PENPARCAU’S Martin Thomas has narrowly lost out on securing a PDC tour card after impressive displays at the PDC UK Challenge Tour over the weekend.

Having won the Event Seven final on Friday, Tom’o lost in the Event 11 semi-final on Sunday.

Thomas was delighted with the win but frustrated at having just lost out on winning the UK Order of Merit by £150 which would have given him a PDC Tour Card and places in the 2021/22 World Darts Championship and 2021 Grand Slam of Darts.

He said: “I was third overall only £150 off getting my card, but it is what is. I’m chuffed to win a PDC event.

“I had chances in the semi final, if I’d have won I would have had my pro card, but I didn’t know that going into the game. You try not to look too far ahead and take it one leg at a time.

“It’s sickening to just miss out again.

“I’d like to thank everyone for all their support from back home and my sponsors Riverside Garden Service.”

Thomas proved too strong for Shaun McDonald, winning the final of Event Seven 5-2 at Milton Keynes on Friday.

On his way to the final, the bricklayer, who had finished runner-up in Event One, beat Connor Scutt 5-1, Russell Murphy 5-2, Daniel Day 5-3, Rhys Hayden 5-1, and Robert Thornton 5-4 before whitewashing Reece Robinson 5-0 in the semi-final.

On his performance over the weekend he said: “They’re long days. It’s mentally draining. I won Event Seven and you’re buzzing, and you’re straight onto the next one.

“It’s hard to get your motivation back, I lost first round in the next one, but I played well all weekend.

“It is draining, it sounds like it’s only darts but there’s so much concentration in it.”

This year’s Challenge Tour was split into a separate circuit for both British and European players due to travel restrictions still in place because to the corona pandemic.

Jim Williams and Matt Campbell won two-year PDC Tour Cards along with places in the 2021/22 World Darts Championship and 2021 Grand Slam of Darts as the Unicorn Challenge Tour concluded in Milton Keynes and Niedernhausen on Sunday.

Welshman Williams won a tight race to top the UK Order of Merit, with all 12 titles shared between 12 different players.

He will become a PDC professional for the first time in his career, having previously come close to attaining a Tour Card at Qualifying School.