Where Is the Toughest Area to Play Darts? Q4QS Area Strength Rankings 2026

 

Over the last few editions of my Tournament Strength series, I've gradually moved closer to the grassroots game.

I've compared tours, individual tournaments and, most recently, the toughest regular venues south of Birmingham. That venue analysis showed Cefn Hengoed narrowly ahead of Sartan and North Star, but it also raised another question.

Does having one exceptionally tough venue mean you live in a particularly strong darts area?

Or is the real test the strength and depth of tournaments available across the whole local scene?

This time, I've gone back into the Q4QS database to find out.

What Do I Mean By An 'Area'?

This is important.

I'm not attempting to produce a definitive county championship or rank every part of Britain.

The Q4QS database is still expanding geographically. My existing rankings already cover the Midlands south of Birmingham, Wales and Southern England, with particularly detailed coverage around the South and South West.

So I've grouped tournaments into recognisable darts areas currently represented sufficiently in the database.

Think of this as the first Q4QS Area Strength table.

As the database expands, more areas will be able to join it.

Tournament Strength Is NOT A Three-Dart Average

One familiar warning before we get to the numbers.

If an area records a Tournament Strength of 62, it does not mean players in that area average 62.

Tournament Strength is the Q4QS field-strength measure. It looks at the quality of the players actually competing rather than simply how well somebody threw on a particular night. That's the same principle I've used throughout this series.

For this article, I've grouped those tournament scores geographically.

That allows us to ask:

If I regularly entered tournaments in this area, what sort of strength would I encounter?

The Early Q4QS Area Strength Picture

Here are some of the best-represented areas in the current database:

Area	Recorded Events	Typical Strength	Median	Peak
Dorset	51	61.49	62.60	68.87
Wiltshire	40	61.01	63.70	67.86
Oxfordshire	162	60.75	61.22	69.51
Buckinghamshire	255	60.70	62.53	89.02
Hampshire	162	59.74	60.38	73.80
Worcestershire	236	59.39	61.68	83.40
Gloucestershire	88	59.35	59.68	68.02
Devon	112	58.62	59.08	75.08
South Wales	505	56.73	58.74	73.57
Somerset	218	56.01	57.39	68.75
Bristol area	293	55.89	56.36	73.33

Figures are based on tournaments I can currently identify confidently within each geographical grouping. Different areas have different levels and types of Q4QS coverage, so these should be viewed as evolving 2026 benchmarks rather than definitive national rankings.

Dorset Takes The Early Lead

This wasn't necessarily the result I expected.

Dorset currently leads the areas I've analysed with a typical Tournament Strength of 61.49.

Its median is even higher at 62.60, suggesting the result isn't simply being inflated by one or two particularly strong tournaments.

That's exactly what this analysis is supposed to uncover.

Dorset doesn't need to contain the single strongest tournament in the database.

Instead, the tournaments currently represented there are producing a consistently strong overall level.

But Wiltshire May Have The Most Interesting Number

Wiltshire is second on mean Tournament Strength at 61.01.

Look at the median, though.

63.70.

That's the highest in this initial group.

North Star in Calne was already third in my individual venue rankings, with a typical Tournament Strength of 64.77.

The area analysis suggests that strength isn't disappearing when we move beyond one individual tournament.

The sample is smaller than some of the other areas, so I wouldn't declare Wiltshire the capital of grassroots darts just yet.

But 63.70 for the median tournament is a serious number.

Oxfordshire Has Depth

Then we reach an area with considerably more data.

Oxfordshire records 162 tournaments and a typical strength of 60.75.

Its peak reaches 69.51.

Faringdon had already caught my attention in the venue analysis because it maintained strong figures across a large number of competitions. Now the wider area is appearing towards the top as well.

That's more significant to me than one enormous tournament.

It's beginning to show depth.

Buckinghamshire Is Fascinating

Buckinghamshire is only fractionally behind Oxfordshire at 60.70, and its median is an impressive 62.53.

But then there's the peak:

89.02.

That comes from the ADC Winmau Championship South level of competition at Bradmoor Farm, Aylesbury – an event that already featured prominently in my toughest individual tournaments analysis. The 89.02 score is considerably beyond normal weekly grassroots territory.

And this demonstrates exactly why I've included both Typical Strength and Peak.

Buckinghamshire can stage an exceptionally strong tournament.

But I'm not allowing that one competition to turn the whole area into an 89-rated darts region.

The typical figure tells us what happens regularly.

The peak tells us how strong it can become.

Worcestershire Has The Same Story

Worcestershire produces another huge peak at 83.40, but its wider typical figure is 59.39.

Again, that's useful.

We already knew from previous Q4QS analysis that Worcestershire could produce extremely strong grassroots environments, with Bengeworth and Redditch both appearing prominently in earlier venue comparisons.

Area Strength adds another layer.

A brilliant venue doesn't necessarily make every tournament in the surrounding area equally difficult.

Bristol Produces The Biggest Surprise

Now for the result I suspect will interest many of my regular readers.

Bristol is bottom of this particular group at 55.89.

Do I therefore think Bristol has the weakest darts scene here?

Absolutely not.

In fact, this may be the most useful result in the entire article.

My Bristol data contains 293 tournaments, and Q4QS coverage around Bristol is particularly extensive. Previous local analysis alone has included thousands of matches and hundreds of different players.

More importantly, Bristol offers an enormous range of competitions.

There are strong open tournaments.

There are ADC Vaults.

There are Under-55 events.

There are Sub-70 competitions.

There are junior events.

There are tournaments specifically designed to give developing and lower-average players competitive darts.

DartAsylum is perhaps the perfect example. Its programme covers a huge range of standards, even though its strongest recorded field has reached 73.33.

So Bristol's lower overall number is partly telling us something positive:

there is competitive darts available for almost everybody.

That's Why Mean And Median Both Matter

This exercise has convinced me that future Area Strength rankings shouldn't rely on one number alone.

Look at Wiltshire.

Mean: 61.01
Median: 63.70

Now Bristol.

Mean: 55.89
Median: 56.36

And Buckinghamshire:

Mean: 60.70
Median: 62.53

We're beginning to see different types of darts ecosystems.

Some areas have predominantly strong open competition.

Some have enormous tournament schedules covering every standard.

Some have a fairly ordinary weekly level but occasionally host fields of almost professional-tour strength.

None of those is necessarily "better".

They're different.

South Wales Is Another Great Example

South Wales currently has a typical figure of 56.73, which might initially look surprising after Cefn Hengoed finished number one in the individual venue ranking.

But look at the sample:

505 tournaments.

That's vastly more than Dorset or Wiltshire.

Cefn Hengoed can produce exceptionally strong regular fields. Cardiff and Brynmawr have also featured prominently in the venue analysis.

But once hundreds of competitions of different standards are included, the overall area figure naturally changes.

And that gives us perhaps the most important lesson from this article.

One Tough Venue Doesn't Make A Tough Area

That was the question I started with.

I think the database is already beginning to answer it.

Venue Strength and Area Strength aren't the same thing.

An area can contain one brutal weekly tournament but relatively little strength elsewhere.

Another can have ten venues consistently producing good fields without ever recording one spectacular score.

And another can have hundreds of competitions deliberately catering for players throughout the ability spectrum.

That's why I don't want Area Strength to become simply another league table where number one is "good" and number ten is "bad".

The numbers are telling us far more than that.

These Rankings Will Change

Perhaps more than any previous article in this series, this one needs to be viewed as a starting point.

Q4QS coverage isn't geographically equal yet.

Some areas have hundreds of tournaments in the database.

Others have dozens.

And there are large parts of Britain I haven't yet incorporated sufficiently to include at all.

That's changing.

As Q4QS expands, new areas will enter the comparison and existing areas will gain more tournaments and venues.

That means today's leader might not remain there.

In fact, I'll be disappointed if this table doesn't change considerably.

That's part of the fun of building it.

Final Thoughts

So, where is the toughest area to play darts?

Among the areas sufficiently represented in this first Q4QS analysis, Dorset currently takes the lead on mean Tournament Strength at 61.49.

But I'd hesitate before simply crowning Dorset and walking away.

Wiltshire has the strongest median at 63.70.

Buckinghamshire has produced a staggering 89.02 peak.

Worcestershire has reached 83.40.

South Wales combines some outstanding venues with an enormous 505-event sample.

And Bristol's comparatively low 55.89 arguably tells us as much about the breadth and accessibility of its darts scene as it does its strength.

That's what I'm increasingly enjoying about Tournament Strength.

Sometimes the most interesting number isn't the biggest one.

It's the number that makes you ask:

Why?

And as more areas join the Q4QS database, I suspect we're going to be asking that question quite a lot.

Yesterday’s Darts Results: 40 Tournaments, Huge Averages & Monday’s Winners – 7 September 2026

Monday was a huge night for the Q4QS database, with 40 tournaments added from across the grassroots game. The latest round of Vault action made up a large part of the programme, with events stretching across the country, while several players produced averages comfortably above the 100 mark.

The highest of the night belonged to Mark Stafford, who fired in a superb 112.69, while Adam Beck, Ronnie Sumner and Paul Hogan all reached 111.33.

Stafford combines 112.69 with Bexhill title

Mark Stafford produced Monday's highest recorded average on the way to winning Vault 19.0 at Sidley Working Men's Club in Bexhill.

Stafford's 112.69 came in a 2–1 victory over Darren Gale. He went on to take the tournament with eight wins, beating Adrian Gray 3–0 in the final.

Martin leads the way in Salisbury

There was an excellent night at Stratford Social Club in Salisbury, where Robbie Martin took the Vault title.

Martin defeated Danny Humphries 3–1 in the final, producing a 100.68 average in the decider. Humphries averaged 98.35 despite the defeat, while Ryan Furness also impressed with 96.97. Martin finished with eight wins from the night.

Allen takes Evesham title

Antony Allen enjoyed a dominant night at the Bengeworth Club in Evesham, finishing with eight victories and the tournament title.

Allen defeated Reece Pinches 3–0 in the final and recorded a best average of 98.02. He also produced two 85.89 performances during his run, including one against Danny Lauby.

Self beats Hogan in Basingstoke thriller

One of the strongest tournaments for outright scoring came at The Academy in Basingstoke.

Paul Hogan hit 111.33, but it was Archie Self who eventually took the title, beating Hogan 3–2 in the final with a 107.96 average. Self had already broken the ton barrier with a 100.20 earlier in the competition.

Cleave comes through in Paignton

Finlay Cleave was another winner to combine a title with a ton-plus performance.

Cleave won Vault 19.0 at 8 Ball Bar & Sports in Paignton, beating Leigh Bowman 3–1 in the final. His best performance was a 103.66 average against Jesse Cavanagh, while Alfie Hutton reached 96.97. Cleave and Bowman both recorded seven wins.

More South West and local success

There was plenty more to pick out around the Q4QS core coverage.

At North Star Club in Calne, Scott Mc continued a good run by taking the title with a 3–1 final win over Gary Hiscock. Declan Cox produced the tournament's best average at 103.66, with Hiscock reaching 95.88.

At Shooters Bar in Leominster, Chris Hurds beat Alec Mccready 3–0 in the final, with Hurds also producing the tournament's highest average of 90.18.

Minehead also featured in Monday's Vault programme, where David Farmer defeated Dan Williams 3–2 to take the title. Jack Walker led the averages there with 91.44.

Ton-plus performances around the country

Monday's scoring wasn't confined to the tournament winners.

Adam Beck hit 111.33 at Newark, although Neil Ward eventually took the title.

Ronnie Sumner also averaged 111.33 at Southwick, with Lewis Gurney going on to win the event, while Tyler Garrett and Alex Ward both recorded 107.36 elsewhere during the night's Vault action.

Stuart Dutton also recorded 107.36 at Riverside Club, Wycombe.

There was another ton-plus showing from Neil Wild, who hit 100.20 at Bostin Darts 180 Bar, where Michael Powell took the title. Sion Thomas also recorded 100.20 at Cardigan.

Monday’s top ten individual averages

1. Mark Stafford — 112.69, Sidley Working Men's Club, Bexhill
2. Adam Beck — 111.33, Newark Railway Sports & Social Club
3. Ronnie Sumner — 111.33, Southwick Sports and Social Club
4. Paul Hogan — 111.33, The Academy, Basingstoke
5. Archie Self — 107.96, The Academy, Basingstoke
6. Tyler Garrett — 107.36, Cwmbran Workingmen's Club
7. Alex Ward — 107.36, GWRSA Club, Didcot
8. Stuart Dutton — 107.36, Riverside Club, Wycombe
9. Finlay Cleave — 103.66, 8 Ball Bar & Sports, Paignton
10. Declan Cox — 103.66, North Star Club, Calne

With 40 tournaments added in a single day, Monday provides another substantial addition to the Q4QS database and another batch of results that will feed into player records, form, rankings and statistics.

Six Finals, Five Winners: What Vault 17 and 18 Tell Us Ahead of Vault 19

 

With Vault 19 approaching, I wanted to look back at the recent MODUS Super Series regional finals covered by the Q4QS database.

This first review concentrates on three regions: South West, South Wales, and South East & London. Across Vault 17 and Vault 18, each region staged two finals offering winners the opportunity to appear in the MODUS Super Series.

Six finals produced five different champions.

Henry Cooper was the only player to win twice, completing back-to-back South West successes. Connor Hopkins and Louis Melville claimed the two South Wales places, while George Cressey and Roger Crook emerged from South East & London.

However, the winners were only part of the story.

Several players came within one match of earning a MODUS opportunity. Others produced some of the best averages of the six events but failed to reach the final. There were also players who challenged strongly in both series without managing to secure the ultimate prize.

Those are the names who may be particularly interesting when Vault 19 begins.

Henry Cooper Rules the South West

The clearest story from the six regional finals belongs to Henry Cooper.

Cooper won the South West MODUS qualifier in both Vault 17 and Vault 18, becoming the only player across these three regions to successfully retain the regional title.

His first victory came at Shaftesbury Football Club during Vault 17.

Cooper defeated Andy Steed 6–4 in the final with a 91.06 average. Before that, he had averaged 86.95 in his semi-final victory over Pierce Speechley-Price and 89.86 against Jamie Kay in the quarter-finals.

He returned for the Vault 18 final at St Breward AFC & Social Club and produced an even more commanding finish.

After beating Lee Andrews 6–2 in the quarter-finals, Cooper whitewashed Jamie Kay 6–0 with a 92.02 semi-final average. He then defeated Ricky King 6–2 in the final, averaging 90.28.

Across the latter stages of the two finals, Cooper repeatedly found his best darts when the MODUS place moved within sight.

That is perhaps the most impressive part of the double. Regional finals bring together players who have already performed consistently throughout the Vault campaign. Cooper did not merely qualify for both events—he navigated two strong knockout draws and delivered 90-plus averages in both finals.

The obvious Vault 19 question is whether anybody in the South West can stop him from reaching a third successive MODUS opportunity.

The Players Who Came Closest to Cooper

Andy Steed and Ricky King were the two players left one match short.

Steed’s Vault 17 run included a 6–5 victory over Kev Dunstan and a 6–4 semi-final win against Gareth Griffiths. He then stayed close to Cooper in the final before losing 6–4.

King followed a similar path during Vault 18. He defeated Steed 6–3 in the quarter-finals before surviving a deciding leg against Neil Meneer in the semi-final. Cooper proved too strong in the final, but King had come through two of the most dangerous players in the draw to get there.

Both have therefore demonstrated the ability to reach the last match of a regional final.

There are also players whose numbers suggest they were closer than their eventual finishing position might imply.

Gareth Griffiths produced one of the most intriguing runs of Vault 17. He opened with a 99.51 average against Nick Eggbeer and then averaged 84.78 in beating Finlay Cleave. Griffiths produced another strong performance in the semi-final, averaging 88.91, but lost 6–4 to Steed, who averaged 80.94.

It was a perfect example of why averages alone do not decide knockout darts.

Jamie Kay also threatened in both South West finals.

In Vault 17, Kay opened with an 89.43 average and then averaged 81.93 in the next round. Kay produced an 88.36 average against Cooper in the quarter-finals but was beaten 6–3.

During Vault 18, Kay averaged 90.99 in a 6–5 victory over Griffiths before running into Cooper again. This time, Cooper delivered a 92.02 average and a 6–0 victory.

Kay has now reached a South West quarter-final and semi-final across the two series, with Cooper ending both runs. If Cooper is the regional standard, Kay has repeatedly put himself within range of challenging it.

Neil Meneer is another who came extremely close. The Vault 18 semi-final against King went to a deciding leg before King edged through 6–5.

Steed, King, Griffiths, Kay and Meneer have all shown enough to enter Vault 19 as serious South West contenders.

Hopkins Sets the South Wales Standard

Connor Hopkins produced arguably the most complete individual regional-final performance across the six tournaments.

Hopkins won the Vault 17 South Wales final at Duffy’s in Pontypridd, defeating Sion Thomas 6–2 with a 92.98 average.

That followed a 92.85 semi-final performance against Mike Huntley and an outstanding 98.02 average in a 6–0 quarter-final victory over Timothy Jones.

From the quarter-finals onwards, Hopkins won 18 legs and conceded only four. His average exceeded 92 in all three matches.

Where Cooper’s achievement was built on winning two separate regional finals, Hopkins produced one afternoon of sustained control. There was no narrow escape or obvious drop in standard during the closing stages.

It was exactly the kind of performance that makes a player stand out as a future threat beyond the Vault system.

Melville Survives the Vault 18 Tests

The South Wales Vault 18 final produced a very different type of champion.

Louis Melville did not dominate every match statistically. Instead, Melville repeatedly found a way to win close contests.

After beating Llew Bevan in the Last 16, Melville edged past Corey Milward 6–5 in the quarter-finals. A strong 87.35 average then helped secure a 6–4 semi-final win over Stephen Cake.

The final against Dean Reynolds also went to a deciding leg.

Reynolds recorded the higher average, 86.48 to Melville’s 80.71, but Melville took the match 6–5 and secured the MODUS place.

It was a run built on resilience. Melville survived two deciding legs and defeated two opponents who produced higher averages during the knockout stages.

Hopkins had swept through the closing rounds of Vault 17. Melville had to scrap through the decisive moments of Vault 18. Both routes led to the same reward.

Stephen Cake Keeps Knocking on the Door

If there is one South Wales player who can consider themselves particularly unfortunate not to have claimed a place, it may be Stephen Cake.

Cake reached the semi-finals in both regional finals.

In Vault 17, Cake beat Jonathan Davies and Liam Cook before losing 6–4 to Sion Thomas. Cake actually recorded the higher semi-final average, 80.23 to 78.60, but Thomas secured the crucial legs.

Cake returned in Vault 18 and began with the best individual average of that entire regional final—a 93.94 performance in a 6–0 win over Geraint Cuddihy.

A 6–5 quarter-final victory over Ryan Davies followed before Melville stopped the run in the semi-finals.

Two series, two semi-finals and no MODUS place.

That combination makes Cake one of the most obvious players to watch in Vault 19. There is no question about the ability to reach the business end of a regional final. The remaining task is to convert one of those opportunities.

Dean Reynolds also has a strong case for being among the leading South Wales contenders. Reynolds averaged 90.80 in the Last 16 of Vault 18, reached the final and then produced the higher average in a deciding-leg defeat.

Mike Huntley’s Vault 17 run is also worth remembering. Huntley averaged 91.33 in beating Gavin Sterio before running into Hopkins’ outstanding semi-final display.

South Wales has produced two different winners, but several challengers have already shown that the margin between qualification and elimination can be extremely small.

Cressey Peaks at the Right Time

George Cressey won the South East & London Vault 17 final at the Phoenix Railway Social Club in Dover.

Cressey began steadily but raised the level considerably as the tournament progressed.

A 95.71 quarter-final average against John Power was followed by a 94.16 performance in the semi-final against Colin Sulston. Cressey then defeated Adam Mould 6–4 in the final.

Interestingly, Mould recorded the higher final average—88.88 compared with Cressey’s 83.83—but Cressey secured the legs that mattered.

It followed the pattern seen in several of these regional finals. The best average did not always belong to the winner, particularly when matches became close.

Stuart Dutton looked capable of challenging Cressey after averaging 90.55 in a 6–1 quarter-final victory over Jake Eichen. However, that level fell away in the semi-final, where Dutton averaged 76.10 and lost 6–4 to Mould.

It was one of the clearest examples of a player looking extremely dangerous in one round before being unable to reproduce the same standard in the next.

Crook Comes Through the Deciders

Roger Crook’s South East & London Vault 18 victory had similarities to Melville’s South Wales success.

Crook had to survive pressure repeatedly.

He beat Stuart Dutton 6–5 in the Last 16 before producing the standout winning performance of the tournament—an average of 95.39 in a 6–2 quarter-final victory over Dai Lewis.

A 6–4 semi-final win against Jack Seymour took Crook into the final, where Connor Levett provided another severe test.

Levett averaged 87.54 to Crook’s 86.74, but Crook edged the deciding leg to win 6–5.

Three of Crook’s four matches were decided by either one or two legs. Rather than cruising through the draw, Crook continually responded when the result remained in doubt.

That ability to survive may be just as important in a regional final as producing one spectacular average.

Levett Leads the Chasing Group

Connor Levett may have lost the Vault 18 final, but the run contained plenty to suggest another opportunity could arrive.

Levett came through the draw from the No.21 position. He defeated Jack Harvey 6–5 with an 85.36 average before producing 89.63 in a commanding 6–2 win over Ian Hobbs.

After beating Mat Caste in the quarter-finals, Levett defeated John Power 6–1 to reach the final.

He then produced his second-best average of the event but lost 6–5.

Levett was therefore one leg away from the MODUS place despite beginning outside the leading seeds. That makes the run one of the strongest breakthrough stories across the six finals.

There was another striking performance much earlier in the draw.

Andy Smith averaged 92.87 against John Power in the Last 16 but lost 6–5. Power averaged 87.34, yet took the deciding leg and subsequently reached the semi-finals.

Smith recorded one of the highest averages of the entire event and was eliminated in the opening round. It was another reminder that regional-final darts can punish even a very strong performance.

Jack Seymour also progressed to the semi-finals, while Cressey’s attempt to win consecutive South East & London finals ended in the first round against Reggie Woodmore.

Unlike Cooper in the South West, Cressey could not successfully defend the regional title.

Six Finals, Several Different Ways to Win

Looking across the six events, no single formula guaranteed success.

Cooper combined consistency, scoring and the ability to peak during the closing rounds.

Hopkins dominated his regional final statistically, producing three consecutive averages above 92 from the quarter-finals onwards.

Cressey found two outstanding performances at exactly the right stage of the competition.

Melville and Crook survived close matches and deciding legs, sometimes defeating opponents who recorded higher averages.

The results also highlight why several players who failed to qualify should remain prominent in the Vault 19 conversation.

Steed, King, Reynolds and Levett were each one match away. Cake reached two semi-finals. Kay made the latter stages in both South West events. Griffiths, Huntley, Dutton and Smith all produced performances suggesting that they could challenge again.

Not everyone will return through exactly the same qualifying route, and the regional fields may change for Vault 19. However, recent history gives us a strong starting point.

Who Can Take the Next Step in Vault 19?

Henry Cooper is the obvious benchmark after winning both South West finals.

Behind Cooper, Jamie Kay’s repeated progress and strong averages suggest a player capable of going further. Gareth Griffiths has already shown the highest individual level in the region, while Ricky King, Andy Steed and Neil Meneer have all moved within one match of the prize.

In South Wales, Stephen Cake’s consecutive semi-finals make the case particularly compelling. Dean Reynolds was one leg away in Vault 18 and Mike Huntley produced 90-plus darts before meeting an inspired Hopkins.

Connor Levett heads the South East & London list after coming through from outside the leading seeds and losing the Vault 18 final by a single leg. Stuart Dutton and Andy Smith also produced peaks that would make them dangerous if sustained across an entire regional final.

Vault 17 and Vault 18 produced five winners from six events, with Cooper alone managing to repeat the achievement.

That tells us how difficult these regional finals are to predict—and how hard they are to win.

The next part of the Q4QS Vault 19 coverage will look more closely at the qualifying venues themselves. Using the developing Venue Hub, I will examine which locations regularly attract the strongest fields and where the route to the next regional final may be particularly demanding.

For now, the recent finals have already provided plenty of names to remember.

Some have secured their MODUS opportunity. Others missed by one leg, one match or one outstanding performance from an opponent.

Vault 19 gives them the chance to begin all over again.

Yesterday’s Darts Results – Saturday 6 September 2026

Sunday produced another busy day across the grassroots darts scene, with 23 tournaments added to the Q4QS database. There was some exceptional scoring at the top end, led by Steve West’s 118.66 average, while Scott Mc and Craig Stoner also broke through the 100 barrier.

West tops the day with 118.66

Steve West produced the standout individual performance of Sunday at the Gap Week MiMo at Phoenix Darts Club.

West took the title with a 4–1 final victory over Frankie Howard, but the headline number came earlier in the competition when he averaged a superb 118.66 against Freddie Rowlands. West also recorded averages of 93.94 and 91.34 during the event, underlining a very strong day at the oche. Ben Rowley also impressed at Phoenix with a 96.97 average.

Scott Mc hits 111 in Wiltshire

There was another huge average at Wiltshire Darts House, where Scott Mc won the Wiltshire Darts House Comp.

Mc defeated James Roberts 5–2 in the final and finished the tournament with nine match wins. His best performance was a 111.33 average, the second-highest recorded across Sunday’s 23 events. Ian Greenaway also reached 91.09 during the competition.

Stoner fires 107.36 as Rodgers takes Week 3

The third ton-plus performance of the day came at the Littlehampton Premier Darts Series.

Craig Stoner produced a 107.36 average in a 2–0 victory over Jack Candler and collected six wins during the event. The title, though, went to Mick Rodgers, who beat Lewis Gurney 3–2 in the final and finished with eight victories.

Pilgrim takes Morden Super GP

Darryl Pilgrim enjoyed an excellent day at the IDL Super GP Morden September Sunday, taking the title with a 6–2 victory over Charlie Green.

Pilgrim recorded eight wins and also produced a 96.85 average, the fifth-highest individual average across all of Sunday’s tournaments. Oscar King reached 91.09, while Arjun Sharma hit 88.41.

Shipwright wins Bucks Youth County Open

There was a sizeable field at Bradmoor Farm Sports Bar, with 147 matches recorded at the Bucks Youth County Open Day.

Oscar Shipwright emerged as champion after beating Jayden Laming 4–2 in the final. Shipwright collected nine wins and also topped the tournament averages with 93.94, ahead of Jai Carlton's 81.24.

More Sunday winners

Elsewhere, Luke Leonard won the Champs Money In Money Out Vault Break 3, defeating Andrew Smith 3–2, while Damian Gibbon took the JDC Volts Style Round Robin and Harvey-Lee Nelson-Harris won the Junior Darts Round-Robin Tournament.

At Shaftesbury Football Club, Lexi Ayres won the Ladies Money In event, while David Holt claimed The Doble Chase Series event. Jack Seymour won the M.I.M.O competition, Jamie Evans took Money In Money Out and Luke Oldham came through the NYDA Summer Singles Under-18s.

Taylor Morgan won the Nags Head Pre-Vault Open, Sam Done took Oliver’s Sports Bar Series 3 Week 2, Ryan Perks won the Round-Robin Money In Money Out and Samuel Price was victorious at The C’s Bar & Function Rooms.

There were further wins for Jamie Elliott at the Silver Band Sunday Pre-Vault, Elijah Bishop in the Toe To Oche Darts Academy Under-55 Open, Adrian McGee in the U65 Bostin Round Robin, Craig Sharp in the Under-55 Average Series 2.0, Kaden Johnson in the Under-65 Average 4.0 and Kyron Harrison in Vault Break 4.

Sunday’s top five individual averages

1. Steve West — 118.66, Gap Week MiMo
2. Scott Mc — 111.33, Wiltshire Darts House Comp
3. Craig Stoner — 107.36, Littlehampton Premier Darts Series
4. Ben Rowley — 96.97, Gap Week MiMo
5. Darryl Pilgrim — 96.85, IDL Super GP Morden September Sunday

Another 23 tournaments are now added to the growing Q4QS database, continuing to build the picture of form, results and performances across the grassroots game.

MODUS Super Series Week 6 Preview: Can Anyone Stop Derek Coulson?

 

The MODUS Super Series returns for Week 6 of Series 15, and there is one very obvious place to start.

Derek Coulson is back.

Coulson has become one of the standout MODUS stories of recent times, finally converting years of deep runs into Champions Week success earlier this year. Now he returns to Portsmouth as the clear man to beat in a 12-player field containing a fascinating mixture of established names, former MODUS winners, emerging players and experienced campaigners.

And the Q4QS numbers reinforce just how formidable Coulson currently looks.

He sits 12th in the Q4QS rankings with a 728.3 rating and 91.69 average, and his recent results have been exceptional. Coulson won Challenge Tour 16 unbeaten with a 93.77 tournament average and subsequently reached the final of Challenge Tour 20, averaging 95.15 across that run. Even his recent Players Championship appearances have seen him operating around the 90-plus mark.

The question this week is whether anybody in this field can prevent another Coulson run.

Van den Herik brings another winning pedigree

One of the strongest candidates is Jamai van den Herik.

The Dutch youngster already knows how to win a MODUS week, having done so during Series 13, and his recent results elsewhere show why he could be one of Coulson's biggest threats.

Van den Herik won Development Tour 18 with an 86.48 tournament average, going 8–0, and his notable recent victories include Owen Bates and Dominik Gruellich. He is ranked 109th by Q4QS with an 84.54 average.

Coulson and Van den Herik are together in Group A, but that section has considerably more depth than just its two headline names.

Hubbard could be one of the week's dangers

James Hubbard arrives with one of the strongest recent form profiles in the field.

The former PDC World Youth Champion has reached the semi-finals of both the England Open and UKDA National Finals in his recent recorded events. The England Open run came with an 85.89 tournament average, while his latest National Finals campaign produced an 84.16 average.

He is also 8–2 across his last ten recorded matches.

That consistency makes Hubbard particularly interesting in the MODUS format, where producing your level repeatedly across multiple sessions can be every bit as important as one spectacular performance.

Mawson arrives as a recent champion

There is also plenty of international interest.

Canada's Gary Mawson comes into Week 6 after winning Championship Darts Circuit Main Event 8, going through the tournament unbeaten with an 81.21 average. He has since reached another quarter-final and also carries an 8–2 last-ten record.

David Munyua returns to the Super Series following the Kenyan's memorable appearance at Alexandra Palace, while Patrick Dekker completes what looks a genuinely intriguing opening group.

Dekker's recent results include an 84.59 match average on the Challenge Tour and a victory over Steve Lennon.

Three Kevins – and three very different threats

One of the more unusual features of Week 6 is a group containing Kevin Edwards, Kevin Lane and Kevin Painter.

Beyond the shared first name, there are three very different darting stories.

Edwards has been producing some excellent numbers on the ADC circuit. His recent results include tournament averages of 87.92, 85.78 and 85.71, with a peak match average of 96.27. He is 7–3 across his last ten recorded matches.

Lane has also been competing strongly. He reached the quarter-finals of ADC Championship South Event 11 with an 83.64 tournament average, beating Lewis Cook with an 89.02 average along the way. More recently he has continued to average in the mid-80s on the Challenge Tour.

Then there is Kevin Painter.

The former World Championship finalist needs little introduction, and while his recent results are less consistent than some of the field, the scoring ability remains. Painter recently reached a Vault quarter-final averaging 80.92 and produced a 91.09 match average during the event.

Killington could be dangerous

Another name I particularly like this week is George Killington.

Killington comes in immediately after reaching a Vault final at Waterlooville, averaging 82.54 across the tournament. His individual performances included a 93.94, and he is 8–2 across his latest ten recorded matches.

The former Tour Card holder has enough experience to make a sustained MODUS run, and his recent numbers suggest he arrives in good shape.

John O'Shea and Ram Guevara Jr complete the 12-player field. The Q4QS database is currently much thinner on Guevara, while O'Shea's recorded recent results include an 87.44 match average on the Challenge Tour and a 5–1 victory over Jelle Klaasen.

Six Players to Watch

Derek Coulson

The obvious benchmark. Challenge Tour champion, Challenge Tour finalist and consistently producing 90-plus tournament numbers. If Coulson brings his recent level to Portsmouth, somebody is going to have to play extremely well to stop him.

Jamai van den Herik

Already a MODUS weekly winner and a Development Tour champion this season. He has both the scoring level and experience of this particular format to challenge again.

Kevin Edwards

Possibly the most interesting player outside the headline names. Recent ADC numbers have been excellent, including a 96.27 match average, and this week provides a chance to translate that form onto the MODUS stage.

James Hubbard

Two recent major amateur semi-finals and an 8–2 last ten. Hubbard's consistency makes him a serious candidate to outperform expectations.

George Killington

Arrives straight from a final and has been producing plenty of 80-plus darts, with the ability to push considerably higher. A dangerous player if momentum carries over.

Kevin Lane

Recent Challenge Tour averages in the mid-80s follow an impressive ADC quarter-final. His current scoring suggests he can cause problems throughout the week.

A favourite – but not necessarily a straightforward week

Coulson deserves to begin as the standout name. The combination of MODUS experience, current form and a Q4QS average above 91 separates him from the field on paper.

But MODUS weeks rarely play out entirely on paper.

Van den Herik has already demonstrated that he can win in this environment. Hubbard is making deep runs. Mawson has recently won on the CDC. Killington arrives from a final. Edwards and Lane are producing numbers capable of beating very good players.

And with players such as Painter, Dekker, O'Shea, Munyua and Guevara completing the field, there should be plenty of opportunities for the week's expected order to be disrupted.

Coulson starts as the man to beat. Finding out who can get closest to him – or perhaps knock him off the top altogether – should make Week 6 well worth following.

Q4QS Weekly Spotlight

Three Players Who Caught My Eye This Week

Another busy week of grassroots darts has produced three very different stories for this week's Q4QS Weekly Spotlight.

Sean Holley backed up an already formidable record with two more tournament victories. Joshua Russell combined another title with a superb run to the JDC Wales Regional Final and produced some of the best junior averages of the week. And Riley Milligan earns a first Spotlight appearance after another strong week on the JDC circuit, including an excellent performance at the South West Regional Finals.

As always, this isn't simply about finding the three biggest averages or choosing the week's biggest tournament winners. It's about performances, consistency and players whose progress or results have caught my eye over the previous seven days.

Sean Holley

Player Profile

Sean Holley's numbers underline just how consistently successful he has been.

Across 569 recorded matches, Holley has won 482, an outstanding 84.7% win rate. His 100 recorded tournament appearances have already produced 35 victories, eight runner-up finishes and another 24 semi-final or quarter-final appearances. His current form is also excellent at nine wins from his last ten matches.

The scoring numbers are equally impressive. Holley has an 81.63 overall match average, with that rising to 85.13 across his latest ten. His best recorded performance is 117.72, while his five highest averages all exceed 109.

There is plenty of quality among the opposition too. His recorded wins include Jack Drayton, Nathan Potter, Robbie Martin and Danny Lauby, with Holley averaging 100.99 in his victory over Martin.

This Week

Holley started the week by winning the Bank Holiday Comp at Wiltshire Darts House, coming through a tournament containing 113 recorded matches.

He beat Johnny Haines 5–1 in the final, recorded ten wins across the event and produced a 96.97 average along the way.

Later in the week came title number two.

At Bradmoor Farm's Friday Vault Break 3, Holley progressed through the knockout stages with averages of 90.18, 92.02, 88.46 and 84.03 before producing 94.92 in the final to beat Adam Mould 3–2.

That gives Holley two tournament victories in the week, and his profile now shows 35 recorded titles from 100 events.

Another hugely consistent week from a player who continues to make winning tournaments look remarkably routine.

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Joshua Russell

Player Profile

Joshua Russell already has an enormous amount of competitive experience recorded in the Q4QS database.

His 795 matches have produced 646 victories, giving him an 81.3% win rate across 133 events. Even more strikingly, Russell has already recorded 42 tournament wins, as well as 18 runner-up finishes and 25 semi-finals. His latest form stands at nine wins from ten.

Russell's overall match average is 73.86, but his recent numbers are considerably higher: 89.21 across his last five matches and 86.37 across his last ten.

And his best-ever Q4QS recorded average is now 103.66 — a figure he has produced twice.

This Week

Russell began the week with another tournament victory, winning Clive Arms Vault Break 3. He recorded seven wins and defeated Edward Manley in the final.

There was more success at Cardiff County Cons later in the week. Russell beat Joe Hoffman with a 93.94 average in the quarter-final, Josef Howlett 3–0 in the semi-final and Edward Manley 3–0 in the final, averaging 85.08.

Then came Friday's JDC Volts Wales Series 7 Regional Finals.

Russell opened the knockout stages with successive 4–0 wins, averaging 95.43 against Archie Lane, 87.13 against Dylan Person and then producing a huge 103.66 against Rhodri Phillips in the quarter-final. He followed that with a 4–2 semi-final victory over James Prettyjohn before Jack Powell edged the final 4–3.

It meant Russell finished the week with two tournament victories and a JDC Regional Final, while also producing one of the week's outstanding averages.

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Riley Milligan

Player Profile

Riley Milligan's inclusion gives this week's Spotlight another developing-player story.

Milligan already has 486 recorded matches, winning 370 for an impressive 76.1% win rate. Across 98 events, that has produced 16 tournament wins, 13 runner-up finishes, 13 semi-finals and 14 quarter-finals.

His overall match average stands at 69.93, but there is a spectacular number at the top of his record: a 125.25, produced during a JDC Volts event in June. He has also broken the 100 mark on three other occasions.

His best wins include an 88.41 average in a 3–0 victory over Logan Neil Symons, while he has also beaten Henry Cooper and Robbie Long.

This Week

Milligan's week began on the JDC England South Foundation Tour, where he reached the last 16 of Event 12 after victories over Aiden Styler and Jayden Moss.

But the performance that really caught my attention came at Friday's JDC Volts Southwest Series 7 Regional Finals.

Milligan began with a convincing 4–0 victory over Frankie Lynch, averaging 74.22.

He then produced his best performance of the week against Tai Anderson. Milligan averaged an excellent 84.33, but was edged out 4–3 in a close last-16 contest.

Interestingly, that 84.33 was the highest recorded average anywhere in the South West Regional Finals, despite Milligan not ultimately taking the title.

That is exactly the type of performance this feature is intended to recognise. The winner isn't always the only player whose week deserves attention, and Milligan's scoring at a regional final earns him his place alongside Holley and Russell this time. 

Yesterday’s Darts Results: Quinn Wins Huge Charity Event as Russell Fires 103.66 (5th September 2026)

Saturday produced another strong day of grassroots darts, with 22 tournaments from 5 September added to the Q4QS database.

There was plenty happening across the South and South West, but one event stood out immediately for its scale: the MDO Round Robin Charity Event supporting Alzheimer’s Research UK, which produced 113 recorded matches. Andrew Quinn came through that field to take the title, while elsewhere Joshua Russell produced the biggest average of the day with a superb 103.66 in the JDC VOLTS Wales Regional Finals.

Quinn comes through huge charity tournament

The MDO Round Robin Charity Event was one of the biggest competitions of Saturday, with 113 matches recorded and an Under-70 average restriction.

Andrew Quinn eventually took the title, beating Ben Spencer 3–1 in the final.

Quinn also produced the best average of the tournament at 88.41, and added further scores of 80.52 and 79.80 during his run. He finished with 11 victories, ahead of Colin Sulston on nine and Spencer and Sam Green on eight.

That combination of tournament size, a title and 11 wins makes Quinn’s performance one of the clearest headline stories from Saturday.

Russell hits 103.66 in JDC Wales Regional Finals

The biggest average anywhere in Saturday’s results came from Joshua Russell in the JDC VOLTS Wales Series 7 Regional Finals.

Russell fired a superb 103.66 average, and also recorded 95.43, 87.13 and 81.25 during an excellent run.

The title, though, went to Jack Powell, who edged Russell 4–3 in the final after five victories across the tournament. Russell finished with four.

It was still one of the standout individual displays of the day, particularly on a junior regional finals programme.

Lauridsen wins South West JDC Regional Final

There was South West success in the JDC VOLTS Southwest Series 7 Regional Finals, where Joseph Lauridsen took the title.

Lauridsen beat Tai Anderson 4–1 in the final and finished with five victories.

The best average of the event belonged to Riley Milligan at 84.33, while Anderson reached 78.33 and Lauridsen’s best recorded figure was 69.99.

With George Miller, Oliver Hutchings and Charlie Fone also among those progressing, there was plenty of familiar South West junior talent involved.

Warren Ryan takes CUFC birthday bash

At CUFC Darts, Warren Ryan came through the Jack Collins + Ellis Turner Birthday Bash.

The event generated 84 matches, with Ryan beating Logun Godbeer 4–3 in the final.

Godbeer actually finished with the most wins overall on nine, while Ryan, Andy Darbon, Dave Fisher and Liam Trotman were all close behind.

The best recorded average belonged to Dave Fisher at 91.09, while Godbeer reached 83.50 and 81.24.

Long beats Hedman in Saturday MIMO

One of the more eye-catching finals came in the Saturday Afternoon Money In Money Out Round Robin, where Robbie Long defeated Deta Hedman 4–2.

Hedman produced the highest average of the event at 93.94 and finished with seven victories, the same total as Long.

Long’s own best was 81.24, while Martyn Freeman also enjoyed a strong day with six wins.

That makes Long’s victory particularly notable given the quality Hedman produced during the tournament.

Finch wins Pre-Vault event

Matty Finch enjoyed a strong day in the Pre-Vault event, finishing with eight victories and beating Adam Finch 3–0 in the final.

His best recorded average was 90.88, comfortably the highest of the event, while George Whyte reached 81.56.

Finch also added 79.11 twice during his title-winning run.

Harri Firmo wins Epsom U65

At Epsom Town Social Club, Harri Firmo won the Champagne Shot Darts Under-65 Round Robin Series.

Firmo beat Izzy Cochrane 3–0 in the final and finished with seven wins.

Tony Oak produced the event’s best average at 86.71, while Firmo himself reached 85.74 and later 76.42 in the final.

Dean Rogers wins Church Wicketts Open

Dean Rogers took the Church Wicketts Open after beating Anthony West 6–3 in the final.

Rogers collected six victories and produced the tournament’s best average at 87.50.

Jake B-Smith also had a strong event, recording 83.95 and 80.67.

More JDC regional winners

Saturday’s JDC regional finals programme was spread across several regions.

Remy Stapleton won the East Midlands final, Alfie O’Flynn Rogers took the Southeast event, Harvey-Lee Nelson-Harris won the West Midlands and Jack Powell took the Wales title.

Across those events, the best numbers included 81.79 from O’Flynn Rogers, Tyler Shuck at 74.43 and Riley Herbert at 72.74.

Plenty more Saturday winners

There was no shortage of other titles across the day.

Rich Hosey won the 301 DIDO event at Bostin Darts 180 Bar, beating Jake Shipley 3–2 in the final.

Harrison Graves won the Clwb Emrys Circuit 2.0, Kyle Jones took the SDO Challenge Summer Series Finals, and Katie Titley won the SDO Ladies Autumn Series 1.6.

There were also victories for Soxy O’Callaghan, Paul Sewell, Zakk Stanley, Nathan Grice, Kevin Thomas and Ben Simpson across the rest of Saturday’s programme.

Saturday’s standout numbers

The day’s leading averages were headed by:

Joshua Russell – 103.66
Joshua Russell – 95.43
Deta Hedman – 93.94
Dave Fisher – 91.09
Tyler Garrett – 91.09
Danny Humphries – 91.09
Matty Finch – 90.88

For me, though, the day’s biggest story is probably the combination of Quinn winning an 113-match charity event and Russell producing the standout scoring performance of the day.

With Lauridsen winning the South West JDC regional final, Ryan taking a strong CUFC event and Long beating Hedman, there was plenty of local interest too.