Fallon Sherrock beaten by Danny Lauby in first match of PDC Q-School final stage | Darts News

Fallon Sherrock is bidding to earn a PDC Tour Card for the first time and become the second woman ever to do so; Sherrock still has more chances to earn one of 32 spots, with Q-School event running from January 12-15

Fallon Sherrock suffered a 6-1 loss to Danny Lauby on the first day of the final stage of PDC Q-School

Fallon Sherrock began the final stage of PDC Q-School by suffering a 6-1 defeat to American Danny Lauby in Milton Keynes.

The ‘Queen of the Palace’ is bidding to become just the second woman, after Lisa Ashton in 2020, to win a PDC Tour Card and join the 128-strong Pro Tour.

One of 128 players competing for 32 places, Sherrock opened up against 29-year-old Lauby, but slipped to a comprehensive defeat to miss her first chance to earn a spot.

The final stage of the event runs from January 12-15, and Sherrock will return on Thursday with another opportunity.

On Tuesday, Sherrock booked safe passage through to the final stage with a 5-2 victory over Wes Newton.

After a first-round defeat on Sunday, followed by a loss in her third match on Monday, it was do-or-die for Sherrock, who knew she needed big performances on Tuesday or she would be eliminated.

The 27-year-old started with a 5-0 whitewash over Robert Whybrew, then defeated Kevin Lane 5-1, before seeing off the ‘The Warrior’ Newton, in a win which ensured she would get through via the First Stage Order of Merit. Her run was eventually ended at the last-32 stage by Scott Marsh, who prevailed in a last-leg decider.

Lisa Ashton went further than Sherrock in Milton Keynes

‘The Lancashire Rose’ Ashton made a solid start to her bid to regain her PDC Tour Card as she averaged over 90 in beating Nick Fullwell and Josh McCarthy, but her form dipped and she eventually bowed out 6-4 to Gary Blades.

The four-time women’s darts champion saw her dreams of a run at the PDC World Championship thwarted at the first-round stage by Dutchman Ron Meulenkamp last month.

Q-School explained

Over 650 players are competing in the 2022 PDC Qualifying Schools from January 9-15, with 32 Tour Cards on offer for players to secure a spot on the PDC circuit for 2022 and 2023.

The competitions are split between Milton Keynes and Niedernhausen in Germany.

The first stage took place between January 9-11, with 128 players progressing to the final stage.

Eight players per day qualified automatically, with all further places going to players from a First Stage Order of Merit in each region.

A total of 32 PDC Tour Cards will be on offer in the final stage from January 12-15, with each of the daily winners in the UK and Europe receiving an automatic Tour Card.

The remaining 24 Tour Cards will be allocated to players from the UK and European Q School Final Stage Orders of Merit, and split on a pro-rata basis of total participants in each region.

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