PDC Q-School disappointment for Scarborough duo Sam Spivey and Graham Usher

The week started strongly for Usher, breezing through the first stage, securing automatic qualification on the final day of stage one.

"The Gambler" secured victories over Martin Pettit, Jamie Hingston, Michael Burgoine, Craig Lewis and William O'Toole to secure his passage to the final stage, dropping just six legs on his way to his five victories, the highlight being his 5-0 victory over Pettit with an average of 94.

Spivey was exempt to the final stage thanks to his eighth place finish in 2025's Challenge Tour and joined the action on Thursday.

And his week got off to the ideal start, picking up three points on the first of the four days, wins over Charlie Large 6-4, 2015 WDF World Champion Scott Mitchell 6-3 with an 89 average, preceded a 6-4 win over Jim Williams. Irishman Stephen Rosney put paid to Spivey's Day One chances with a 6-1 win.

Day One also saw Usher lose 6-3 in his opening contest to Robbie Martin, despite an average of almost 90 for the Scarborian.

Day Two was positive for both players, who were drawn on the same board.

Usher was up first, winning 6-2 against 2024 ADC Global Champion and South African darting icon Devon Petersen to seal his first point of the final stage. Spivey was then up against Nathan Potter, and prevailed 6-4.

Usher then beat Martin Thomas of Wales 6-2, Spivey seeing off Kevin McDine 6-3 to set up an enticing contest between the two Scarborough aces in the last 32.

With both players already securing two points it was a chance for one to take serious steps towards a tour card, and it was “Seaside Sam” who took the spoils by 6-2 in a cagey contest.

Spivey started well, taking the first two legs in 33 darts, before Usher responded by taking the next two legs. Back-to-back 15-darters was enough to see Spivey into a 4-2 lead.

The pivotal point of the game was leg seven where both players missed multiple chances at double before Spivey got over the line in 22 darts.

There was no looking back from Spivey securing a magnificent 12 darter, with a 121 checkout in the final leg of the contest to seal a deserved victory, averaging 87 to Usher’s 81.

Spivey backed this up with a thrilling 6-5 win over Shaun Carroll, and the Scarborian then faced Niall Culleton knowing two more wins would secure him a card automatically.

In a contest of real quality, it was Culleton who took the spoils with a 6-3 victory and an average of almost 99 to Spivey's 90.

Day Three saw Spivey handed arguably his hardest opening draw of the week in former tour card holder Aaron Monk, who had been in really fine form all week.

But the pressure of the situation did not seem to get to Spivey, throwing an average of almost 95 in a 6-3 demolition of Monk.

Spivey then faced the experienced James Richardson, the latter took the contest 6-5, with Spivey missing three match darts across the last two legs.

Usher opened his day with a 6-3 win over Killian McCormack, moving him to three points for the week.

He would then face Dorset’s Tommy Morris in the next round and after taking the opening leg, the latter fighting back from 2-1 down to win 6-2.

With just one day of play remaining for both, Usher knew his situation, he had to win the day outright to secure a return to the Pro Tour, but Spivey knew that two wins would likely be enough to win a tour card for the first time.

Unfortunately for Usher the day started with defeat to Lewis Pride, losing 6-4 in a tight contest. Usher did find a 12 darter in the contest, with a 121 checkout but it was not enough as Pride proved too strong on the day and closed out victory. Usher finished the week with 3 points and an average of just under 86 for the week.

Usher said: "It was a hard week for myself, playing seven days in a row is really hard work.

"My combination finishing was strong all week and I took some big shots, I just tripped at crucial moments and found it hard to bring the scoring game and the finishing together at the same time.

"Sometimes it is just not meant to be and I look forward to what I hope will be another big year for me on the back of a successful 2025. I have some senior competitions that I can attend, there is the PDC Challenge Tour which can bring call ups to the main tour, the ADC Tour and The Modus Super Series so all is far from lost."

Attention then turned to Spivey, who started the day on eight points.

He beat Thomas Cromwell, sitting a point behind him, 6-4 in a high quality affair.

This moved Spivey on to face Robbie Martin, knowing one more win would secure him his card beyond any doubt.

Spivey missed multiple chances to take a 3-2 lead before Martin broke in 18 darts. Spivey then got back on track, winning leg 6 in 15 darts. Martin reasserted himself by taking the next two legs.

But Spivey again showed resilience, clawing his way back 5-4 with a 14-darter before levelling at 5-5 with a stunning 12-darter.

In the last leg, both were down to a finish after 9 darts, Spivey getting the first chance at 138. He hit two treble 19s before agonisingly clipping the wire on double 12 to secure the contest.

Martin attempted a 120 checkout. After finding the treble 20 with dart one, and the single 20 with dart two, it seemed his path to double top was blocked but with an absolute wonder dart he looped the dart around the blockage and into the left hand corner of double top to secure a 6-5 win, leaving Spivey with an anxious wait to see if his 9 points and + 12 leg difference would be enough. But it wasn't, losing out by three on leg difference.

An agonising end to a really positive week for Spivey, who averaged 84.3 for the week, and without playing his best, came within a single dart of becoming a tour card holder.

Scarborough’s Oliver Mitchell did attend day one, which allows him to participate in the Challenge Tour with Usher and Spivey, the first weekend getting underway on Friday, January 16.