Express & Star

Wolverhampton trio make UK Open finals

Wayne Jones will enter his next PDC major competition at the second round stage - with two more Wolverhampton players joining him at the 'the FA Cup of Darts.'

Published

'The Wanderer' will be a part of the first session at the PDC's UK Open but has been handed a bye past the opening salvo,

writes Craig Birch.

The finals will be staged at Butlins in Minehead for three days from a week on Friday, with the ITV4 cameras broadcasting live.

The unseeded 128-player field is made up of the top 96 in the UK Open Order of Merit, played between the pros, and 32 wildcards from qualifiers at Rileys Sports Clubs across the country.

Four of the line-up have come through Wolverhampton's Rileys, on Broad Street in the city centre. They've held two tournaments, with a double chance to make the cut per event.

The first, on January 23, produced Wulfrunian Dean Stewart and Swindon's Mark Cox, the latter an ex-PDC pro who has only just lost his Pro Tour card.

Stewart, competing at the UK Open for a seventh time, will toe the oche on board three with Barry Lynn in the first round during Friday afternoon's first session.

The winner will take on Brett Claydon in the second round. Cox has been paired with 2011 UK Open runner-up Wes Newton, on the televised main stage.

The second Black Country Rileys qualifier, staged last Saturday, allowed Wolverhampton-based Glen McGrandle and Andy Brown make the cut as winning semi-finalists.

Some 144 entrants, up from 116, were whittled down to the last four who were within a game of glory. McGrandle whitewashed Tim Baker 5-0, while Brown saw off Anthony Hayman 5-3.

McGrandle will now tackle Ryan Harrington, son of Sky Sports pundit and former World Championship finalist Rod, at Minehead. The victor will go on to meet Darron Brown.

Scot Brown, born in Dumbarton, has been matched with Mark Frost. Either Darren Layden or Mark Barilli awaits in the second phase.

That's where two-time UK Open quarter-finalist Jones will go up against Andy Jenkins, who reached the last four in 2004. The third round will then be drawn and played on Friday night.

Jones has come through the Order of Merit, doing his best work in the final trio of qualifiers at Wigan's Robin Park Centre last weekend. He'd banked just £250 from the first three events.

Runs to the last 32 on Friday and Sunday - making up for a first round exit on Saturday - left him 44th with a total of £1,750, good enough for a first round bye.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.