Smith, Michael & Rodriguez seal World Championship spots

Smith, Michael & Rodriguez seal World Championship spots

Jeff Smith, John Michael and Juan Francisco Rodriguez secured places for the William Hill World Darts Championship in Saturday's final global qualifying events.

Jeff Smith, John Michael and Juan Francisco Rodriguez secured places for the William Hill World Darts Championship in Saturday's final global qualifying events.

Canada's Smith won the CDC Continental Cup in New York, defeating Jacob Taylor 8-6 in the final.

He also defeated American duo Chuck Puleo and Adam Sevada in the event, and overcame David Cameron 7-6 in the semi-finals.

Smith's qualification as Continental Cup winner means that a further World Championship qualifier will now come from the ProTour Order of Merit, from which the Canadian also would have qualified following his form on the circuit this year.

Greece's Michael defeated Michael Rasztovits 6-3 in the final of the event, and also defeated experienced Austrian pair Dietmar Burger and Harald Leitinger during the event.

Mallorca-based Rodriguez will make his big-stage debut at the World Championship after he took victory in the South-West Europe qualifier in Avila.

Rodriguez defeated Toni Alcinas 6-4 in the final, having also ended the hopes of Jose Justicia in the semis.

2021/22 William Hill World Darts Championship
South-East Europe Qualifier
Quarter-Finals

Dietmar Burger 6-1 Fabian Stutz
John Michael 6-5 Sergio Krasser
Michael Rasztovits 6-2 Felix Losan
Patrick Tringler 6-2 Marcel Steinacher

Semi-Finals
John Michael 6-3 Dietmar Burger
Michael Rasztovits 6-5 Patrick Tringler

Final
John Michael 6-3 Michael Rasztovits

South-West Europe Qualifier
Quarter-Finals

Jaime Nunez 6-5 Thibault Tricole
Toni Alcinas 6-2 Raul Encinas
Juan Francisco Rodriguez 6-3 Jesús Noguera
Jose Justicia 6-2 Miguel Maya

Semi-Finals
Toni Alcinas 6-4 Jaime Nunez
Juan Francisco Rodríguez 6-4 Jose Justicia

Final
Juan Francisco Rodriguez 6-4 Toni Alcinas

CDC Continental Cup
Quarter-Finals

Kiley Edmunds 6-3 Danny Lauby
Jacob Taylor 6-5 Gary Mawson
Jeff Smith 6-5 Adam Sevada
David Cameron 6-2 Leonard Gates

Semi-Finals
Jacob Taylor 7-5 Kiley Edmunds
Jeff Smith 7-6 David Cameron

Final
Jeff Smith 8-6 Jacob Taylor