Glen Durrant

PDC Qualifying School darts results: Glen Durrant scrapes PDC Tour card despite defeat to Kirk Shephed

By Sporting Life

15:54 · MON January 21, 2019

Three-time BDO world champion Glen Durrant finally earned his PDC Tour card on Sunday - despite coming unstuck against Kirk Shepherd.

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Q School: Day One report & results
Q School: Day Two report & results
Q School: Day Three report & results

Lakeside king Durrant had fallen one win short on Saturday - the third of four days of Qualifying School - but the points he earned there proved vital as he earned PDC status via the Order of Merit, which rewarded the top performing 11 players with a card for 2019 and 2020 in addition to the eight automatic winners (full list further below).

The 48-year-old Teesider made it to the last 16 on Sunday and that was enough, despite defeat to 2008 PDC World Championship finalist Shepherd, who also picked up a card by going on to beat Kevin Painter in the final four.

Scroll down for results & Order of Merit Standings

Tour Card Winners

Day One: Jamie Hughes, Harry Ward
Day Two: Mark McGeeney, Scott Baker
Day Three: Reece Robinson, Matt Clark
Day Four: Kirk Shepherd, Nathan Derry
Order of Merit (Full standings and points at the bottom)
Carl Wilkinson, Jonathan Worsley, Jamie Bain, Glen Durrant, Andy Boulton, Adrian Gray, David Pallett, Joe Murnan, Gavin Carlin, Conan Whitehead, Barrie Bates

"This is as good as winning the Lakeside Championship," said former Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finalist Durrant, who equalled Eric Bristow's record of three successive BDO World Championship wins seven days ago.

"I'm going through so many emotions right now, I'm so happy and relieved to get through because there was so much pressure on me to do this.

"When I looked around the venue I noticed that a lot of people were watching my matches, and I also put a lot of pressure on myself.

"Thankfully I got the job done and I'm immensely proud of what I've achieved. Now I'm looking forward to my exciting future with the PDC."

Shepherd went on to scrape through a quarter-final with Gavin Carlin before a comfortable 5-2 victory over another former PDC World Championship runner-up Painter in the semi-finals.

Painter needed to win to earn a card, Shepherd having already done enough to secure his, but with the latter emerging victorious it was Barrie Bates and not Painter who secured playing rights.

"This is the hardest thing I've ever done in darts, I'm so relieved to have won my Tour Card back," said Shepherd.

"I think I've been a bit of a nightmare to live with for the past few weeks because I've been so determined to do this, but now it's all worthwhile.

"The standard is so high now, I don't think I averaged below 90 in many games which is the standard you have to be at to compete, so I'm pleased with how I played."

Shepherd was joined by another former Tour Card holder, Nathan Derry, in the winner's circle on Sunday thanks to an impressive 5-1 defeat of Joe Murnan in the final four.

Strong displays over the four days from Jonathan Worsley saw him top the Q School Order of Merit to win back his Tour Card, while Carl Wilkinson and Gavin Carlin won theirs for the first time.

There were immediate returns to the ProTour for Murnan and Jamie Bain via the Order of Merit, while Lakeside Championship quarter-finalist Conan Whitehead also returned to the PDC circuit.

Former UK Open semi-finalist David Pallett, Adrian Gray and Andy Boulton also secured their Tour Cards but there was disappointment for Lisa Ashton.

The four-time Lakeside champion was bidding to make history following an encouraging run on Saturday but despite winning five more matches today, she came up short when losing to youngster Nathan Rafferty in the last 16.

Among the players who missed out on Tour Cards over the four days were three-time world champion John Part, two-time Lakeside champion and 2019 runner-up Scott Waites, fellow BDO stars Jim Williams and Kyle McKinstry and Challenge Tour event winner Cameron Menzies.