The 2024 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts lineup is taking shape after eight top players clinched their spots in Friday’s intense Tour Card Holder Qualifier at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena. Following the PDC ProTour season’s wrap-up, 99 players battled for just eight coveted spots in the £650,000 Grand Slam event, and some of the sport’s finest talents rose to the challenge.
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Noppert, Wade, and Smith Headline Qualifiers
Danny Noppert, the Dutch number two, led the charge with a decisive 5-1 victory over fellow countryman Danny van Trijp, securing his sixth Grand Slam appearance. James Wade, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, showed his prowess with commanding wins over Simon Whitlock, Florian Hempel, and Michele Turetta, conceding only one leg along the way.
Ross Smith also earned his place in Wolverhampton for the fourth time, prevailing over Jeffrey de Graaf in a nail-biting deciding leg after strong performances against Adam Hunt and Brendan Dolan.
Stand-Out Performances from Lukeman and Mansell
Martin Lukeman’s qualifying run stole the spotlight as he delivered impressive averages of 103, 104, 103, and 107 in his matches against Stephen Burton, James Hurrell, Nathan Rafferty, and Jeffrey De Zwaan. Meanwhile, Mickey Mansell took down 2012 champion Raymond van Barneveld and Gerwyn Price in succession to secure his place in the tournament.
Keane Barry continued his successful season with a strong 5-2 win over Thibault Tricole to make his Grand Slam debut, while Cameron Menzies built on his recent Players Championship victory by defeating top-10 player Nathan Aspinall.
Completing the lineup, Ryan Joyce made a notable comeback by overcoming Damon Heta’s 103 average and rounding off the event with a 5-2 victory against Nick Kenny.
Big Names Miss Out on Grand Slam Qualification
Despite their best efforts, several high-profile names fell short in Friday’s qualifiers. Gerwyn Price, the former three-time Grand Slam champion, and world number five Jonny Clayton were among those unable to cut. Raymond van Barneveld, Jose de Sousa, Chris Dobey, and Ryan Searle also missed out after facing tough early-round exits.
A Star-Studded Lineup Awaits
The 32-player field for the 2024 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts is already packed with talent. Reigning champion Luke Humphries will be back to defend his title, while former champions Michael Smith, Michael van Gerwen, and last year’s runner-up Rob Cross are also in the mix. Making his highly anticipated debut will be teenage sensation Luke Littler, ready to showcase his skills on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
Fans can catch the tournament action from November 9-17 at WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton, where darts’ best will compete for the prestigious Eric Bristow Trophy.
Grand Slam Draw Coming Soon
The draw for the 2024 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts will take place on Monday, November 4, and fans can stay tuned for full details.
Qualifying Players List
Invited in the following order
TV Event Finalists, then European Tour Winners
Luke Humphries
Luke Littler
Mike De Decker
Stephen Bunting
Dimitri Van den Bergh
Ritchie Edhouse
Michael Smith
Rob Cross
Michael van Gerwen
Jermaine Wattimena
Rowby-John Rodriguez
Mensur Suljovic
Dave Chisnall
Martin Schindler
Peter Wright
Josh Rock
Gary Anderson
PDC Tour Card Holder Qualifiers
Keane Barry
Martin Lukeman
Ryan Joyce
Danny Noppert
Cameron Menzies
James Wade
Mickey Mansell
Ross Smith
Additional Qualifiers
Gian van Veen
Wessel Nijman
Beau Greaves
Noa-Lynn van Leuven
Lourence Ilagan
Leonard Gates
Challenge Tour OoM winner – Defined on Nov 3
