Welsh Double at Challenge Tour Milton Keynes: Coulson’s Comeback, Davies’ Cruise
Two Welsh players took the finals on the opening day of a PDC Challenge Tour weekend at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes. Derek Coulson recovered from 4-1 down to beat the Netherlands’ Stef Kosters 5-4 in the Event 16 final, before David Davies made much lighter work of his own final, beating England’s Dan Hands 5-1 to win Event 17.
Coulson Survives Match Darts to Complete the Comeback
Kosters was the sharper player early on, racing into a 3-0 lead with legs won in 18, 11 and 20 darts, then moving 4-1 up with a 17-darter of his own. From there it looked like a formality — but Coulson had other ideas. He reeled off four consecutive legs, surviving match darts from Kosters along the way, to snatch the title 5-4.
It capped a long day at the office for Coulson, who had to win seven matches just to reach the final, beating Daryl Hunt, Jack Aldridge, Matt Gallett, Ashley Coleman, Patrik Williams, Kevin Burness and Archie Self on his way through the draw. It’s the second Challenge Tour title of the season for the 58-year-old Welshman, who also won in Leicester back in March and has previously spoken about heading to Q-School at the end of the year if he doesn’t secure his own route onto the paid ranks through the Challenge Tour.
Davies Makes Light Work of Event 17
David Davies had a far more comfortable afternoon in the very next final. Dan Hands took the opener in 15 darts, but Davies responded by winning five straight legs in a combined 72 darts to close out a 5-1 win and an average of 102.90. Davies reached the final by beating Ewan Jones, Maikel Verberk, Scott Waites, Carl Wilson, Joseph Heywood and Patrik Williams — it’s also his second Challenge Tour title of 2026.
Challenge Tour Milton Keynes — Friday Finals
Event 16
Derek Coulson5-4Stef Kosters2nd CT title of 2026 · won from 4-1 down
Event 17
David Davies5-1Dan Hands2nd CT title of 2026 · 102.90 average
Why It Matters
The PDC Challenge Tour is the second-tier ranking circuit that runs alongside the senior ProTour, with 24 events in 2026 spread across Milton Keynes, Leicester, Hildesheim and Wigan. Each event pays ÂŁ3,000 to the winner from a ÂŁ20,000 total pot, but the real prize is at the top of the year-end Order of Merit: the top two players there earn a two-year PDC Tour Card for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, without having to go through Q-School. Results like these keep Coulson and Davies firmly in that conversation as the 2026 Challenge Tour season heads into its closing events.
The Milton Keynes weekend continued with Events 18 and 19 on the Saturday and Event 20 on the Sunday, at the same Marshall Arena venue. Track how results across the Challenge Tour, Development Tour and ProTour feed into the wider picture on the live PDC Order of Merit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Challenge Tour Events 16 and 17 in Milton Keynes?
Derek Coulson won Event 16, beating the Netherlands’ Stef Kosters 5-4. David Davies won Event 17, beating England’s Dan Hands 5-1. Both finals were played on Friday 14 August 2026 at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes.
How did Derek Coulson complete his comeback against Stef Kosters?
Kosters raced into a 3-0 lead and then moved 4-1 ahead, but Coulson won the last four legs in a row to steal the final 5-4, saving match darts from Kosters along the way.
Was this the first Challenge Tour title of the year for Coulson and Davies?
No — it was the second Challenge Tour title of the 2026 season for both players.
What is the PDC Challenge Tour and why does it matter?
The PDC's second-tier ranking circuit, run alongside the ProTour. Each event pays ÂŁ3,000 to the winner from a ÂŁ20,000 total pot, and the top two players in the year-end Challenge Tour Order of Merit earn a two-year PDC Tour Card for 2027 and 2028.