The first four Challenge Tour events were held this weekend and Johan Engström reached a quarter-final.
This weekend we saw the first four Challenge Tour events of the season being held. The PDC Nordic & Baltic region was represented by Ivan Springborg, Niels Heinsøe, Jesper Skovgaard, Mindaugas Barauskas, Dennis Nilsson and Johan Engström.
Ivan Springborg, Niels Heinsøe, Mindaugas Barauskas and Dennis Nilsson all had some experience from the Challenge Tour last year, but it was the first time for both Jesper Skovgaard and Johan Engström.
The first event was won by Robert Collins. Unfortunately none of the PDCNB-players managed to reach the rounds, that gives any prize money. Both Mindaugas Barauskas and Johan Engström won a match, however it was in the round of 256, and because of their defeats in the next round, they did not reach the round of 64.
But they took revenge at Challenge Tour 2, where Johan Engström reached the quarter-final. As the draw made him start in the round of 256, he had to win five matches to reach the quarter-final. In the round of 32, he even won against the former Grand Slam participant Dave Parletti.
In the quarter-final he met Andrew Gilding and lost by 5-4.
Mindaugas Barauskas reached the round of 64 and therefore secured himself his first prize money of the season.
Engströms fellow Swede Dennis Nilsson won his first match of the weekend in the round of 256, but unfortunately lost in the next round. All three Danes lost in the round of 256.
The Challenge Tour 2 was won by Scott Mitchell.
At Sunday Johan Engström once again had to face Dave Parletti, this time in the round of 128. Unfortunately Dave Parletti would not let the Swede win once again and therefor Johan Engström lost that match by 5-4.
None of the five other players were able to reach the rounds with prize money.
The event was won by Matthew Dennant, who won 5-4 against Nathan Rafferty in the final.
At the last event of the weekend, none of the PDCNB-players were able to reach the round of 64, Dennis Nilsson however won two mathces. Unfortunately the draw made him start in the round of 512, and therefore he did not go past the round of 128. Mindaugas Barauskas also won in the round of 512, but then lost in the round of 256.
The event was won by Jitse van der Wal.
With the quarter-final at Challenge Tour 2, Johan Engström has secured himself £300 for the Order of Merit, meaning he is currently number 39. The Order of Merit is curretly lead by Scott Mitchell with £2200.
The next Challenge Tour weekend will be in April.