Teenage prospect Kyle Gilding will make his Ladbrokes UK Open debut in March after progressing through the PDC in the Community Qualifiers in Syston last weekend.
The 16-year-old, who is set to make his Winmau Development Tour debut later this month, secured his place at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, where the UK Open will be staged from March 6-8. Gilding headlined the latest batch of qualifiers at the Syston Brookside Club, becoming one of several amateurs to book a spot in the 160-player field.
Jack Todd, Clive Langford and Callum Francis also sealed qualification through the PDC in the Community pathway. Todd triumphed at the Flights Sports & Social Club in Fleetwood, while Langford and Francis progressed from events held at the Out Out Bar in Newport and Worthies Sports & Social Club in Kings Worthy respectively.
Francis, a carpenter by trade, is no stranger to the circuit, having featured regularly in recent seasons and reaching a Winmau Challenge Tour quarter-final in November 2024.
Four more PDC in the Community Qualifiers will be confirmed over the next fortnight, with events scheduled in Plymouth, Worksop, Enderby and Alfreton as the series reaches its conclusion.
Meanwhile, four of the eight Rileys Amateur Qualifiers have also been decided. Sean Ryan, Daniel Lee and Oliver King have all secured their places at Minehead, with Ryan prevailing in the Aberdeen Qualifier on January 31. Lee will make his third UK Open appearance after success in Saturday’s Coventry Qualifier.
Norwich-based King, a former Development Tour competitor, will make his televised debut alongside fellow newcomer Neil Wild, who came through the Solihull Qualifier last month. The remaining qualifiers will take place in Chorlton, Liverpool, Harlow and London Victoria over the coming weekends.
Source: PDC.TV
