PDC Qualifying School is commonly alluded to as the dream factory, somewhere in which players fulfil ambitions of sealing their coveted spot on the professional circuit.
There’s numerous players who have impressed on the Challenge Tour, the Development Tour, the global affiliate tours, the WDF circuit or the Modus Super Series and who are now attempting to secure professional status for the first time in their careers.
Andreas Harrysson and Charlie Manby will attract attention following their recent World Darts Championship exploits, but there’s plenty of others hoping to earn debut tour cards.
Andreas Harrysson
Fresh from becoming just the sixth non-tour card holder to reach the World Darts Championship last 16, where he defeated two ranking event winners in Ross Smith and Ricardo Pietreczko, Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson will undoubtedly be one of the front runners to secure professional status for the first time.
It would highlight the brutal nature of Qualifying School should Harrysson not earn his place on the tour, having missed out on legs difference last year, although the Swede is one of the best players without professional status and his incredible finishing during his Alexandra Palace exploits will stand him in good stead.
Charlie Manby
Having followed in Harrysson’s footsteps in reaching the World Championship last 16 as a non-tour card holder despite not producing his most prolific stuff in London, Yorkshire youngster Charlie Manby will be one of the kingpin contenders to prevail.
Manby had beforehand sealed a £25,000 Modus Super Super champion’s cheque in November, emulating two-time champion Littler, and won his maiden Development Tour title during a stellar season that also witnessed him record a scintillating 130.70 average.
Jimmy van Schie
Jimmy van Schie requires no explanation. Having capped off his dominant couple of seasons on the WDF circuit by winning the Lakeside World Championship and the World Masters towards the end of last year, the Dutchman is now in a prime position to become a fully-fledged professional for the first time in his career.
Immediately revealing his ambitions of earning his place amongst the world’s best after becoming the WDF world champion, Van Schie will be hoping for a more fortunate outcome than last time around, having narrowly missed out due to legs difference.
Derek Coulson
Welsh veteran Derek Coulson was a name that minimal people were aware even a year ago, although his 21 ton-plus averages at the Modus Super Series last year, which included a career-best 111.33, and an impressive 93.41 annual average have certainly raised some eyebrows.
Coulson, who breezed through stage one, would potentially have remained an unknown entity without the now defunct seniors circuit. However, he has since emerged as one of the favourites to secure professional status whilst playing the best darts of his career at 57 years of age.
Tom Sykes
When the best player without a tour card discussion comes around, Yorkshire’s Tom Sykes is always someone in the equation. He has developed leaps and bounds since becoming one of the leading lights on the Modus Super Series, and only just missed out on legs difference 12 months ago.
Sykes has an incredibly high ceiling, having notably recorded a 101.02 average on his major debut at March’s UK Open as well as an astronomical 120.24 average at September’s British Open.
Tomoya Goto
Japan’s Tomoya Goto, who is most known for defeating Ian White on his World Darts Championship debut two years ago, will be Asia’s only representative in the final stage of Qualifying School following the acceptance of his free entry after an eighth-placed finish on last year’s Asian Tour.
It would be something of a surprise should Goto seal a tour card ahead of his upcoming Saudi Arabia Masters appearance, but the 29-year-old showed glimpses of his ability at the Modus Super Series in November, an experience that could be beneficial to him as he makes his Q School debut.
Jack Aldridge
Jack Aldridge was a name not all too familiar to anybody outside of the West Midlands super league before Monday, although his sublime 106.12 average in his opening Qualifying School match and subsequent stage one consistency attracted attention.
Aldridge recorded a 91.70 average for the tournament on Tuesday as he secured his place in the final stage outright, and the Wolverhampton thrower could now spring a surprise this weekend.
Ryan Branley
Northumberland’s Ryan Branley is unequivocally one of the brightest young prospects in the game at this moment in time. His 2025 campaign merely proved that, topping the JDC Advanced Tour as well as becoming one of the youngest champions on the Development Tour at just 16 years of age.
Now 17 years old, Branley would become one of the youngest professionals and perhaps it would come slightly too soon for him, although there’s no doubt that the prodigiously-talented teenager has the capability to excel.
David Sharp
Brutal eloquently describes David Sharp’s Qualifying School 2025 campaign, where he managed just two wins despite having a cumulative average of more than 90, although the Scotsman made amends this year in tremendous fashion.
Edinburgh’s Sharp recorded two ton-plus averages on an unbeaten Tuesday to qualify for the final stage with a 97.30 average for the day. His stellar 104.46 average in his final match, which also included 102, 121 and 140 finishes, highlighted his quality.
Tyler Thorpe
Norfolk youngster Tyler Thorpe created history at the Modus Super Series in November as he won a group unbeaten and dropped the fewest legs ever in doing so. That achievement came following his maiden Development Tour triumph two months earlier.
Thorpe dropped out of an astrophysics university course to pursue his darting dream, and it seems predestined that the 23-year-old will secure his spot on the professional scene at some point in the near future, whether that’s this weekend remains to be seen.
