JDC tour events 1&2 kicked off the junior calendar in some style making huge headlines in Solihull last weekend.
With record entries for the double header in Solihull, there was a considerable buzz around the place as the players settled in for a huge day of darts. The first of the JDC weekends kicked off the 2020 tour with players from all over europe. Players flew in from Denmark, Germany, Spain and Ireland to compete for the opportunity to qualify for the JDC world finals later this summer. The ultimate destination for the players is the Alexandra Palace London to be crowned Junior World Darts Champion 2020.
In the first tour of the day the crowd of nearly 200 people were not dissapointed. In the very first round Lincoln ace Leighton Bennett was to bow out with a fine performanve from Nathan Potter who swept aside Bennett 3-1 with a 100.3 avareage for the match. Potter would go on to reach the final where he would meet the headline maker for the day Lancashires 15 yr old Nathan Care, who not only won the first event but hit the magical 9 dart finish in his semi final match against Middlesborough youngster Lewis Coates.
Care, who has competes regularly on the JDC tour said " what can I say, its a nine darter. Of cousre I am happy with that but its just anther leg really. I am pleased to win the first tour as its good to win the first one".
Commenting on the actual 9 dart leg Care said," I don't remember much about it, the two 180's went in then the rest is a bit blurry, then I looked up and its in the double 12"
In the second event of the day it was the turn of the Super 16 finalist Luke Littler to announce himself as a JDC Tour winner. Littler will be on stage at the PDC Masters event in Milton Keynes this Sunday in an attempt to win his first major JDC title against Irish sensation Keane Barry.
Barry is looking for his 3rd JDC title after winning the International Open in Gibraltar and being crowned Junior World Darts Champion in December at the Alexandra Palace.
Littler claimed his win with victories over some really talented players including, Devon's Pacey Large, Denmarks Sebastain Bech, Lewis Coates, Charlie Manby and eventually Nathan Potter in the final.
Other notible performances on the day go to Nathan Potter who reached the final in both tour events, Worcestershires Mitchell Leeming making two semi finals in the day and Lewis Coates who also made two semi finals in Solihull.
Next up for the youngsters is Worcester in February on the Scott Farms International Junior Darts Tour 2020.
TOUR 1
FINAL
NATHAN CARE 5 - 2 NATHAN POTTER
SEMI FINALS
NATHAN POTTER 4 - 2 MITCHELL LEEMING
NATHAN CARE 4 - 3 LEWIS COATES
QTR FINALS
NATHAN POTTER 3-1 LIAM BUTLER
MITCHELL LEEMING 3-0 HARRY GREGORY
LEWIS COATES 3-2 CHARLIE LARGE
NATHAN CARE 3-1 CONNOR PICKETT
TOUR 2
FINAL
LUKE LITTLER 5 - 3 NATHAN POTTER
SEMI FINALS
LUKE LITTLER 4 - 2 LEWIS COATES
NATHAN POTTER 4 -1 MITCHELL LEEMING
QTR FINALS
LUKE LITTLER 3 - 0 SEBASTIAN BECH
LEWIS COATES 3 -0 ADAM DEE
NATHAN POTTER 3 - 0 HENRY COATES
MITCHELL LEEMING 3 - 2 KIERAN THOMPSON