Fallon Sherrock might be one of the most recognized names in the game of darts – she is seen as a trailblazer in the women’s game – but she won’t be a regular feature on our TV screens in 2022.
Dubbed the ‘Queen of the Palace’ thanks to her exploits at the 2020 World Championship held at Alexandra Palace, Fallon is arguably the hottest property in the sport right now.
Proving that her World Championship run was no fluke, in 2021 Sherrock reached the final of the Nordic Masters before going on to reach the semi-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts.
Despite her achievements, Sherrock didn’t earn enough qualification points to qualify for the PDC Tour outright and instead had to try to break her way onto the Tour through the PDC’s rigorous ‘Q School’ program.
What is Q School?
Q School is the method by which unqualified players can qualify for a main place on the PDC Tour.
Only the top 64 players in the world rankings qualify automatically for a tour card, as well as anybody who is successful through Q School from the previous year.
The other places are up for grabs.
An open event, Q School can attract upwards of 650 players.
The tournament is held over four days, with a separate tournament held on each day of action.
A player is awarded points based on how far they get, and at the end of the four days, the players with the highest cumulative scores will qualify for the main PDC Tour.
How did Sherrock do?
Despite entering Q School as a leading contender to earn a tour card, things didn’t go as planned for Sherrock.
Early defeats in the first three days left Sherrock needing to win the final event to earn her place on Tour.
Despite winning her first two rounds, she fell in the third round, losing to Nathan Treadgold.
She was therefore eliminated from Q School and out of the running of earning a tour card.
What next for Sherrock?
Sherrock will need to rely on invitations or will have to qualify for her place at some of the PDC’s biggest events through either the developmental or female tours.
There is still a chance that Sherrock will be able to compete in some of the biggest tournaments, but her road to the PDC main tour remains a long one.
