Overnight some players from Australia took up the new opportunity for DPA and DPNZ players to compete for a big PDC tournament. Brandon Weening, Jeremy Fagg and James Bailey all played in the opening group stage whilst Kiwi Wayne McRae also participated.
McRae lost his opening match 2-0 to Lee Cocks before losing 2-0 to Adam Hunt, Hunt eventually progressing from that group. Hunt fell 2-0 to Ryan Joyce in the round of 64.
James Bailey actually drew Haupai Puha, a player he knows so well and playing this event as a PDC card holder, as well as Darius Labanauskas in the group stage. Puha defeated his good friend 2-1 before Bailey defeated Labanauskas two sets to one as well. In the final clash Puha won by 2-1 , before he fell by the same set score to Puha. Unfortunately, with sets tied at 3-3 across the board and one week each, Labanauskas went through from the group, finishing with the 20th highest average across the whole group stage. He would go on defeat two world championship players from this year in Richie Edhouse and Matt Campbell before falling at the final qualifying stage to Andy Baetens.
Weening, off the back of his amazing results in Q School, but disappointment of missing out on a card by one spot, was unable to make as much of this opportunity as he lost both his matches 2-1, the first to Tavis Dudeney who had to average 97.25 to win, and the second to Owen Bates. That match meaning Bates progressed through the group. For Weening each his performances were enough quality that he actually finished 12th in the average rankings amongst all the players in the group stage. Bates lost in his round of 64 qualifier 2-0 to Krzysztof Ratajski.
Jeremy Fagg defeated Greg Ritchie 2-1 in his opening match and then watched as Ritchie lost to Brett Claydon by the same score in the second. It meant Fagg was aware a win would but him through but despite improving his average by four from his first match, Fagg fell 2-0 to Claydon. Claydon was eliminated 2-1 in the round of 64 by Mickey Mansell.
It was great to see DPA and DPNZ players in another PDC event, albeit in qualifying events, hopefully building their experience for further tilts at these events, both in Australia and New Zealand, as well as on the other side of the world. Damon Heta is in the main draw for the World Masters and will be followed by all of his supporters downunder on both sides of the ditch!
About Author
