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Unterbuchner Denied Ally Pally Debut as King Claims Final Challenge Tour Spot by £150

Because Darius Labanauskas qualified via the Pro Tour, fourth place carried a World Championship ticket.

Overview

  • Michael Unterbuchner lost 5–4 in the quarterfinals of the final Challenge Tour event to Jurjen van der Velde, dropping him from fourth to fifth in the standings.
  • Mervyn King won his own last-leg decider to reach the semifinal, a deeper run that moved him ahead of Unterbuchner for the available berth.
  • The decisive swing included Cocks Lee missing three match darts against King, whose 5–4 escape delivered crucial prize money.
  • King topped Unterbuchner by just £150 in the final list (reported as £7,975 to £7,825) to secure a return to the PDC World Championship, his 17th appearance and first since 2023.
  • Unterbuchner had surged into contention with a £2,500 Challenge Tour title earlier in the weekend, while Germany’s lineup still features qualifiers via rankings and an additional spot to be decided at the Super League in Hildesheim.