Six of the best in UK Open for Dean Stewart
Wolverhampton's Dean Stewart has won himself a place at the PDC's UK Open for the sixth year running - and he will be going straight into the second round.
A productive run of form over the six qualifiers for the finals put him in the second group of qualifiers for the 128-man event next month,
The 45-year-old, who plays on the PDC's Challenge Tour, has already been paired with either Johnny Haines or James Richardson, who meet in the first round.
He will be joined at the Butlins holiday resort in Minehead by fellow wulfrunian Wayne Jones, Dudley's Mark Jones and Stourbridge's Nick Fullwell.
'The Wanderer' enters in the second round stage, too, to face the the winner of the preliminary round tie between Joey ten Berge and Brett Claydon.
Jones takes on Jason Wilson in the first round, where Fullwell meets Lee Evans. The event is from March 6-8 and will take place in front of the ITV4 television cameras.
Smethwick's Matthew Tedstone takes on Stuart White, the other open qualifier from Rileys Sports Bar in Wolverhampton, at the preliminary stage.
Stewart flew into life at the first qualifier of the weekend at the Robin Park Centre in Wigan on Friday, dropping just a leg as he comprehensively beat Andrew Johnson 6-1.
He then beat Mark Barilli 6-4, taking him into the money stages where he was edged out by Andrew Gilding 6-5, picking up £250 in the process.
Mark Jones took the same amount from Saturday's tournament, where he ran into world No 4 Adrian Lewis in electric form and was whitewashed 6-0.
The third round draw wasn't kind on Stewart on Sunday, with Phil Taylor joining him on the oche as the legendary thrower and eventual winner eased home with a shut out.
Wayne Jones also bowed out at the same stage, 6-4 to Jamie Caven, but Mark Jones beat Colin Osborne 6-2 to reach the fourth round, where he lost to Ian White 6-1 and netted £500.
