Barry Lynn 5-2 Jack Main
Robert Smith 5-3 Ryan Palmer
Reece Robinson 5-2 Richie Corner
Andy Boulton 5-4 Cameron Menzies
Sean Ryan 5-3 Jonathan Worsley

Quarter-Finals
Michael Rasztovits 5-1 Michael Barnard
Nathan Rafferty 5-3 Barry Lynn
Reece Robinson 5-3 Robert Smith
Andy Boulton 5-2 Sean Ryan

Semi-Finals
Michael Rasztovits 5-4 Nathan Rafferty
Andy Boulton 5-3 Reece Robinson

Final
Michael Rasztovits 5-3 Andy Boulton

PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour Event 20
Last 16
Darren Beveridge 5-3 Rhys Griffin
Michael Barnard 5-4 Michael Rasztovits
Ted Evetts 5-4 Jason Wilson
Nick Fullwell 5-2 Ryan Murray
Andy Boulton 5-3 Matthew Dennant
David Evans 5-1 Colin Littlecott
Christopher Bent 5-2 Christoff Van De Wal
Barry Lynn 5-3 Diogo Portela

Quarter-Finals
Darren Beveridge 5-2 Michael Barnard
Ted Evetts 5-4 Nick Fullwell
David Evans 5-3 Andy Boulton
Barry Lynn 5-4 Christopher Bent

Semi-Finals
Ted Evetts 5-1 Darren Beveridge
David Evans 5-0 Barry Lynn

Final
Ted Evetts 5-4 David Evans

[Zapp Brannigan]

To finish off what Ive done for all 3 tours, heres the end of season stats for the challenge tour

(Quick edit, seems player stats from 1-4 are missing)

Total Average for the season - 81.43 (Pro tour 90.8, Development tour 74.1)

Best event average - Event 17 - 84.3
Worst event average - Event 12 - 79.8

299 People took part over the season (less than the development tour which I think is interesting)

Best Season average - Jason Lowe - 93.38
Worst Average - Ian Hurley - 45.12
Worst average minimum of 10 games - Nathan Richards - 51.79

5 Players managed a season average of over 90 - Jason Lowe, Krzysztof Ratajski, Micheal Barnard, Cameron Menzies and Andy Boulton (79 in the pro tour)
136 People managed a season average of over 80 (123 in the Pro tour, 46 in the Development tour)
42 Players managed a season average under 70
Only 5 people managed a season average under 60 and none did the full 20 games

Most 180s - Cameron Menzies - 94
Only 14 players didnt hit a 180 all season

16 Players managed a 170 Checkout (37 in the pro tour, 16 in the Development tour)
249 Players managed a 100+ Checkout (123 in the pro tour, 241 in the Development tour)

Most matches played - Micheal Barnard - 81
122 People played at least 20 games, 203 played at least 10

Best win % - Micheal Barnard - 85% - Played 81 Won 69
35 Players failed to win a game (32 in the Development tour)
1 Player played 16 lost 16 -Steven Harbert

[Zapp Brannigan]

The big thing Ive noticed from this is there is a very distinct progression in the levels of tour now.

Pro tour (Tour average 90, 79 players averaging over 90)
Challenge tour (Tour average 81, 5 players averaging over 90, 136 over 80)
Development tour (Tour average 74, 1 player averages over 90, 46 over 80)

Id recommend anyone doing Qschool to study the stats on darts connect to see where you need to be. Its looking at the minute that to get a tour card your going to at a minimum be able to average in the mid-late 80s possibly into the the early 90s for the weekend and ever then to keep your tour card you need to be able to average 90 all season over 20 events to get into the top 64.

Anyone wanting to do challenge tour purely need to be in the mid 80s to get into the money for the season, late 80s for the top end of the rankings

Development tour an 80 average would be enough to get into the money parts of tournaments.