York darts players hit the road to the Blue Square UK Open

The Clifton Hotel has staged the first of three qualifying events for the prestigious tournament, with Pip Hair and Rich Corner booking their places in the next stage.

The pair will go forward to the regional qualifiers and they will be joined by four more players from the York area.

Clifton Hotel regular Chris Thompson reached the quarter-finals of last year’s UK Open at Bolton Wanderers’ Reebok Stadium.

And Clifton Hotel landlord Neil Hart landed an extra qualifying event on the back of the huge interest in darts in the city.

A second qualifier will be held at the pub on Wednesday, March 4, with the final event on Wednesday, March 11.

“We have had two people qualify already and, hopefully, we will get four more,” said Hart.

“They will all go forward to the regional qualifiers, which were held at the Batley Frontier Club last year.

“It was a big success last week and with Chris Thompson doing so well last year there is a bit of a buzz about it.”

A field of 14 entered the opening event, bagging a total of 77 ton-plus scores, 29 140s and five 180s.

Group one was headed by Pip Hair, who beat Dave Scaum 3-0, including a 15-dart leg and a 19-darter, to reach the next phase.

Scaum received a bye in the opening stage, while Pip Hair beat Linda Embleton 3-0, Tom Hair beat Shane Hurst (180) 3-1 and Kev Pallister beat Daz Uttley 3-2.

Scaum beat Tom Hair 3-1 in the semi-finals, while Pip Hair knocked out Pallister 3-0.

In group two, Mark Chipchase received a bye, while Hart included a 17-dart leg in a 3-0 victory over John Pallister.

Corner had legs of 16 and 20 darts in his victory over Martin Wilson, while John Byrne ousted Jason Fletcher 3-2.

In the semi-finals, Hart (180 for 15, 19, 20) beat Chipchase 3-0, while Corner (16, 18, 19) beat John Byrne 3-0.

Then Corner (19, 18, 180 for 16) beat Hart (18) 3-2 to reach the next phase.

Registration for the next two qualifying sessions is at 7.30pm, with the darts starting at 8pm.