Fred Krueger and Brayden Hall sealed their spots at the 2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship in December, as the Championship Darts Corporation came to a close on Sunday. Events 14-16 of the CDC Tour took place from Saturday October 17 to Sunday October 18 on the final weekend of action, with Leonard Gates, Jeff […]
Fred Krueger and Brayden Hall sealed their spots at the 2026 Paddy Power World Darts Championship in December, as the Championship Darts Corporation came to a close on Sunday.
Events 14-16 of the CDC Tour took place from Saturday October 17 to Sunday October 18 on the final weekend of action, with Leonard Gates, Jeff Smith and Joey Lynaugh sharing the spoils.
However, Krueger and Hall secured their Alexandra Palace debuts by finishing as the top-ranked American and Canadian yet to qualify for the sport’s biggest event, with both players set to make their debuts.
Krueger won an impressive three titles across 16 events this year, finishing second overall on the rankings behind Adam Sevada, who had already confirmed his place in North London by winning the North American Championship in June.
The American finished runner-up in Saturday’s Event 14 final to Leonard Gates in a last-leg decider, capping off an amazing first year on the circuit with qualification for a first PDC Premier event.
Hall also secured a maiden Alexandra Palace call-up by finishing as the top-ranked Canadian yet to have qualified after finishing ninth on the rankings.
The 23-year-old won Event Six earlier in the year, and was able to withstand a late charge from Jeff Smith to confirm his debut at the World Championship.
Despite finishing third and just behind Krueger in the final standings, Gates tasted Event 14 success on Saturday.
The former Cross-Border Challenge champion defeated Nick McCoy 6-2 before surviving the first of three last-leg shootouts of the day against Hossey Hicks.
Wins against Charlie Harrison and Kiley Edmunds moved Gates into the last four, where he edged past Kevin Luke 7-6 before pipping Krueger in an important showdown to claim a second title of the year.
Smith scooped the Event 15 crown, thrashing Ram Guevara Jr 7-1 in the showpiece to mount a late World Championship qualification charge.
The 50-year-old battled through four consecutive last-leg deciders against Jeremiah Millar, Ben Creger, Albert Anstey and Kevin Luke to scrap his way into the final, before dismantling Guevara Jr in the final for a first CDC Tour title of 2026.
The race to qualify as the top-ranked Canadian continued into the final event of the year – however, both Smith and Kiley Edmunds were unable to capitalise on Hall’s early Event 16 exit, allowing the 23-year-old to qualify as the top-ranked Canadian despite.
Nevertheless, Joey Lynaugh claimed the final event of the year on Sunday at Event 16 to join the winner’s circle for the first time, defeating Gates 7-4 in the final.
Lynaugh fought off Guevara Jr, Tim Craft and John Cioffoletti to reach the last eight, where he saw off Gino Florian 6-4.
Lynaugh then defied former UK Open runner-up Gary Mawson 7-5 in the semi-final, before claiming victory against Gates to finish in sixth on the rankings and wrap up a memorable weekend.
Although Edmunds fell short of qualifying for Alexandra Palace, the Canadian struck a nine-leg in the quarter-finals of Event 16 during his 6-3 defeat to Leonard Gates.
There will be one more World Championship spot available for North American players at the CDC Continental Cup, which will take place on November 8.
2026 CDC Tour
Event 14
Quarter-Finals
Fred Krueger 6-3 Jason Pelley
Zachary Meeks 6-3 Jeff Smith
Leonard Gates 6-4 Kiley Edmunds
Kevin Luke 6-3 Alex Spellman
Semi-Finals
Fred Krueger 7-3 Zachary Meeks
Leonard Gates 7-6 Kevin Luke
Final
Fred Krueger 7-6 Leonard Gates
Event 15
Quarter-Finals
David Cameron 6-3 Mike Scarborough
Ram Guevara Jr. 6-5 Brayden Hall
Kevin Luke 6-5 Jim Long
Jeff Smith 6-5 Albert Anstey
Semi-Finals
Ram Guevara Jr. 7-3 David Cameron
Jeff Smith 7-6 Kevin Luke
Final
Jeff Smith 7-1 Ram Guevara Jr.
Event 16
Quarter-Finals
Joey Lynaugh 6-4 Gino Florian
Gary Mawson 6-1 Zachary Meeks
Leonard Gates 6-3 Kiley Edmunds
Matt Campbell 6-1 Nick Linberg
Semi-Finals
Joey Lynaugh 7-5 Gary Mawson
Leonard Gates 7-4 Matt Campbell
Final
Joey Lynaugh 7-4 Leonard Gates