Van Barneveld seals Grand Slam of Darts return

2012 Grand Slam of Darts champion Raymond van Barneveld booked a sensational return to the event by claiming one of eight places on offer at Friday’s Tour Card holders qualifier.

The five-time world champion, who came out of retirement to win back his place on the PDC Tour at Q-School at the start of the year, was one of a host of high profile names bidding to win a place at the Aldersley Leisure Village later this month.

Barney was handed a bye in the first round at the Barnsley Metrodome and, after averaging more than 100 to beat Alan Souter, he kept his cool to beat in-form fellow Dutchman Danny Noppert. That set up a showdown with Brendan Dolan, with a place at the Grand Slam on the line.

Dolan forged a 4-3 lead only to miss darts for the match and Van Barneveld forced a deciding leg, where he produced fine arrows to leave 24 after 12 darts against the throw. When Dolan failed to take out 72, Barney pinned double 12 to seal his return to the tournament.

There was an international flavour to the qualifiers in Yorkshire. Joining the Dutchman in claiming the qualifying places on offer were Belgium’s Mike De Dekker, Germany’s Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler, Poland’s Krzystof Ratajski and Croatia’s Boris Krcmar.

Former BDO world champion Stephen Bunting and Ryan Joyce picked up the other spots but it’s Van Barneveld’s return to the tournament for the first time since 2018 that will make the headlines.

The 54-year-old marked his comeback with a Pro Tour title earlier in the year, part of a successful first year back on the PDC circuit that will conclude with a World Championship return.

World No 9 Nathan Aspinall is the highest ranked player not to make the event. The Asp was joined by Simon Whitlock and Tuesday’s Pro Tour winner Chris Dobey as second round casualties.

Two-time world champion Adrian Lewis, Danny Noppert, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Ian White fell in the last 32, to leave the last 16 players standing in straight shoot-outs for a place in Wolverhampton.

At the final stage 2014 runner-up Dave Chisnall was beaten by Schindler, while former World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney was beaten by Joyce and Steve Brown, Ross Smith, Kim Huybrechts, Callan Rydz and William O’Connor all fell agonisingly short.

Only spot remains up for grabs after Michael Smith and Joe Cullen secured the last two automatic spots during this week’s Pro Tour events in Barnsley – the winner of the European Development Tour will be confirmed this weekend.

A busy week in Barnsley

Friday’s action was the final day of a busy week in Barnsley that saw Chris Dobey pick up his second Pro Tour title of the season, Michael van Gerwen claim his first ranking event of the year and Krzysztof Ratajski his first title of the season.

Dobey beats Searle on Day One | MvG finally ends 2021 wait | Ratajski edges out Cullen

It all means the 64-player field for the Players Championship Finals in Minehead at the end of November has been confirmed, while the remaining event for players to secure their PDC Tour Card and those not qualified for the TV events will be the World Championship Qualifier on Monday November 29.

Don’t miss a dart with all nine days of live Grand Slam of Darts action from Wolverhampton’s Aldersley Leisure Village getting underway on Saturday, November 13 – join us from 1pm for the first of two Day One sessions on Sky Sports Arena.