Ross Smith will arrive at the European Darts Open with more than another European Tour title in view, after PDC Europe’s latest Dortmund race update placed him second on £85,000.
The table, published after ET9, has Wessel Nijman out in front on £101,000, with Smith clear of Josh Rock and Rob Cross in the chase for European Championship seeding. Only the top 32 on the European Tour Order of Merit qualify for Dortmund, making the next stop in Leverkusen more than a routine ranking weekend.
Smith Has A Clear Leverkusen Opening
The PDC Europe standings put Smith £16,000 behind Nijman, but the European Darts Open carries a £35,000 winner’s prize and £230,000 total prize fund. That creates a direct route for Smith to apply pressure before the late-summer run of European Tour events.
It also shifts the context around his season. Smith is no longer simply defending a strong European campaign; he is protecting a top-two lane in a race that defines the Dortmund field and, potentially, the draw shape. With six European Tour events still to come, that position is valuable but not secure.
NineDartNews has already tracked Nijman’s Dortmund lead and Nathan Aspinall’s Leverkusen defence. Smith now deserves the same treatment. If he converts his position in Leverkusen, the European Championship race becomes far less comfortable for Nijman.
