Raymond van Barneveld has secured his place at this year's World Darts Championship, marking a significant milestone as he prepares for his 34th appearance at the prestigious event. The five-time world champion achieved this by successfully navigating the ProTour Order of Merit, defeating fellow Dutch player Jimmy van Schie in his opening match.

In a thrilling turn of events, Tommy Morris, a non-tour card holder, stunned Luke Humphries by winning the final of Players Championship 34 with a score of 8-5. Morris clinched victory by winning the last three legs, finishing with a remarkable 161 checkout. His victory not only secured him a spot in the Grand Slam of Darts from November 14-22, but also paved the way for his participation in the World Darts Championship next month.

Morris expressed his overwhelming joy, stating, "You have no idea, I'm so happy! I've come from nothing. I haven't even got a tour card... For me to win one of these PDC events is very overwhelming for me."

Meanwhile, crowd favorite Ricky Evans faced disappointment, needing to qualify through a tour-card-holder match after a 6-0 defeat to Morris in the second round. Wesley Plaisier and Jeffrey de Zwaan also found themselves in similar predicaments, requiring qualifying matches to secure their spots in Alexandra Palace.

The Players Championship Finals are set to take place at Butlins in Minehead from November 27-29, featuring a prize pot of £750,000, with the winner taking home £130,000. Additionally, the World Youth Championship final will occur on the same weekend, with competitors Cam Crabtree and Jan Schmidt battling for the title.