2018 European Darts Grand Prix Explained

Tournament Name:	2018 European Darts Grand Prix
Dates:	4–6 May 2018
Venue:	Glaspalast
Location:	Sindelfingen
Organisation:	PDC
Format:	Legs
Prize Fund:	£135,000
Winners Share:	£25,000
High Checkout:	164 Darren Webster (third round)
Winner:	Michael van Gerwen
Prev:	Event 4
Next:	Event 6

The 2018 European Darts Grand Prix was the fifth of thirteen PDC European Tour events on the 2018 PDC Pro Tour. The tournament took place at Glaspalast, Sindelfingen, Germany, between 4–6 May 2018. It featured a field of 48 players and £135,000 in prize money, with £25,000 going to the winner.

Peter Wright was the defending champion after defeating Michael van Gerwen 6–0 in the 2017 final,^[1] but he was defeated 6–5 in the third round to Danny Noppert.

Michael van Gerwen won the tournament for a second time, defeating James Wade 8–3 in the final whilst averaging over 109 for the third successive game.

Prize money

This is how the prize money is divided:

Stage (num. of players)		Prize money
Winner	align=center	(1)	align=center	£25,000
Runner-up	align=center	(1)	align=center	£10,000
Semi-finalists	align=center	(2)	align=center	£6,000
Quarter-finalists	align=center	(4)	align=center	£4,000
Third round losers	align=center	(8)	align=center	£3,000
Second round losers	align=center	(16)	align=center	£2,000
First round losers	align=center	(16)	align=center	£1,000
Total	align=center colspan=2	£135,000

Prize money will count towards the PDC Order of Merit, the ProTour Order of Merit and the European Tour Order of Merit, with one exception: should a seeded player lose in the second round (last 32), their prize money will not count towards any Orders of Merit, although they still receive the full prize money payment.^{[2] [3]}

Qualification and format

The top 16 entrants from the PDC ProTour Order of Merit on 27 March will automatically qualify for the event and will be seeded in the second round.

The remaining 32 places will go to players from five qualifying events – 18 from the UK Qualifier (held in Barnsley on 6 April), eight from the West/South European Qualifier (held on 3 May), four from the Host Nation Qualifier (held on 3 May), one from the Nordic & Baltic Qualifier (held on 23 February) and one from the East European Qualifier (held on 28 January).

Adrian Lewis withdrew prior to the draw through illness, and was replaced by a Host Nation Qualifier.^[4]

The following players will take part in the tournament:

Top 16^[5]

1. Michael van Gerwen (winner)

1. Peter Wright (third round)

1. Rob Cross (third round)

1. Michael Smith (semi-finals)

1. Daryl Gurney (second round)

1. Mensur Suljović (third round)

1. Joe Cullen (quarter-finals)

1. Dave Chisnall (quarter-finals)

1. Ian White (third round)

1. Kim Huybrechts (second round)

1. Simon Whitlock (quarter-finals)

1. Mervyn King (second round)

1. Jelle Klaasen (second round)

1. John Henderson (second round)

1. Gerwyn Price (second round)

1. Darren Webster (third round)

UK Qualifier^[6]

• Kyle Anderson (third round)

• Stephen Bunting (first round)

• Robert Owen (first round)

• Matt Padgett (second round)

• Adrian Lewis (withdrew)

• Alan Tabern (second round)

• James Wade (runner-up)

• Arron Monk (second round)

• Dawson Murschell (first round)

• Ricky Evans (first round)

• Steve Hine (first round)

• Peter Hudson (first round)

• Paul Nicholson (third round)

• Jamie Caven (second round)

• Andy Boulton (first round)

• Jamie Lewis (quarter-finals)

• Steve Lennon (first round)

• Kirk Shepherd (second round)

West/South European Qualifier

• Toni Alcinas (first round)

• Vincent van der Voort (second round)

• Danny Noppert (semi-finals)

• Mats Gies (first round)

• Jan Dekker (second round)

• Mareno Michels (first round)

• Jermaine Wattimena (third round)

• Dimitri Van den Bergh (first round)

Host Nation Qualifier

• Max Hopp (first round)

• Martin Schindler (second round)

• Gabriel Clemens (first round)

• Christian Bunse (first round)

• Robert Marijanović (second round)

Nordic & Baltic Qualifier

• Madars Razma (second round)^[7]

East European Qualifier

• Krzysztof Ratajski (first round)^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Peter Wright beats Michael van Gerwen to win European Darts Grand Prix. Sky Sports. 14 May 2017.
2. Web site: European Tour 2018 Info. PDPA. 24 March 2018.
3. Web site: European Tour Rule Changes Announced. PDC. 19 January 2017. 24 March 2018.
4. Web site: Allen. Dave. 2018 European Darts Grand Prix Draw. PDC. 3 May 2018.
5. Web site: Allen. Dave. ET5 & ET6 Entries Confirmed. PDC. 2 April 2018.
6. Web site: PDC European Tour Qualifier #5. DartConnect. 6 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180311202322/https://tv.dartconnect.com/event#t-pdcetq185. 11 March 2018. dead.
7. Web site: Double PDCNB Success For Labanauskas. PDC. 26 February 2018. 24 March 2018.
8. Web site: Six Players Win European Tour Spots. PDC. 29 January 2018. 24 March 2018.