Vault 19 Tournament Strength: Pinches Still Leads as the Toughest Venues Begin to Emerge

 

A week ago I took my first look at Tournament Strength in Vault 19, and one venue immediately stood out.

Pinches Cue Club in Norwich produced a Tournament Strength of 1.350.

It was the strongest figure in the early data, but one tournament doesn't necessarily make a tough venue.

A week later, Pinches has provided a pretty convincing response.

Its second event produced 1.340.

So while plenty has changed underneath it, Pinches remains the venue setting the standard — and this time I've ranked each venue only once, using its strongest Vault 19 Tournament Strength recorded so far.

Vault 19: The Strongest Venues So Far

Rank	Venue	Highest Tournament Strength	Players
1	Pinches Cue Club, Norwich	1.350	24
2	Faringdon Football Club, Faringdon	1.329	8
3	Tipton Sports Academy, Tipton	1.297	28
4	Bagley Sports & Social Club, Shrewsbury	1.280	24
5	The Brookside, Syston	1.278	13
6	Sartan Club, Bishopsworth	1.265	24
7	Clacton Sports Bar, Clacton	1.256	24
8	The Monty Club, Newtown	1.256	24
9	Pot Black, Shanklin	1.252	24
10	Lindsay Constitutional Club, Cefn Hengoed	1.250	24
11	Bretforton Sports Club, Evesham	1.248	24
12	Dorchester Trinity Club, Dorchester	1.248	24

Each venue appears once, using its highest Tournament Strength recorded in Vault 19 so far. Player count relates to that tournament.

Pinches Has Backed It Up

This is probably the most important development since my first article.

Pinches hasn't simply held the No.1 position because nobody has beaten its original score.

It has produced another enormous number.

Its two Vault 19 events have recorded:

1.350 — 10 September

1.340 — 17 September

The second field contained 22 players compared with 24 for the first, yet its Tournament Strength fell by only 0.010.

That is beginning to look less like one exceptional tournament and more like a genuinely strong regular venue.

There is still a long way to go in Vault 19, but Pinches has provided the strongest early evidence of consistency at the very top.

Faringdon Produces a Huge Score – With a Caveat

The closest anyone has come to Pinches is Faringdon Football Club, with an impressive 1.329.

There is an important difference, however.

Faringdon's 1.329 came from an eight-player field.

That doesn't make the strength figure irrelevant. If eight very strong players enter a tournament, it is still a very strong tournament.

But it is different from producing a similarly strong number across a field of 20-plus players.

Faringdon has actually had three Vault 19 scores in the data — 1.170, 1.203 and then 1.329 — so it will be particularly interesting to see where it settles over the next few weeks.

Tipton Makes a Big Move

One of the figures I particularly like is Tipton Sports Academy's 1.297.

Why?

Because it came from 28 players.

That's the largest field among the venues at the very top of this table.

Tipton's earlier event was considerably lower at 1.055, so again I'm not ready to label it one of the toughest regular venues on the evidence of one huge tournament.

But a 1.297 from 28 players deserves attention.

Bagley Is Getting Stronger

Bagley Sports & Social Club is another venue where the second result adds something to the story.

Its first Vault 19 Tournament Strength was 1.238.

The next was 1.280.

That moves Bagley up to fourth in the one-venue-only table and, importantly, gives it two strong tournaments rather than one isolated result.

That is exactly what I will be watching as Vault 19 develops.

The Usual Suspects Are Still There

Some familiar venues remain prominent.

Sartan Club sits sixth with its 1.265 tournament and remains one of the leading South West names in the data.

Lindsay Constitutional Club is tenth at 1.250 and continues to feature prominently among the Welsh venues.

North Star Club sits just outside this Top 12 with a best of 1.241.

Bretforton is also back amongst the leaders at 1.248.

Not every second event has matched the opening score. Sartan, for example, followed 1.265 with 1.184, while Lindsay followed 1.250 with 1.198 and North Star followed 1.241 with 1.171.

That isn't necessarily a negative.

Tournament fields fluctuate.

In fact, that's precisely why following these figures over the entire Vault series should become increasingly useful.

Eventually we'll be able to separate venues capable of producing an occasional exceptional field from those that are relentlessly difficult week after week.

A Few New Names to Watch

There are some other interesting additions.

The Brookside in Syston has now reached 1.278, although its previous scores were considerably lower.

The Monty Club in Newtown has climbed to 1.256.

Pot Black in Shanklin has reached 1.252.

And Dorchester Trinity Club has improved from 1.203 to 1.248.

We're therefore beginning to get movement rather than simply seeing the same opening-night table repeated.

That's what I wanted from these updates.

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WADC Vault 3.0: Wales Still Leads, But England Is Getting Closer

I'm also following the WADC Vaults separately.

The first time I looked at WADC Vault 3.0, the story was unmistakable.

South Wales dominated the top of the Tournament Strength table.

A week later, England has started to make an impression.

But it hasn't displaced Wales yet.

As with the main Vault 19 table, I've included every venue only once below, using its highest Tournament Strength.

WADC Vault 3.0: Strongest Venues So Far

Rank	Venue	Highest Tournament Strength	Players
1	The 9 Darter, Port Talbot	0.997	5
2	Briton Ferry Workies, Briton Ferry	0.989	6
3	Arrows Darts Venue #2, Resolven	0.986	8
4	Dereham Cricket Club, Dereham	0.980	5
5	Walton WMC	0.941	4
6	Fordham RBL	0.933	4
7	London GAA, Ruislip	0.933	7
8	Wiltshire Darts House, Swindon	0.929	5
9	Shooters, Leominster	0.916	4
10	The Men of March	0.893	5

Each venue appears once, using its highest WADC Vault 3.0 Tournament Strength recorded so far.

South Wales Still Owns the Top Three

The most obvious conclusion hasn't changed.

The three strongest WADC Vault 3.0 venues in the data are still all in South Wales.

The 9 Darter, Port Talbot — 0.997

Briton Ferry Workies — 0.989

Arrows Darts Venue #2, Resolven — 0.986

But there's now a particularly interesting story within those numbers.

Briton Ferry is getting stronger.

Its first event produced 0.961.

Its next reached 0.989.

That takes Briton Ferry to within just 0.008 of The 9 Darter's leading figure.

And from the previous WADC data I've looked at, Briton Ferry has produced strong Tournament Strength figures before.

It is rapidly becoming one of the WADC venues I want to follow most closely.

England Has Entered the Fight

England's big mover is Dereham Cricket Club.

Dereham initially recorded 0.855.

Its next tournament jumped all the way to 0.980.

That's enough to put it fourth overall and immediately behind the three South Wales leaders.

So has England caught Wales?

Not yet.

But the gap is considerably less comfortable than it looked in my first update.

Walton WMC is also showing some consistency, recording 0.941 and 0.923.

Fordham has reached 0.933, London GAA has also recorded 0.933, while Wiltshire Darts House has reached 0.929.

England therefore has considerably more representation towards the top than it did when I first looked.

One Tournament Tells Us Something – Repetition Tells Us More

That's probably the biggest lesson from this update.

The highest score is interesting.

What happens next is more interesting.

Pinches producing 1.350 caught my attention.

Pinches following it with 1.340 tells me considerably more.

Briton Ferry producing 0.961 was a strong start.

Following it with 0.989 changes the picture again.

Bagley moving from 1.238 to 1.280 is another example.

Then there are venues moving in the opposite direction or producing much more variable fields.

None of that is a problem. It's exactly what I'd expect.

As the sample grows, Tournament Strength should start showing which venues are consistently attracting strong fields rather than simply producing one exceptional night.

So, Where Are We Now?

After the first couple of weeks of Vault 19, Pinches Cue Club remains the benchmark.

Its best score of 1.350 still leads the entire field, but the really impressive part is the 1.340 that followed.

Faringdon has come closest with 1.329, although its eight-player field needs to be kept in context.

Tipton's 1.297 from 28 players is particularly interesting, while Bagley has strengthened from one event to the next.

And the familiar names haven't gone away. Sartan, Lindsay, Bretforton and North Star remain around the stronger end of the data.

In WADC Vault 3.0, Wales still holds the advantage.

Port Talbot, Briton Ferry and Resolven occupy the first three positions.

But Dereham has given England a genuine challenger at 0.980, and several other English venues are beginning to gather behind it.

It's still early.

But we're now moving beyond simply asking:

Who had the strongest tournament?

The much more interesting question is beginning to become:

Where are the strongest tournaments happening again and again?

I'll keep tracking it throughout Vault 19.

Yesterday’s Darts Results: Shaun Vernall Wins Champion of Champions as Two Players Hit 115.62 Averages (20th September 2026)

Another 47 tournaments from Friday 19 September have been added to the Q4QS database, and this was a particularly interesting batch.

There were two 115.62 averages, several strong Vault 19 performances, more junior results and two WADC events. But for my South and South West coverage, the standout story came at Evesham.

Vernall wins the Champion of Champions

Shaun Vernall won The Food To Go Champion of Champions Finals Night at Evesham Darts Competitions, beating Pete Hughes 5–3 in the final.

It was backed up by some excellent numbers. Vernall produced the best average of the tournament with 100.20, also recording 96.23 and 89.41 during the event.

Hughes was impressive too, reaching 95.77, while Joe Quiney produced a 90.18.

Vernall and Hughes both finished the tournament with six wins, with Quiney recording five.

For Vernall, though, this was the important statistic: another tournament title and one achieved against a strong Evesham field.

Two 115.62 averages

The biggest numbers anywhere in Friday’s data came from Kyle Ison and Roger Crook, who remarkably both recorded 115.62 averages.

Ison produced his at the Vault 19 event at Burghfield Community Sports Association in Reading. The title there went to Archie Self, who beat Paul Self 3–0 in the final and recorded averages of 96.97 and 93.94 on his way through.

Crook did turn his 115.62 into a tournament-winning night.

At Danny’s Bar in Banbury, he added averages of 97.14, 85.89, 83.50 and 82.44 and finished with eight victories before beating Michael Cuddon 3–1 in the final.

That is one of the more impressive complete sets of numbers I’ve seen in these daily reports.

Ellie Harwood wins the Pegasus Ladies Round Robin

There were two tournaments at Pegasus 68 Club in Taunton, including another women’s event for the database.

Ellie Harwood won the Ladies Round Robin, beating Shelley Cotterell 3–1 in the final.

Cotterell recorded the tournament’s highest average at 72.73, while Harwood reached 71.57 and finished with six victories.

The Pegasus Under-65 event was won by Peter Taswell, who came through a 4–3 final against Ryan Greenslade. Greenslade recorded the highest average at 79.11, with Brooklyn Anthony reaching 78.05.

Steve Boundy takes Saturday night title

Another result worth picking out came from the Saturday Night Money In Money Out Round Robin.

Steve Boundy took the title with a 4–1 final victory over Leon Taylor, finishing the tournament with seven wins.

The highest average belonged to Ashton Brown at 88.41, while Louis Dance hit 86.89 and Boundy reached 82.17.

More big Vault 19 performances

There were plenty more strong numbers among the Vault 19 events.

At Inn On The Green in Shrewsbury, Sam Morris took the title against Jake B-Smith. Jamie Chaplin produced a huge 107.05, while Morris himself hit 96.97.

Ashley Coleman was particularly consistent in Peterborough, winning the Vault with seven victories while recording 100.20, 96.97 and 93.94 among the leading averages.

At Worthies Sports and Social Club in Winchester, Jamie Kelling beat Henry Povey 3–1 in the final and produced a 94.60 average.

WADC titles for Millie Jolley and Kelly Stevens

And, as part of the continuing Q4QS coverage of the women’s game, I’m including the WADC events in these daily roundups rather than allowing them to disappear among the larger number of open events.

Millie Jolley won the WADC Vault at Fordham RBL, beating Amanda Harwood 3–1 in the final. Harwood recorded the highest average at 62.56.

At The Castle & Falcon in Newark, Kelly Stevens took the second WADC title, defeating Sienna Beck 3–0. Stevens also produced the tournament’s highest average of 68.32.

Friday’s standout averages

At the very top of Friday’s numbers were Kyle Ison and Roger Crook at 115.62, followed by Jamie Chaplin’s 107.05 and Kevin Leadenham’s 103.66.

Shaun Vernall and Ashley Coleman both broke the three-figure barrier with 100.20, while Archie Self, Marc Grace and Sam Morris were among those reaching 96.97.

For my own South and South West coverage, though, Vernall’s Champion of Champions victory at Evesham and Harwood’s win at Pegasus 68 are two of the results that particularly catch my eye.

Another 47 tournaments are now in Q4QS, feeding more results into the growing player records, venue data, rankings, form, head-to-heads and tournament histories.

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PDC Asian Tour 2026: Which Countries Are Leading the Rise of Darts Across Asia?

 

The PDC Asian Tour has become one of the most interesting parts of the global darts calendar for me.

We already know about the established names who have emerged from Asian darts, but when I looked further down the 2026 numbers, I became just as interested in where the players are coming from.

Which countries have genuine depth? Which are producing the strongest players? And perhaps most interestingly, which countries might only be at the beginning of their Asian Tour journey?

Using my Q4QS data alongside the DartConnect Asian Tour leaderboard, I've been able to attach countries to the players and get a much better picture of what is happening across the region.

And it isn't simply a story about Japan and the Philippines.

Arihara Leads the Q4QS Asian Rankings

At the top of the Q4QS Asian rankings is Japan's Ryuta Arihara, ahead of the Philippines' Christian De Los Reyes.

They are followed by another Japanese player, Haruki Muramatsu, with Rolly Gabiana of the Philippines fourth and Motomu Sakai of Japan fifth.

The opening positions give a pretty good indication of the two countries which continue to provide so much quality.

My current top ten is:

1. Ryuta Arihara — Japan

2. Christian De Los Reyes — Philippines

3. Haruki Muramatsu — Japan

4. Rolly Gabiana — Philippines

5. Motomu Sakai — Japan

6. Paolo Nebrida — Philippines

7. Lourence Ilagan — Philippines

8. Lok Yin Lee — Hong Kong

9. Alexis Toylo — Philippines

10. Man Lok Leung — Hong Kong

The strength of the leading Filipino players is particularly apparent. De Los Reyes has a Q4QS Average of 88.21, while Gabiana is at 86.79 and Nebrida 86.56.

Japan counters with considerable strength and volume. Arihara leads the rankings, while Sakai and Yuta Hayashi are among the other Japanese players recording Q4QS averages above 86.

The Philippines Has Extraordinary Depth

If there is one thing that jumps out when the leaderboard is broken down by country, it is the sheer number of Filipino players.

I could identify more than 240 Philippines-flagged players in the data I matched, with more than 40 appearing inside the Q4QS Asian top 100.

That isn't just one exceptional player carrying a country.

De Los Reyes, Gabiana, Nebrida, Ilagan and Toylo are all near the very top, but the Filipino presence continues a long way down the rankings.

For me, that distinction is important when talking about the strength of darts in a country. One world-class player can emerge almost anywhere. Producing a large group of competitive players suggests something much deeper is happening.

Japan Combines Quality With Experience

Japan's numbers look slightly different but are equally impressive.

I identified more than 90 Japanese players in the matched data, including around 20 inside the Q4QS Asian top 100.

Arihara sits at No.1, Muramatsu at No.3 and Sakai at No.5, while Hayashi is also just outside the top ten.

There is also an enormous amount of Asian Tour experience among those leading players. Arihara has 113 events recorded in my export, Sakai 109 and Muramatsu 101.

Japan therefore isn't simply producing occasional high-level performances. There is a substantial group playing a lot of competitive darts and repeatedly appearing towards the top end of the numbers.

Hong Kong: Fewer Players, Serious Quality

Hong Kong provides a good example of why simply counting players doesn't tell the whole story.

Its overall player pool in the data is much smaller, but Lok Yin Lee and Man Lok Leung are both inside the Q4QS Asian top ten.

Leung has a Q4QS Average of 85.75, while Lee has played 97 events in the Q4QS export and has won more than 70% of the matches recorded there.

So when I look at the Asian Tour geographically, Hong Kong deserves attention despite not having anything like the numerical depth of the Philippines or Japan.

Malaysia, China and Taiwan Form Another Interesting Group

Below the leading countries, there are several nations with enough quality to suggest a significant competitive base.

Malaysia has Norhisame Bin Wahab at No.25 in the Q4QS Asian rankings, with Jenn Ming Tan and Jun Hao Terry Tan also inside the top 50.

China's leading name in the data is Xiaochen Zong, ranked No.14, while Lihao Wen and Tianxiao Cao provide further representation higher up the rankings.

Taiwan doesn't have a huge number of players in the data, but Pin Feng Yeh is No.31 and Yan Bin Chen No.40.

Again, it demonstrates why I think both depth and quality need to be considered. A country doesn't necessarily need hundreds of players before it starts producing people capable of competing towards the upper end of the Asian game.

Mongolia Might Be the Most Fascinating Story

This was probably the country that interested me most when I started looking beyond the familiar Asian darts nations.

There are more than 150 Mongolia-flagged players in the leaderboard data I was able to match.

That is a remarkable level of representation.

The leading Mongolian in my Q4QS rankings is Ganzorig Lkhagvasüren at No.34, followed by Altantülkhüür Myagmarsüren at No.47 and Jargalsaikhan Ulziibuyan at No.70.

That means Mongolia isn't merely supplying entrants either. It already has several players pushing into the higher reaches of these rankings.

Japan and the Philippines are established Asian darts forces. Mongolia feels different.

It looks like a country worth watching.

If that large player base continues to gain experience and the strongest players continue to improve, it will be fascinating to see where Mongolian darts is in another few years.

Singapore Still Has a Familiar Name

Singapore provides another interesting snapshot.

Phuay Wei Tan sits at No.52 in the Q4QS Asian rankings, while Paul Lim is No.61.

Lim's longevity in international darts hardly needs explaining to followers of the sport, but seeing another Singapore player above him in this particular dataset is an interesting indication that the country's story isn't solely about its most famous player.

The question will be whether greater depth eventually develops behind them.

And Then Come the Countries Beginning Their Journey

This is the part of the Asian Tour that I want to keep following.

The flags show players appearing from India, Thailand, Brunei, South Korea, Macau, the UAE and Indonesia, among others.

The numbers and sample sizes vary considerably, so I don't think it would be fair to draw strong conclusions about their playing standard yet.

But their presence matters.

Nitin Kumar is the leading Indian player in the Q4QS Asian rankings at No.76. Macau's Kam Weng Cheng is at No.91. Thailand has Sorawis Rodman at No.112, while players from Brunei and South Korea also appear further down.

And then there are countries with players appearing much nearer the beginning of their competitive journey.

That is something I find genuinely exciting about collecting this data.

Today's single entrant can become tomorrow's group of ten players. Ten can become fifty. Eventually one of those players can break through.

We have already seen how international darts can develop when opportunities become available.

The Asian Tour Is Becoming a Map of Darts' Growth

There is an obvious danger in trying to judge the strength of a country's darts purely from one leaderboard.

Players don't all enter the same number of events, travel requirements differ enormously across Asia and a large player population doesn't automatically mean a stronger one. My Q4QS rankings also measure performance rather than representing the official PDC Asian Tour standings.

But put the different measures together and a fascinating picture begins to emerge.

The Philippines has remarkable depth. Japan combines depth with an exceptionally strong group at the top. Hong Kong has high-end quality despite a much smaller player pool. Malaysia, China and Taiwan have players capable of pushing into the upper reaches.

And then there is Mongolia.

More than 150 players appearing in the matched data, with multiple players already well inside the Q4QS Asian top 100, makes that a development I particularly want to follow.

Beyond them are another collection of countries at very different stages of their darts development.

That might ultimately be the most important thing about the Asian Tour.

It isn't only providing a route for Asia's best players.

It's allowing us to watch the darts map grow.

And I'll be keeping the country data alongside my Q4QS rankings, because it should become even more interesting to see how that map changes over the next few seasons.

Yesterday’s Darts Results: Paul Jones, Ryan Greenslade & Warren Rixon Win as 47 Tournaments Join Q4QS 20th September 2026

Friday brought another sizeable batch of grassroots darts into Q4QS, with 47 tournaments added to the database.

There were some enormous averages elsewhere — including two 115.62s — but closer to my main South and South West coverage, there were titles for Paul Jones at Bengeworth, Ryan Greenslade in Taunton and Warren Rixon in Bridgwater.

Paul Jones takes the title at Bengeworth

The Bengeworth continues to provide plenty of useful Q4QS data, and this time it was Paul Jones who came through to take the Friday Vault title.

Jones finished the tournament with six wins, eventually beating Jason Reeve 3–2 in the final.

The biggest average of the night belonged to Danny Lauby, who produced a 93.94, while Reeve reached 84.51 and Jones' best recorded figure was 81.24.

It is another good example of why these reports aren't simply a list of the highest averages. Jones may not have topped that particular table, but he was the player left standing at the end.

Ryan Greenslade wins at Pegasus 68

At Pegasus 68 Club in Taunton, Ryan Greenslade came through a close final against Ellie Harwood to take the title 3–2.

Greenslade finished with six wins, while Paul Gardiner and Harwood both recorded five.

Gardiner produced the best average of the event at 75.54, with Harwood reaching 69.46 and Greenslade recording 68.52 among his best figures.

It's another South West venue where the growing amount of data should become increasingly interesting as the season develops.

Warren Rixon wins at Bridgwater Darts Academy

There was another local title at Bridgwater Darts Academy, where Warren Rixon won BDA DiDo Week 7.

Rixon accumulated seven victories, one more than Reuben Avis, and beat Calvin Livesey 2–0 in the final.

Avis produced the event's highest average with 79.11, while Rixon's best was 68.32.

With the BDA events now feeding into Q4QS as well, this is another useful strand of the South West grassroots picture.

Andy Steed among the best at Galaxy Sports Bar

There was no title for Andy Steed this time, but he was again among the stronger performers at Galaxy Sports Bar.

Tony Clark won the event, beating Carl McFarlane 3–0, with both players recording eight wins.

Clark produced a 91.09, McFarlane a 90.92, while Steed reached 88.41 and 87.69 and recorded six victories.

Kirsten Casley takes WADC Vault title

The women's game also features in Friday's roundup, with Kirsten Casley winning the WADC Vault 3.0 at Briton Ferry Workies.

Casley defeated Rhian O'Sullivan 3–1 in the final. O'Sullivan produced the highest recorded average of the event at 81.54, while Casley reached 76.82.

The WADC events are now an important part of the results I am bringing into Q4QS, adding another layer to the growing picture of the women's grassroots game.

Two huge 115.62 averages

Further afield, two performances shared top billing across Friday's Q4QS additions.

Roger Crook hit 115.62 at GWRSA Club in Didcot, followed by a 97.14, 85.89, 83.50 and 82.44. Even more impressively, Crook converted that scoring into the title, finishing with eight wins and beating Michael Cuddon 3–1 in the final.

At Walderslade Club in Chatham, Ross Lowe also produced a 115.62. Lowe added a 96.97 and 93.94 and eventually beat Tony Fleming 3–1 in the final.

Steve Haggerty produces a huge winning run

Another particularly impressive performance came from Steve Haggerty at The Castle & Falcon.

Haggerty didn't just record a 107.36. His listed top five performances were 107.36, 95.94, 93.94, 93.94 and 91.09.

He finished with seven wins and completed the night by beating Cain Allen 3–0 in the final.

That is a seriously consistent set of numbers rather than one isolated big average.

Friday's standout averages

Across the 47 tournaments, the leading individual performances included Roger Crook 115.62, Ross Lowe 115.62, Steve Haggerty 107.36, Andrew Hibbert 104.86, Tony Chapman 103.66, Mike Breckell 103.66, Keenan Thomas 100.20 and Andy Smith 100.20.

For the South West-focused side of Q4QS, though, the main stories belong to the tournament winners: Paul Jones at Bengeworth, Ryan Greenslade at Pegasus 68 and Warren Rixon at Bridgwater Darts Academy, alongside another WADC event entering the database.

Another 47 tournaments are now in the database, adding more results to the player records, venue histories, head-to-heads, rankings and form data behind Q4QS.

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Country Spotlight: Bahamas – From The Caribbean To Alexandra Palace

 

 

My Country Spotlight journey continues through the Caribbean, and this week I've arrived at one of the smallest nations I've featured so far.

But in darts terms, the Bahamas has already achieved something that many considerably larger countries are still chasing.

It has sent a player to Alexandra Palace.

That player is Rashad Sweeting, and his emergence has helped put Bahamian darts firmly onto the international map.

Yet the more I looked into the Bahamas, the more interesting the story became.

Because behind Sweeting there is evidence of something more: regular CDLC participation, tournaments staged on Bahamian soil and players such as Robin Albury, Nelson Rahming and Lorenzo Deveaux competing against the leading names in Latin American and Caribbean darts.

For a country with a population of only around 400,000, that's quite a footprint.

Rashad Sweeting – The Bahamian Pioneer

There is really only one place to start.

Rashad Sweeting made history by becoming the first player from the Bahamas to qualify for the PDC World Darts Championship.

His appearance at the 2025 tournament put the Bahamian flag onto the Alexandra Palace stage for the first time.

Sweeting faced Jeffrey de Graaf in the opening round and lost 3–1, but averaged 82.88 on his World Championship debut.

For a developing darts nation, simply reaching that stage matters.

It gives every player back home proof that the pathway actually exists.

And Sweeting certainly hasn't disappeared since.

One Of The CDLC's Leading Players

Sweeting has become one of the established forces of the Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean Tour.

In April 2025, he won CDLC Event Two in Panama City, defeating Jesús Salate 6–5, Sudesh Fitzgerald 6–2 and Jonathon Heron 6–0 through the closing stages. It was already his third career CDLC Main Tour title.

A few months later he won again, this time in the Bahamas.

At 2025 Event Four in Grand Bahama, Sweeting defeated Salate 6–5 in the semi-final before beating Norman Madhoo 6–3 in the final, averaging 86.08.

And in 2026 he did it again.

This time the story was even better.

Three Finals In Three Days At Home

The final weekend of the 2026 CDLC season was staged in Nassau.

Sweeting reached the final on Friday.

Then he reached it again on Saturday.

And then, on Sunday, he reached a third consecutive final.

The first two ended in defeat to Argentina's Jesús Salate.

The third didn't.

Sweeting beat Dean Persad 6–2 in the quarter-final and Norman Madhoo 6–4 in the semi-final before defeating Trinidad and Tobago's Joshua Balfour 6–3 in the final.

He averaged 82.99 in that match and claimed another CDLC title on home soil.

It also meant that Sweeting finished second on the 2026 CDLC Tour Points List, behind only Salate.

That's a significant achievement.

What The Q4QS Database Tells Us

The Q4QS numbers underline just how strong Sweeting's 2026 campaign was.

My database currently contains 23 matches for Sweeting across five events.

He won 19 of them.

That's an 82.6% win rate, with one tournament victory, two runner-up finishes and a quarter-final. His overall match average stands at 77.20, while his best performance reached 89.29.

There is one important Q4QS caveat.

Sweeting has currently played five qualifying events in my dataset, one short of the six-event requirement for an official Q4QS Average.

So I won't manufacture one.

But the underlying performances are extremely impressive.

Sweeting averaged 89.29 while whitewashing Wayne Copeland 6–0.

He averaged 87.20 in an extraordinary 6–5 final defeat against Salate.

He averaged 84.28 against Robin Albury, 82.99 against Balfour and 81.00 against Madhoo.

Those aren't isolated numbers against unknown opposition either.

Beating The Best In The Region

One thing I increasingly like about the Q4QS database is that it allows me to look beyond averages and see who players are beating.

Sweeting's list is impressive.

In 2026 alone, it includes:

• Norman Madhoo – 6–4
• Joshua Balfour – 6–3
• Dean Persad – 6–2
• James Walkin – 6–3
• Shane Sawyer – 6–4

That's effectively a roll call of some of the strongest players in Caribbean darts.

His four defeats in the database came against Salate twice, Balfour and Víctor Guillín.

So Sweeting isn't merely dominating local competition.

He is consistently competing at the sharp end of the CDLC.

Robin Albury – Evidence Of Greater Depth

Sweeting is clearly the headline act.

But Robin Albury might be the most interesting player behind him.

Albury has only three 2026 events in the current Q4QS database, meaning he doesn't qualify for an official Q4QS Average.

However, across eight recorded matches he has won five and lost three.

More strikingly, his overall match average is 68.03, with a best of 71.85.

His victories include a 71.85 average against Michael Moss, 71.36 against Oscar Wright and 68.80 against Geddes Foncette.

He also reached a quarter-final in Nassau, where Sweeting eventually stopped him.

And this isn't somebody who has suddenly appeared from nowhere.

Albury has been part of Bahamian darts for years and also reached the semi-finals of 2025 CDLC Event Four in Grand Bahama, beating Sudesh Fitzgerald 6–1 in the quarter-finals before losing to Madhoo.

On the published two-year CDLC Order of Merit following the opening 2026 weekend, Albury stood 15th, with fellow Bahamian Nelson Rahming 13th.

That's important.

It starts to move the Bahamas away from being simply "the country Rashad Sweeting represents."

Nelson Rahming – Another Regular Competitor

Nelson Rahming adds another layer.

My current database has eight Rahming matches across five events, with three victories and five defeats.

His overall average is 59.99, with a best of 63.51. Once again, he is one event short of qualifying for an official Q4QS Average.

His record is more interesting than the win percentage alone suggests.

Rahming beat Chile's George Patterson 6–4 and Mikhael Achong 6–5, while narrowly losing 6–5 to James Walklin and 6–4 to Dean Persad.

That's another Bahamian regularly encountering credible regional opposition.

Lorenzo Deveaux – One Match From The World Cup

Then we come to Lorenzo Deveaux.

His individual Q4QS numbers are more modest.

Deveaux has now reached the six-event threshold, giving him an official Q4QS Average of 60.48.

Across nine matches he has three wins and six defeats, with an overall average of 60.21 and a best of 66.00.

But Deveaux has already played a part in one of the biggest matches in Bahamian darts history.

Because in April 2026, he partnered Sweeting in the regional qualifier for the PDC World Cup of Darts.

And the Bahamas reached the final.

One Match From A World Cup Debut

Twenty-eight teams representing 12 countries entered the qualifier in Panama City.

By the end, only two remained.

Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago.

Sweeting and Deveaux therefore stood just one match away from giving their country its first appearance at the PDC World Cup of Darts.

Unfortunately for the Bahamas, the final proved a step too far.

Joshua Balfour and James Walkin produced a dominant performance, winning 10–1 and taking Trinidad and Tobago to Frankfurt.

But reaching the final matters.

Sweeting had already taken the Bahamas to Alexandra Palace.

Now the country had come within one match of reaching another of the PDC's major international stages.

That's progress.

Home Events Are Helping Too

Another significant factor is that the Bahamas isn't simply sending a handful of players overseas.

The CDLC comes to the Bahamas.

Grand Bahama staged three events in 2025, while Nassau hosted the final three events of the 2026 season.

That creates opportunities.

When the Tour arrives, far more Bahamian players can compete without facing the substantial travel costs associated with getting around Latin America and the Caribbean.

And the result is a much wider list of Bahamian names appearing in tournament draws.

That's potentially very important for the next stage of the country's development.

Sweeting has demonstrated what the pathway can lead to.

The challenge now is producing more players capable of following him.

Why The Bahamas Matters

Of all the countries I've visited during this part of Country Spotlight, the Bahamas provides one of the clearest examples of what the new regional structure can achieve.

This is a country of only around 400,000 people.

Yet it has produced a PDC World Championship qualifier.

It has a multiple CDLC tournament winner.

It has hosted CDLC events.

It reached the final of the 2026 World Cup qualifier.

And behind Sweeting there are players such as Albury, Rahming and Deveaux accumulating regional experience.

That's quite a lot for such a small population.

Looking Ahead

The obvious question is what comes next.

For Sweeting, the target must surely be another Alexandra Palace appearance.

He finished second on the 2026 CDLC Tour behind Salate, so he remains firmly among the region's elite players. His Q4QS record of 19 wins from 23 matches reinforces that.

But perhaps the bigger long-term question concerns everyone behind him.

Robin Albury's small 2026 sample is encouraging.

Nelson Rahming is regularly competing on the Tour.

Lorenzo Deveaux has already experienced a World Cup qualifying final.

And staging CDLC tournaments in the Bahamas gives other local players an opportunity to test themselves.

Sweeting has already opened one door.

The next landmark could be somebody joining him.

Or perhaps, after coming so close in 2026, two Bahamians finally walking onto the World Cup stage together.

Q4QS Darts Nation Rating

Current Strength: 8/10
Participation & Depth: 7/10
International Achievement: 8/10
Future Potential: 8/10

Overall Q4QS Nation Rating: 7.75/10

I'd put the Bahamas at 7.75/10.

That's above Costa Rica's 7/10 for me because the Bahamas has something Costa Rica is still seeking: a proven World Championship breakthrough.

Sweeting is also currently performing at a genuinely strong regional level, while Albury's figures suggest there is more behind him than might initially be obvious.

The population makes the story even more impressive.

A nation of around 400,000 people has already reached Alexandra Palace.

And in 2026, it came within one match of the World Cup.

For Bahamian darts, the question is no longer whether it can reach the international stage.

It already has.

Now the challenge is staying there.

Yesterday’s Darts Results: Ashton Brown Hits 102.48 as 63 Tournaments Join Q4QS – 17 September 2026

Thursday was another huge night for the Q4QS database, with 63 tournaments added from across the grassroots game.

For my South and South West coverage, there was plenty to pick from: a 102.48 at Hangar61, another title for Jamie Kay in Bodmin, Robbie Roy dominating in Yeovil, Finlay Cleave winning in Torquay and Danny Lauby taking the honours in Worcester.

But I'll start close to home.

Ashton Brown takes Hangar61 title with a 102.48

The Thursday night round robin at Hangar61 produced one of the strongest local performances of the night.

Ashton Brown hit a 102.48 average, followed it with 97.40 and 93.94, and ultimately took the tournament.

Brown accumulated nine wins, with John Brown recording eight and Geoff James seven.

John Brown produced a 100.20 average of his own, but Ashton won their final 3–0 to complete an excellent night.

With Hangar61 one of the venues I follow particularly closely, nights like this continue to add some very useful depth to its Q4QS player and venue records.

Jamie Kay wins again in Bodmin

There was another title for Jamie Kay at St Breward AFC & Social Club.

Mason Dower produced the highest average of the tournament at 93.94, but Kay put together the night's winning run.

Kay hit 90.89 along the way and finished with eight wins, before beating James Chudleigh 3–1 in the final.

Chudleigh had seven victories, with Dower on five.

Kay has been appearing regularly in these daily reports recently, and Thursday added another tournament victory to the database.

Nine wins for Robbie Roy at Yeovil

If you're looking purely at dominance across an entire tournament, Robbie Roy's night at Yeovil Labour Club is difficult to overlook.

Roy recorded the five highest listed averages at the event – 88.41, 83.50, 82.19, 81.24 and 77.74 – and finished with nine wins.

He then beat Jordan Baker 3–0 in the final.

That's about as complete a tournament performance as you can ask for.

Finlay Cleave takes Torquay title

At Cue Sports Academy in Torquay, Finlay Cleave came through with seven victories.

Cleave hit 79.11, 78.12 and 75.34 among his best performances and defeated Charlie Sanderson 3–1 in the final.

Jamie Chamberlain also reached 79.11 during the tournament, while Sanderson finished with five wins.

Danny Lauby wins in Worcester

The Cue Corner in Worcester produced a tournament where the biggest averages belonged to other players, but Danny Lauby took the title.

Stewart Wilde and Freddie Wilson both reached 93.94, with Jamie Chaplin hitting 90.18.

Lauby, however, accumulated seven victories and beat Elliot Smith 3–0 in the final.

It is another reminder of why I like looking beyond a simple list of highest averages. Winning the tournament remains the thing that matters.

A strong night further across the South

There were plenty of performances beyond the core South West area worth picking out.

Lloyd Walker was outstanding at Fareham Social Club, producing averages of 107.36, 98.02 and 96.97 before completing an eight-win night and beating Joey Cole 3–0 in the final.

At Dorchester, Robbie Martin hit 100.20, while Alfie Yarrow recorded 98.02, 96.97 and 93.94. Liam Blakeley ultimately won the tournament, beating Yarrow 3–2 in the final.

And at Minehead, Taylor Foster beat Carl High 3–0 to take the title after High had produced a 96.97, with Foster reaching 95.94.

Some enormous numbers elsewhere

Although Q4QS remains weighted towards my South and South West coverage, Thursday produced several performances elsewhere that are simply too big to ignore.

The highest was Andy Smith's 120.24 at Cressex Social Club, and it wasn't a one-off – Smith also recorded 109.98 and two 100.20 averages on his way to eight wins and the title.

Wayne Bloomfield and Matt Gallett both hit 111.33, while Dean Reynolds and Lloyd Walker recorded 107.36. The overall top-average list shows just how strong Thursday's 63-tournament collection was.

63 more tournaments into Q4QS

Another 63 tournaments means thousands more pieces of information feeding into Q4QS.

Every result helps build the player records, head-to-heads, venue histories, form and rankings that sit behind the site.

For my local coverage, Ashton Brown's 102.48 and Hangar61 victory leads the way, with Jamie Kay winning in Bodmin, Robbie Roy putting together a dominant nine-win performance in Yeovil, Finlay Cleave taking Torquay and Danny Lauby winning in Worcester.

Another busy Thursday – and another substantial chunk of grassroots darts added to Q4QS.

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Yesterday’s Darts Results: Shaun Vernall Hits 111.33 as 70 Tournaments Join Q4QS – 16 September 2026

Wednesday nights are rapidly becoming one of the biggest nights of the week for the Q4QS database.

This time, 70 tournaments were added, bringing another huge batch of grassroots results into the rankings, player records and venue data.

And there were some seriously good numbers among them.

For my South and South West coverage, Shaun Vernall produced the standout performance with a huge 111.33 average at The Bengeworth in Evesham, and then backed it up with another 107.36. Vince Tipple ultimately took the title there, beating Danny Lauby 3–1 in the final.

Meanwhile, Chard produced another excellent tournament, Andy Steed won again in Barnstaple, Josh Lewis took the title in Stonehouse and there was plenty more happening across the region.

Vernall goes 111.33 and 107.36 at Evesham

Let's start at The Bengeworth.

Shaun Vernall hit 111.33 and 107.36 averages on the same night.

Those are two enormous performances at this level, and the 111.33 was the highest average among the South West performances highlighted in Wednesday's results.

But the tournament belonged to Vince Tipple.

Tipple produced two 93.94 averages during his run and finished with seven victories before beating Danny Lauby 3–1 in the final.

Lauby collected six wins, while Aaron Edmunds, Reece Pinches and Darrel Williams all recorded five.

It's another good example of something that comes up regularly in these reports: the player producing the night's biggest average doesn't necessarily end up holding the trophy.

Mason Doble wins a high-quality Chard event

The Choughs Hotel in Chard produced arguably the deepest local set of headline performances of the night.

Jack Walker averaged 107.36.

Darren Herbert wasn't far behind with 103.66.

And eventual champion Mason Doble joined them in three figures with 100.20.

Doble then did what neither of the other two managed – he won the tournament.

He finished with a remarkable nine victories, with Herbert recording eight, before Doble beat Herbert 3–0 in the final.

Three different players breaking the 100 barrier makes Chard one of Wednesday's obvious venues to highlight.

Andy Steed wins again

Andy Steed's name seems to be appearing rather regularly in these reports.

This time the venue was Barnstaple Town FC, where Steed finished with seven victories and defeated Zac Sanders 3–1 in the final.

He also produced the highest average of the tournament at 91.80, alongside further performances of 86.91 and 82.20.

Daniel Donovan reached 88.41, while Sanders and Nigel Gullon both recorded six wins.

So unlike some of Wednesday's other tournaments, there was no split between the statistical standout and the champion here.

Steed topped the averages and took the title.

Logan Symons Jnr takes Bodmin title

There was another strong winning performance at Bodmin Band & Social Club.

Logan Symons Jnr averaged 96.97, 93.94 and 90.18 during the tournament and finished with seven victories.

Martin Smith also collected seven wins, setting up the final between the pair.

Symons edged it 3–2 to take the title.

That's a particularly impressive trio of averages from the eventual champion.

Josh Lewis delivers in Stonehouse

At Magpies Social Club in Stonehouse, Josh Lewis was both the leading scorer and the tournament winner.

Lewis hit a tournament-best 90.94, added 81.98 later in the competition and then averaged 81.14 as he defeated Matthew Kerry 4–2 in the final.

He finished the tournament with six wins.

Another strong Wednesday night performance from one of the venues right in the heart of my regular Q4QS coverage.

Sartan title goes to Alfie Palmer

The Sartan Club in Bishopsworth produced another competitive Vault.

Matthew Rogers recorded the highest average at 93.94, while Steve Boundy produced 88.41, 84.09 and 83.82.

But it was Alfie Palmer who came through the field.

Palmer finished with eight victories and defeated Boundy 3–2 in the final.

With Sartan now becoming such an important part of the Q4QS South West data, these Wednesday results continue to add considerably to the venue's player records and rankings.

Wayne Millin fires in 103.66

There was another eye-catching three-figure performance at the Purton Red House Under-70 event.

Wayne Millin averaged 103.66, despite the tournament being an under-70 average competition.

Millin ultimately recorded five victories, while Chris Martin went on to take the tournament with eight wins and Samuel King finished with seven.

It is one of those unusual individual performances that immediately jumps out when going through the daily data.

Andy Evans takes Devizes title

There was also a strong night for Andy Evans at the Devizes Town Round Robin Under-70 event.

Evans recorded eight victories and produced the tournament's two highest averages – 84.42 and 81.29.

Daniel Fitchett also reached eight wins, but Evans won their final 4–1 to take the title.

Beyond the South West

Although these reports remain weighted towards my South and South West coverage, some numbers elsewhere are simply too good to ignore.

George Cressey produced a 111.33 at Tonbridge and followed it with a 100.20 on his way to eight victories and the title, while Joe Croft hit 107.36 at Abbots Langley.

There were plenty more big averages across Wednesday's enormous results set as well.

That's one of the benefits of the database getting larger: I can keep the main focus on the areas Q4QS currently covers most closely while still spotting performances elsewhere that deserve a mention.

70 more tournaments added to Q4QS

The number at the top of today's graphic is probably worth emphasising: 70 tournaments.

Every one adds more information to the Q4QS picture – more matches, more player form, more head-to-head data, more venue history and more evidence behind the rankings.

For the South West, my main Wednesday stories are Shaun Vernall's 111.33 and 107.36 at Evesham, Jack Walker's 107.36 at Chard, Mason Doble's nine-win title run, another Andy Steed victory and strong winning performances from Logan Symons Jnr and Josh Lewis.

And with this much darts now arriving on a single Wednesday, there is becoming far more to these daily reports than simply listing who won.