The 2024 Blåkläder Belgian Darts Open was the first of thirteen PDC European Tour events on the 2024 PDC Pro Tour. The tournament took place at the Oktoberhallen, Wieze, Belgium from 8–10 March 2024. It featured a field of 48 players and £175,000 in prize money, with £30,000 going to the winner.
| 2024 Blåkläder Belgian Darts Open | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tournament information | |||
| Dates | 8-10 March 2024 | ||
| Venue | Oktoberhallen | ||
| Location | Wieze | ||
| Country |  Belgium | ||
| Organisation(s) | PDC | ||
| Format | Legs | ||
| Prize fund | £175,000 | ||
| Winner's share | £30,000 | ||
| Nine-dart finish |  Luke Littler | ||
| High checkout |
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| Champion(s) | |||
| Luke Littler | |||
| |||
Michael van Gerwen was the defending champion, defeating Luke Humphries 8–6 in the 2023 final, but he was eliminated in the second round, losing 4–6 to Peter Wright.[1]
Luke Littler won the title on his PDC European Tour debut, beating Rob Cross 8–7 in the final. Littler also hit a nine-dart finish in this match.[2][3][4]
Prize money edit
The prize fund remained at £175,000, with £30,000 to the winner:[5]
| Stage (num. of players) | Prize money | |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | (1) | £30,000 |
| Runner-up | (1) | £12,000 |
| Semi-finalists | (2) | £8,500 |
| Quarter-finalists | (4) | £6,000 |
| Third round losers | (8) | £4,000 |
| Second round losers | (16) | £2,500* |
| First round losers | (16) | £1,250* |
| Total | £175,000 | |
- Pre-qualified players from the Orders of Merit who lose in their first match of the event shall not be credited with prize money on any Order of Merit. A player who qualifies as a qualifier, but later becomes a seed due to the withdrawal of one or more other players shall be credited with their prize money on all Orders of Merit regardless of how far they progress in the event.[6][7]
Qualification and format edit
A massive overhaul in the qualification for the 2024 European Tour events was announced on 7 January.[8]
For the first time, both the PDC Order of Merit and the PDC ProTour Order of Merit rankings were used to determine 32 of the 48 entrants for the event.
The top 16 on the PDC Order of Merit qualified, along with the highest 16 ranked players on the PDC ProTour Order of Merit (after the PDC Order of Merit players were removed). From those 32 players, the 16 highest ranked players on the PDC ProTour Order of Merit were seeded for the event.
The seedings were confirmed on 6 February.[9]
The remaining 16 places went to players from four qualifying events – 10 from the Tour Card Holder Qualifier (held on 14 February), four from the Host Nation Qualifier (held on 7 March), one from the Nordic & Baltic Associate Member Qualifier (held on 16 February), and one from the East European Associate Member Qualifier (held on 10 February).[10][11]
The following players will take part in the tournament:
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Draw edit
| First round (best of 11 legs) 8 March | Second round (best of 11 legs) 9 March | Third round (best of 11 legs) 10 March | Quarter-finals (best of 11 legs) 10 March | Semi-finals (best of 13 legs) 10 March | Final (best of 15 legs) 10 March | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ryan Joyce 91.65 | 6 | 1 | Dave Chisnall 89.40 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Andrew Gilding 89.23 | 3 | Ryan Joyce 89.25 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joyce 89.92 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 |  Pietreczko 92.12 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luke Woodhouse 94.15 | 6 | 16 | Ricardo Pietreczko 93.75 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| James Hurrell 88.88 | 3 | Luke Woodhouse 91.09 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Pietreczko 82.83 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 |  Clayton 80.82 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Peter Wright 89.53 | 6 | 8 |  Michael van Gerwen 93.00 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Geert De Vos 81.86 | 2 | Peter Wright 91.81 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wright 100.02 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Clayton 104.06 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Berry van Peer 90.52 | 6 | 9 | Jonny Clayton 98.58 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daniel Klose 91.28 | 3 | Berry van Peer 93.80 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Pietreczko 90.69 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Littler 104.25 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Brendan Dolan 86.15 | 6 | 4 |  Damon Heta 88.72 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Steven Strobbe 70.87 | 2 | Brendan Dolan 86.20 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Heta 99.82 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Littler 101.23 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luke Littler 101.86 | 6 | 13 |  Krzysztof Ratajski 95.60 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 José de Sousa 95.13 | 5 | Luke Littler 97.05 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Littler 110.06 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wattimena 102.74 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Martin Schindler 91.81 | 1 | 5 | Dirk van Duijvenbode 92.22 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Joe Cullen 103.57 | 6 | Joe Cullen 104.40 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cullen 82.68 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wattimena 89.26 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Daryl Gurney 91.93 | 0 | 12 | Ross Smith 85.38 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jermaine Wattimena 98.02 | 6 | Jermaine Wattimena 91.93 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Littler 103.76 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Cross 108.00 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| James Wade 96.18 | 6 | 2 | Luke Humphries 110.65 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Raymond van Barneveld 89.93 | 5 | James Wade 89.19 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Humphries 101.56 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Searle 94.74 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nathan Aspinall 88.32 | 3 | 15 | Ryan Searle 97.45 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Richard Veenstra 90.74 | 6 | Richard Veenstra 90.76 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Searle 93.78 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Cross 97.86 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lukas Wenig 87.75 | 6 | 7 | Rob Cross 96.33 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born Van Put 76.36 | 3 | Lukas Wenig 92.30 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Cross 97.32 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Noppert 90.38 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chris Dobey 95.59 | 6 | 10 | Danny Noppert 99.60 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Romeo Grbavac 85.01 | 3 | Chris Dobey 91.06 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Cross 97.37 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Price 97.67 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeroen Caron 86.45 | 0 | 3 | Gerwyn Price 101.21 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gabriel Clemens 101.33 | 6 | Gabriel Clemens 92.90 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Price 104.87 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Anderson 101.45 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Andreas Harrysson 107.27 | 6 | 14 | Gary Anderson 102.97 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gian van Veen 100.72 | 1 | Andreas Harrysson 96.90 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Price 98.60 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bunting 102.71 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dimitri Van den Bergh 93.51 | 5 | 6 | Josh Rock 99.22 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stephen Bunting 99.87 | 6 | Stephen Bunting 97.79 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bunting 102.22 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| De Decker 94.89 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mike De Decker 91.03 | 6 | 11 | Michael Smith 87.55 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chris Landman 85.21 | 5 | Mike De Decker 94.35 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ Allen, Dave (7 May 2023). "Van Gerwen ends title drought with Blåkläder Belgian Darts Open success". PDC.
- ^ "Luke Littler hits nine darter as he wins Belgian Open". BBC Sport. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Luke Littler: Teenage star hits another nine-darter to win debut European Tour title against Rob Cross". Sky Sports. 11 March 2024.
- ^ Phillips, Josh (10 March 2024). "Nine-dart Littler claims glory on Euro Tour debut". PDC. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Cazoo UK Open & European Tour prize fund increases announced". PDC.
- ^ "PDC Order of Merit Rules | PDC".
- ^ Allen, Dave (22 February 2024). "European Tour Prize Money Rule Statement". PDC.
- ^ "New qualifying format for European Tour confirmed for 2024". PDC. 7 January 2024.
- ^ Gorton, Josh (6 February 2024). "ET1-2 Seeds & Tour Card Holder qualifier entries confirmed". PDC.
- ^ Gorton, Josh (14 February 2024). "Littler seals European Tour debut, as quartet complete qualification double". PDC. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Littler qualifies for Belgian Darts Open after success in Wigan". Sky Sports. 14 February 2024.