Dutch Darts Championship: Sedlacek hits seven 180s to beat Rydz as Van Schie and Uuldriks win deciders

Karel Sedlacek moved a step closer to a European Championship place on Friday, 16 October, coming from 4-3 down to beat Callan Rydz 6-4 with seven 180s in the first round of the Dutch Darts Championship at the MECC in Maastricht. Four Dutch players also won on day one of the final PDC European Tour event of the season, with Jimmy van Schie and Heine Uuldriks both surviving last-leg deciders, while home hopes Richard Veenstra and Maikel Verberk went out.

Sedlacek keeps the race alive

The Czech player arrived in the Netherlands needing a strong run to break into the 32-player European Championship field in Dortmund. Before the event, Stephen Bunting held the final qualifying spot on the European Tour Order of Merit, only around £2,000 ahead of Sedlacek in 33rd.

Sedlacek's win over Rydz, in which he averaged 90.81, adds to that pressure. He now faces 15th seed Martin Schindler in round two, while Bunting begins his campaign against Cameron Menzies, who beat Nick Kenny 6-1 on Friday afternoon.

Home players impress in Maastricht

Uuldriks produced one of the best results of the afternoon, recovering from 3-0 down to beat Germany's Ricardo Pietreczko 6-5. Pietreczko averaged more than 101 and still lost.

In the evening, Van Schie edged Belgium's Kim Huybrechts 6-5, sealing the decider with a 116 checkout. Dirk van Duijvenbode was rarely troubled in a 6-1 win over James Hurrell, and Niels Zonneveld beat Mike De Decker 6-4.

It was a harder night for two other Dutch players. Veenstra lost 6-2 to Ireland's William O'Connor, and Verberk went down 6-4 to Damon Heta despite a 130 checkout that briefly dragged him back within a leg.

The rest of the first-round results

Jeffrey de Graaf posted the highest winning average of the afternoon at 100.12 as he beat Mickey Mansell 6-3. Ryan Joyce whitewashed Owen Bates 6-0, and Dave Chisnall beat Finland's Jonas Masalin 6-4. Andrew Gilding edged Max Hopp 6-5.

In the evening, Scott Williams fought back to beat Germany's Niko Springer 6-5, Sebastian Bialecki beat Daryl Gurney 6-4, and Cristo Reyes defeated Krzysztof Kciuk 6-2. Michael Smith closed the night with a 6-5 win over Stephen Burton.

Seeds enter on Saturday

The top 16 seeds join the event in round two on Saturday, 17 October. The field is without Luke Humphries, who withdrew before the event, leaving home favourite Gian van Veen as top seed. Rob Cross has also pulled out.

The afternoon session starts at 11am UK time, which is 7pm in Malaysia, and includes Schindler v Sedlacek, Ryan Searle v Van Duijvenbode, Brendan Dolan v Uuldriks and Krzysztof Ratajski v Zonneveld. The evening session begins at 1am on Sunday, Malaysia time, and features Bunting v Menzies, Van Veen v Bialecki, Michael van Gerwen v O'Connor and Jermaine Wattimena v Van Schie.

The last 16 is played on Sunday afternoon, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in the evening session, which starts at 1am on Monday, 19 October, in Malaysia. The winner collects £35,000 from a £230,000 prize fund.

Key takeaways

• Karel Sedlacek beat Callan Rydz 6-4 with seven 180s to stay in the European Championship race.
• Stephen Bunting holds the last qualifying spot and faces Cameron Menzies in round two.
• Heine Uuldriks, Jimmy van Schie, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Niels Zonneveld all won for the Netherlands.
• Richard Veenstra and Maikel Verberk were the Dutch first-round casualties.

FAQ

Who is top seed at the Dutch Darts Championship 2026? Gian van Veen is top seed after Luke Humphries withdrew. He plays Sebastian Bialecki in round two.

Why does the Dutch Darts Championship matter for the European Championship? It is the last European Tour event before the European Championship, so it is the final chance for players to change their position on the qualifying Order of Merit.

What time is the Dutch Darts Championship final in Malaysia? The final is part of the Sunday evening session, which begins at 1am on Monday, 19 October, Malaysia time. The final itself will start later in that session.

Sources: DartsNews, Darts Planet TV, PDC, Dave Sport