Belgian Darts Championship 2020 Day One preview and order of play: Euro Tour kicks off in Hasselt
The curtain is raised on the 2020 PDC European Tour on Friday with the First Round action at the inaugural Belgian Darts Championship in Hasselt.
The first of 13 European Tour events this season, and the first ever to be held in Belgium, features 48 players competing over three days for £140,000 in prize money.
The top 16 players from the ProTour Order of Merit are seeded and enter at the Second Round stage on Saturday, while the 32 qualifiers battle it out on Day One for the right to join them.
World Championship quarter-finalist Dimitri van den Bergh stars in the evening session as the top-ranked Belgian, and he looks to delight his home crowd by defeating Dutch debutant Derk Telnekes – twice a Lakeside qualifier.
Former World Champion Steve Beaton aims to press home his vast experience against Euro Tour debutant Kai Fan Leung of Hong Kong – who has made a bright start to life as a Tour Card holder after coming through Q School in January.
Ronny Huybrechts came through Thursday’s Host Nation qualifier to seal his spot in the main event but faces a tough test against World Youth Champion and next week’s Premier League Challenger Luke Humphries.
Former PDC world finalist Andy Hamilton marks his first Euro Tour appearance since 2017 with a Stoke derby against Andy Boulton.
Brisbane Masters champion Damon Heta gets his first taste of the Euro Tour stage when he faces Michael Barnard – whose torrid run of form has seen him pick up just £1,500 in prize money since the start of last season.
A tasty tussle in the afternoon session sees 2014 Lakeside Champion Stephen Bunting take on PDC newcomer Martijn Kleermaker – who stormed through European Q School after featuring in January’s BDO World Championship.
Recent Players Championship event winner Ryan Searle aims to continue his fine start to the season when he faces new Tour Card holder Darren Penhall in the opening match of the day.
Dutch qualifier Wesley Plaisier takes on Slovenia’s Benjamin Pratnemer, while multiple major quarter-finalist Steve West meets Belgian qualifier Jeffrey Van Egdom.
Kim Huybrechts, one of the most successful players in the history of Belgian darts, aims to raise the roof by overcoming Ryan Harrington – who came through yesterday’s Associate Member qualifier.
One of the stand-out ties of the evening sesion sees German Masters runner-up Gabriel Clemens take on two-time Challenge Tour event winner Callan Rydz – who impressed on his World Championship debut in December.
Belgian youngster Mike De Decker takes on Dutch left-hander Ron Meulenkamp in another intriguing battle, while in-form Dirk van Duijvenbode faces Luke Woodhouse – who made the Last 32 of the recent World Championship.
Steve Lennon – who hit a nine-darter on the ProTour last weekend – meets Austria’s Rowby-John Rodriguez, while World Series Finals runner-up Danny Noppert takes on 2015 BDO World Trophy winner Geert de Vos – one of three Host Nation qualifiers.
The action gets underway from midday GMT, with all matches to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
WATCH THE BELGIAN DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)
Belgian Darts Championship 2020 Schedule
All times GMT (local time one hour ahead)
Friday February 28
First Round
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Darren Penhall v Ryan Searle
Andy Boulton v Andy Hamilton
Kai Fan Leung v Steve Beaton
Luke Humphries v Ronny Huybrechts
Michael Barnard v Damon Heta
Wesley Plaisier v Benjamin Pratnemer
Martijn Kleermaker v Stephen Bunting
Justin Pipe v Mervyn King
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Luke Woodhouse
Mike De Decker v Ron Meulenkamp
Callan Rydz v Gabriel Clemens
Danny Noppert v Geert de Vos
Ryan Harrington v Kim Huybrechts
Rowby-John Rodriguez v Steve Lennon
Steve West v Jeffrey Van Egdom
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Derk Telnekes
