Mike van Duivenbode wins PDC Tour Card at 2019 European Qualifying School
By Sky Sports Darts
Last Updated: 05/01/19 11:33am
Mike van Duivenbode made it a Dutch Double at the 2019 European Qualifying School by winning a PDC Tour Card on Day Two in Hildesheim on Friday.
The two-time PDC Unicorn Development Tour event winner celebrated his 20th birthday in style to follow another 20-year-old Dutchman, Niels Zonneveld, in securing full-time status on the PDC circuit.
Dordrecht's Van Duivenbode impressed throughout the day at Halle 39, with Dutch youngsters Levy Frauenfelder and Justin van Tergouw joined by Greek World Cup representative Veniamin Symeonidis in being early victims.
He also defeated Nigel van Milligen and Gergely Lakatos before whitewashing Dragutin Horvat with a 100 average in the quarter-finals.
Van Duivenbode then overcame experienced Finnish ace Marko Kantele in the semi-finals and battled back from 4-2 down in the final against Latvia's Madars Razma.
Having taken the final to a deciding leg, Van Duivenbode opened with scores of 180 and 140 to be first to a finish before taking out 80 to secure his Tour Card.
"My day was unbelievable," said Van Duivenbode. "I felt so good - it's my birthday and I dreamed last night that I won my Tour Card today and I did it. I'm so happy.
"I was 4-2 down [in the final], and you think you've already lost but you must never give up. I played my game as I threw all day and I won."
Saturday sees Day Three of the European Qualifying School take place in Hildesheim, where the winner will secure a PDC Tour Card.
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