Bradley Brooks has announced via social media that he will not be in action at Players Championships 13 and 14, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Hildesheim, Germany. The former World Youth Champion was forced to withdraw due to passport issues.
Brooks had planned to travel to Germany for the ProTour events. At check-in, he was able to drop his luggage and pass initial controls, but at the moment of boarding, he was told he would not be allowed to travel. The reason: although his passport was still valid for seven months, it had exceeded the maximum validity of ten years since issuance, meaning it no longer meets entry requirements within the Schengen Area. Brooks admitted he overlooked the rule.
“No Germany for me for the next few days. Had 7 months left on my passport… but didn’t know as soon as it’s 10 years from when it was issued you can’t use it!” he wrote on social media. “My own fault really… just a bit s*** they let me check in, took my bag and waited until I was boarding to tell me.”
Brooks, currently ranked 68th in the world, is locked in a fierce battle for the top 64 and retention of his PDC Tour Card. Missing these key ProTour events could impact his ranking and chances of qualifying for major televised tournaments. He will now have to renew his passport as soon as possible, though it remains uncertain if he will be ready for the next events.
