Fitzgerald and Madhoo win Latin American Qualifier to seal World Cup of Darts return

Guyana will make its Professional Darts Corporation World Cup of Darts return later this summer, after Sudesh Fitzgerald and Norman Madhoo won through last weekend’s Latin America Qualifier in Costa Rica.

After winning last year’s inaugural qualifier, the pair repeated the feat in San Jose to confirm their spot at the 2024 World Cup, which will take place at Frankfurt’s Eissporthalle from June 27-30.

Madhoo, who made his fourth World Darts Championship appearance in Decembe, will represent Guyana in the popular pairs event alongside his compatriot Fitzgerald, who participated in the 2009 World Championship.

The qualifier was open to nations across Central and South America and the Caribbean and featured 12 teams. Each team qualified in their home country to secure their spot.

The Guyanese duo was dominant in the round-robin stage, dropping only two legs en route to claiming top spot in Group B. They then whitewashed Panama’s pairing of Andres Vega and Antonio Arango to advance to the semi-finals.

This set up a showdown against Costa Rican duo Denis Valerin and Jason Calderon. Calderon was part of the Costa Rican side that came within one dart of eliminating the Guyanese trailblazers at the same stage of the 2023 qualifier.

However, Madhoo and Fitzgerald swept aside Calderon and Valerin in four straight legs to progress to a decisive contest against Nicaraguan pair Norwin Jimenez and Gerald Ordenana, who they met in the round-robin stage.

Madhoo and Fitzgerald ran out 4-2 winners in the group phase, and it was a similar outcome in Saturday’s showpiece, as they punished missed doubles from their opponents to cruise to a 4-1 victory and book their return to Germany.

The 2024 CDLC Tour opens with a double-header weekend in Montego Bay, Jamaica, from July 20-21 and concludes once again with events in Santiago, Chile, on October 12-13.

After the CDLC Tour, the top-ranked player throughout the four events will secure a spot in the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship, which begins at Alexandra Palace in December.