The Upcoming Development Tour Tournaments: Gian van Veen’s Absence and the PDC’s Rules
The Development Tour 2024
This weekend, the next four tournaments of the PDC Development Tour 2024 will take place, with darts enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the action. The Development Tour ranking is currently led by Gian van Veen, a Dutch player who will be noticeably absent from the upcoming events in Wigan. In fact, Van Veen may not participate in any Development Tour tournaments for the time being, due to the PDC’s rules.
Conflict with the European Darts Open
The upcoming Development Tour tournament weekend coincides with the European Darts Open in Leverkusen, where the ‘GVV The Giant’ is among the top-16 seeded players. As a result, Van Veen’s focus will be on the European Darts Open, where he will not take the court until Saturday.
Van Veen’s Eligibility Concerns
The subsequent Development Tour tournament weekend is scheduled from July 26 to 28. However, there is a possibility that Van Veen may no longer be eligible to compete in the Development Tour events. The Development Tour is open to youth players aged 16 to 23, and at 22 years old, Van Veen is still within the age limit. However, his current ranking on the PDC Order of Merit is a concern, as the PDC prohibits players in the top-32 of the world ranking list from participating in Development Tour tournaments.
“Van Veen is currently 33rd on the PDC Order of Merit, with a gap of 5,250 pounds to the 32nd-ranked player, Ricardo Pietreczko.”
Potential for Exclusion from the Development Tour
In the coming weeks, the darts player from Poederoijen will compete in a Euro Tour tournament, two Players Championship tournaments, and the World Matchplay. These events present an opportunity for Van Veen to improve his world ranking, and with a strong performance at the World Matchplay, he could potentially make his debut in the global top-32, effectively excluding him from the Development Tour.
However, in the event that Van Veen secures a spot in the top-32 of the PDC Order of Merit, he will still be eligible to participate in the PDC World Youth Championship later this season. This same rule already applies to Luke Littler, who has been barred from competing in the Development Tour throughout the year due to his position in the world rankings.
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