MIKE VAN DUIVENBODE celebrated his 20th birthday in style by winning a PDC Tour Card on Day Two at the 2019 European Qualifying School in Hildesheim on Friday.
Two-time PDC Unicorn Development Tour event winner Van Duivenbode sealed full-time professional status on the PDC circuit with a string of impressive performances throughout the day at Halle 39.
He defeated fellow Dutch youngsters Levy Frauenfelder and Justin van Tergouw, and Greek World Cup representative Veniamin Symeonidis in his early matches.
Van Duivenbode then saw off Nigel van Milligen and Gergely Lakatos before whitewashing Dragutin Horvat with a 100 average in the quarter-finals.
The emerging Dutch talent then saw off experienced Finnish ace Marko Kantele in the semi-finals and overturned a 4-2 defecit in the final against 2018 ProTour finalist Madars Razma.
Having taken the final to a deciding leg, Van Duivenbode opened with scores of 180 and 140 to be first to a finish before taking out 80 to secure his Tour Card.
“My day was unbelievable,” said Van Duivenbode. “I felt so good – it’s my birthday and I dreamed last night that I won my Tour Card today and I did it. I’m so happy.
“I was 4-2 down [in the final], and you think you’ve already lost but you must never give up. I played my game as I threw all day and I won.”
📽 “I dreamed last night that I won my Tour Card today, and I did it!”
Birthday boy Mike van Duivenbode celebrates his Day Two success at the European Qualifying School. pic.twitter.com/meop0fBVMe
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 4, 2019