Keelan wins scholarship to compete on PDC circuit

FOLLOWING an exceptional first year on the youth darts circuit, Keelan Kay has been rewarded with a PDPA scholarship, which will enable him to compete on the PDC Development Tour in 2018.

The Plymouth Studio School pupil finished 2017 in second place on the Junior Darts Corporation’s (JDC) order of merit, despite being able to compete in only four of the six tournaments played.

He was the outright winner of Tour Three in Worcester, and won valuable ranking points in the other three.

SCHOLARSHIP: Board member Andy Scott presents Keelan Kay with his accreditation after the 15-year-old received a PDPA scholarship, which will enable him to compete on the PDC Development Tour in 2018.

Kay was only beaten by Jarred Cole, who won three tour events, finished as runner-up in the European championships and finished his final year in the JDC by winning the Finders Masters Boys title.

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) Unicorn Development Tour allows any player aged from 16-23 to compete in a series of events throughout the year.

With Keelan not reaching his 16th birthday until January 18, he will be the youngest player on the tour.

There will be 20 events taking place during 2018 and each is worth £10,000 in prizemoney with the leading two players from the Development Tour Order of Merit winning a PDC Tour Card with qualification for the PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship also based on prizemoney won in Development Tour events.