Steve Lennon and Martijn Dragt have each emerged victorious on the opening day of Q-School, securing their PDC Tour Cards for the next two years.
As a result of the performances of numerous players at the recent World Championship, Lennon was the big loser as he lost his Tour Card by a small margin.
However, the Irishman has responded in outstanding fashion, coming through seven matches at the UK and Ireland event to seal an immediate return to the tour.
Lennon's best performance came in the opening round as he defeated youngster Leighton Bennett with a 101.42 average, while he was taken the distance on just one occasion.
In the last 16, Matthew Dennant missed seven match darts in a deciding leg to defeat Lennon, and the 30-year-old took full advantage during the latter stages.
Lennon recorded a 6-4 victory over Willie Borland in the final, coming from 4-3 down to take the final three legs against the Scot.
DRAGT WINS A TOUR CARD! 🎟️
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 11, 2024
Martijn Dragt wins a PDC Tour Card for the first time!
Dragt defeated Chris Landman 6-5 in an all-Dutch final on Day One in Kalkar. pic.twitter.com/bLB35XICIN
There was a huge shock in the European event as the little-known Dragt defeated several notable names to become a PDC Tour Card holder for the first time.
The Dutchman's most notable performance in the past has been a last-16 appearance at the 2022 WDF World Masters, but he will now mix it among the elite.
Remarkably, Dragt won each of his final three matches by a 6-5 scoreline, beating Lukas Wenig and Mario Vandenbogaerde before he overturned a 5-2 deficit against Chris Landman to win the final.
