Gibraltar Open & Classic Review: Clark, Lawrie and Jacklin Star Across WDF Weekend

The Gibraltar Open & Classic weekend produced four WDF titles across two busy days of darts, with Matt Clark, Mitchell Lawrie and Paula Jacklin leaving Gibraltar with the silverware.

Across the men’s and ladies’ events, the weekend had a strong international feel and plenty of quality, with the Gibraltar Open, Gibraltar Open Ladies, Gibraltar Classic and Gibraltar Classic Ladies all forming part of a competitive WDF programme.

Weekend at a Glance

Gibraltar Open: Matt Clark
Gibraltar Classic: Mitchell Lawrie
Gibraltar Open Ladies: Paula Jacklin
Gibraltar Classic Ladies: Paula Jacklin

Clark Claims Gibraltar Open Title

The Gibraltar Open title went to Matt Clark, who came through the men’s field to take one of the main trophies of the weekend.

Clark’s victory gave the weekend an excellent opening headline, with a well-earned WDF title added to his record. In a field containing several dangerous players, winning the Gibraltar Open required consistency across the draw rather than just one standout performance.

It also set the tone for a weekend where familiar names were pushed hard, and where the standard in the men’s events remained competitive deep into the knockout stages.

Lawrie Lights Up the Classic

If Clark took the Open, the Gibraltar Classic belonged to Mitchell Lawrie.

Lawrie produced one of the strongest individual tournament runs of the weekend, defeating Marcus Maier 5–2 in the final and averaging 93.69 in the title match. His standout performance came earlier in the tournament, where he produced a superb 109.25 average in his Top 32 win over Ruben Cañas Lopez.

Lawrie also came through a tough semi-final against Lewis Gurney, edging it 4–3, before finishing the job impressively in the final. Maier also deserves plenty of credit for reaching the final, with strong wins over Daniel Zapata and Ryan Branley on his route through the draw.

There were several other eye-catching performances in the Classic, including Daniel Zapata’s 105.47 average, Dom Taylor’s 98.44, and strong runs from Ryan Branley, Lewis Gurney, Nick Fullwell and Christopher Holt.

Jacklin Does the Ladies Double

The outstanding story in the ladies’ events was Paula Jacklin, who completed a superb double by winning both the Gibraltar Open Ladies and Gibraltar Classic Ladies titles.

In one of the finals, Jacklin defeated Irina Armstrong 5–2, showing her experience and match-play strength to come through another competitive women’s draw.

Armstrong also had an excellent weekend, reaching a final and producing some of the best numbers in the ladies’ event, including a 65.95 average in the last 16 and a 62.09 in her semi-final victory over Tami Kelley.

Jacklin’s double made her one of the clear players of the weekend. Winning one WDF title is difficult enough; winning both ladies’ events across the same weekend shows real consistency and composure.

Other Ladies Standouts

While Jacklin took the headlines, there were strong performances from several others.

Tami Kelley produced the highest ladies’ average shown in the data with 69.48 in her quarter-final win over Margaret Sutton. Lisa Vandekerckhove reached the semi-finals, while Hannah Meek, Laima Upeniece, Sandija Andersone and Margaret Sutton all featured in the latter stages.

The ladies’ events may not have had the same size of field as the men’s tournaments, but they still produced competitive matches and a clear weekend storyline through Jacklin’s double success.

Players of the Weekend

Paula Jacklin has to be right at the top after winning both ladies’ titles.

Mitchell Lawrie produced the biggest statistical performance of the weekend and backed it up by winning the Gibraltar Classic.

Matt Clark took the Gibraltar Open crown and ensured the men’s titles were shared across the weekend.

Marcus Maier impressed with a strong run to the Classic final.

Irina Armstrong was a major presence in the ladies’ events and pushed Jacklin in the final.

Final Thoughts

The Gibraltar Open & Classic weekend delivered four WDF titles and several strong storylines.

Matt Clark claimed the Gibraltar Open, Mitchell Lawrie produced a brilliant Gibraltar Classic run, and Paula Jacklin dominated the ladies’ side of the weekend by winning both women’s events.

For Q4QS, this is exactly the kind of WDF weekend that deserves proper coverage: multiple titles, international fields, strong averages, and players building momentum on the wider circuit.

Gibraltar once again provided a valuable stop on the WDF calendar, and the winners will leave with ranking points, confidence and a strong weekend behind them. 

Forgotten Women of Darts: The Trailblazers Before Beau Greaves

 The rise of Beau Greaves has shone a fresh light on the women’s game, confident, clinical, and competing toe-to-toe with the men.

But before the Women’s Series, before Ally Pally walk-ons and TV slots, there were a handful of pioneering women who carried the game when no cameras were watching.

They’re rarely mentioned now, yet they set the stage for everything Beau and Fallon Sherrock enjoy today. Let’s meet five of the forgotten heroes of women’s darts.

 Gayl King – The Original Pioneer

Long before Fallon Sherrock made headlines, Gayl King quietly made history.

In 2001, the Canadian became the first woman ever to play in the PDC World Darts Championship, earning her place by winning the North American Cup.

She faced Graeme Stoddart at the Circus Tavern and lost 3-1 in sets, but the result barely mattered. King had proved that women belonged on the biggest stage.

Since then she’s slipped from public memory, yet her legacy remains: she walked so others could run.

Stacy Bromberg - The Forgotten World Champion

Known as 'The Wish Granter', Stacy Bromberg dominated American darts for nearly two decades.

She was U.S. No. 1 sixteen times, won countless national titles, and in 2010 lifted the only PDC Women’s World Championship ever staged, edging Tricia Wright 6–5 in a thriller.

The event was meant to spark a women’s circuit — but it never returned. Bromberg kept inspiring others until her passing in 2017.

A true champion, sadly without the spotlight her achievement deserved.

 Ann-Louise Peters - The Danish Flagbearer

In an era dominated by English and Dutch players, Ann-Louise Peters carried the flag for Scandinavia.

She reached the semi-finals of the 2014 BDO World Championship, helped Denmark win WDF Europe Cup team gold, and consistently mixed it with the best.

Quiet, classy, and determined, Peters proved that talent in women’s darts was global and not just British. She stepped away from the tour soon after, but her legacy lives on in every non-UK player who dreams big.

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Tricia Wright - The Nearly-Forgotten Finalist

If Stacy Bromberg was the champion, Tricia Wright was the other half of that 2010 story.

Wright pushed Bromberg to a deciding leg in the PDC Women’s World Championship final, and over her long BDO career collected titles across Europe.

She never quite became a household name, but her role in that historic final makes her part of darts history.

The 'forgotten finalist'  and a reminder of how small the women’s spotlight once was.

Francis Hoenselaar – The Jimmy White of Women’s Darts

If ever there was a Jimmy White of the women’s game, it’s Francis Hoenselaar.

For years she was runner-up to Trina Gulliver, finishing second six times at Lakeside before finally winning the BDO World Championship in 2009.

A six-time World Masters and five-time Zuiderduin Masters champion, she was stylish, consistent, and loved by fans.

Hoenselaar retired in 2011 after injury, but her perseverance remains a symbol of grace in defeat, and ultimate reward.

Closing Thoughts

Every era needs its pioneers. Before social media, before the glamour of the PDC stage, women like King, Bromberg, Peters, Wright, and Hoenselaar were carving out opportunities where none existed.

They may not trend on TikTok or walk out to a packed Ally Pally crowd, but they built the foundations of modern women’s darts.

Next time you watch Beau Greaves or Fallon Sherrock on TV, remember that their path was cleared by these unsung heroes.