PDC Tour Q-School: Cristo Reyes secures return after five years while two debutants to join professional circuit
Cristo Reyes reclaims a PDC Tour card on the second day of the Q-School final stage in Europe, while Steve Beaton left with work to do on Order of Merit in UK after early Friday exit; watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports from February until the finale at The O2
Friday 9 January 2026 20:49, UK
Cristo Reyes and Jeffrey Sparidaans secured PDC Tour returns, while Ireland's Niall Culleton and England's Carl Sneyd won cards for the first time, on the second day at the final stage of the PDC's Qualifying Schools.
Reyes headlined Friday's Tour Card winners at the European event in Germany, with the Spaniard to return to the professional circuit for the first time in over five years after a string of excellent performances, which included a 6-3 victory over Matthias Ehlers in his final match of the day.
The 38-year-old last month made his return to the World Darts Championship after a six-year absence, taking a set off eventual finalist Gian van Veen before losing 3-1. Reyes reached the last 16 at Alexandra Palace in 2015.
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Sparidaans, meanwhile, also secured his return to the professional circuit after a one-year hiatus, thanks to a dramatic deciding-leg victory over Michele Turetta.
The Dutchman led Turetta 5-1, but let his lead slip after the Italian hit an incredible 170 checkout to level the contest at 5-5, before Turetta squandered four match darts in the deciding leg to allow Sparidaans to secure a 6-5 win and his Tour Card.
At UK Qualifying School in Milton Keynes, Culleton and Sneyd both secured their maiden Tour Cards after winning six consecutive matches in thrilling fashion on Friday.
Culleton defeated Kirk De Ruyter 6-3 in the opening round, before dramatically coming back from 5-0 down to conquer Sam Jackson 6-5.
The Irishman then accounted for veteran Mervyn King 6-2 and compatriot Damien Grimes 6-4 before defeating Sam Spivey 6-3 with a 98 average to set up a winner-takes-all clash with Danny Goddard.
Goddard - who hit a nine-dart finish to win his fourth round tie against Martin Grearson earlier in the day - initially led 5-4, but Culleton rallied to triumph 6-5 and get his hands on his first-ever PDC Tour Card.
Culleton was joined in the winner's circle by Sneyd, as the latter began the day by seeing off Martin Tonks 6-1 and Tommy Morris 6-2 with relative ease.
The Englishman then got past fellow countrymen Daryl Hunt and Thomas Cromwell, before coming back from 5-2 and surviving match darts on multiple occasions against David Sharp to come out a 6-5 winner.
Sneyd then faced Irish star Steve Lennon for the prospect of a Tour Card, and, after taking a 4-2 lead, saw out the contest 6-4 to ensure two years on the professional circuit.
Beaton slips down Order of Merit after early Friday loss
PDC Tour Cards are awarded to the last two players left standing on each day's play at both the UK and European Qualifying Schools, with four of the eight across the four-day finals events now awarded.
However, a further 13 cards will be awarded to the leading players from the respective Qualifying Schools at the end of Sunday's play based on the Order of Merits - eight in Europe and five in the UK.
After a run to the quarter-finals on day one saw him placed fifth on the UK Order of Merit after Thursday's play, 61-year-old Steve Beaton dropped below the cut line to 14th place as it stands after the 'The Bronzed Adonis' lost 6-5 in Friday's first round to Stephen Burton.
Fallon Sherrock and John Part both suffered round-one defeats for the second successive day, while Charlie Manby exited in the second round and Mervyn King was beaten in the last 32.
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