The 2017 BDO World Championship kicks off at the Lakeside Country Club on Saturday afternoon, with number one seed Glen Durrant opening the tournament against the dangerous Welshman Nick Kenny, who has won two ranking titles this year.
Another stand-out Saturday tie sees 13th seed Jim Williams play three-time Lakeside finalist Tony O’Shea, whilst O’Shea’s Stockport counterpart Darryl Fitton is also in action; the reigning World Trophy winner meets World Championship debutant Wouter Vaes, a finalist at the Austrian Open back in June.
Three preliminary ties also take place on the opening day of action. Last year’s finalist Jeff Smith takes on four-time Japan Open winner Seigo Asada, as debutants Ryan Joyce and Mark McGrath face Dennis Nilsson and Roger Janssen respectively.
In the women’s section on Saturday, reigning champion Trina Gulliver kicks off her assault for an 11th World Championship against Claire Brookin, who tasted victory in the Women’s British Classic back in September. Elsewhere, third seed Aileen de Graaf plays the experienced Rachel Brooks, a quarter-finalist here back in 2015.
Three-time world champion Martin Adams is one of the high-profile stars in action on Sunday and the fifth seed will face the winner of Saturday’s preliminary tie between Joyce and Nilsson.
Second seed and 2015 winner Scott Mitchell will take on the victor of the preliminary clash between McGrath and Nilsson, whilst fourth seed Jamie Hughes takes on the veteran Martin Atkins, who is appearing in his 12th Lakeside World Championship.
The pick of Sunday’s preliminary ties sees American star Tom Sawyer play the experienced Paul Hogan who made his Lakeside World Championship debut back in 1995.
Australia’s Raymond Smith takes on Belgium’s Davy van Baelen, as Willem Mandigers goes in search of his first World Championship victory against Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski.
Two-time world champion Lisa Ashton faces a tough first-round assignment against Sharon Prins, twice a semi-finalist here at Lakeside, whilst seventh seed and former finalist Fallon Sherrock locks horns with Scottish debutant Olive Byamukama.
Dean Reynolds is the highest seed in action in the men’s draw on Monday. The 24-year-old has enjoyed the best year of his career, winning the England Classic and reaching the World Trophy semi-finals, and the seventh seed will play the dangerous Pip Blackwell who is making his third successive World Championship appearance this year.
Elsewhere on Monday evening, twelfth seed Brian Dawson will do battle with either Seigo Asada or Jeff Smith, 16th seed and former World Masters winner Martin Phillips could play his fellow veteran Paul Hogan, before 2015 World Trophy winner Geert de Vos faces either his fellow Belgian Van Baelen, or Raymond Smith.
Monday’s preliminary ties will see talented Kiwi Craig Caldwell take on last year’s quarter-finalist Dennis Harbour and Canada’s David Cameron play Dutchman Jimmy Hendriks who shocked Martin Adams on his World Championship debut back in 2013.
Meanwhile, the solitary tie in the women’s draw on Monday sees fifth seed Lorraine Winstanley play Dutch star Anca Zijlstra, who reached the quarter-finals on her debut twelve months ago.
Defending champion Scott Waites brings the curtain down on the first-round ties in the men’s draw on Tuesday evening when he faces the winner of the preliminary contest between Caldwell or Harbour. Third seed Danny Noppert makes his World Championship debut in the first match of Tuesday’s double session when he meets Cameron or Hendriks.
Two-time semi-finalist Wesley Harms will face either his compatriot Willem Mandigers or Krzysztof Ratajski, whilst another Dutchman Richard Veenstra will look to replicate his semi-final showing from twelve months ago when he faces former Zuiderduin Masters winner Ross Montgomery.
Mark McGeeney and James Hurrell will clash in a repeat of their thrilling World Masters showdown, as eighth seed Darius Labanauskas takes on World Championship debutant Conan Whitehead.
Top seed Deta Hedman enters the fray in the women’s section on Tuesday afternoon when she takes to the oche against talented youngster Casey Gallagher.
Three-time world champion Anastasia Dobromyslova plays World Trophy semi-finalist Rhian Griffiths on Tuesday evening, before the first-round action concludes on Wednesday afternoon when eighth seed Corrine Hammond meets Canadian qualifier Patricia Farrell.
Wednesday and Thursday will play host to eight second-round matches in the men’s section, whilst the women’s semi-final match ups will be determined by the close of play on Thursday night.
Friday’s double-session will see four men’s quarter-final matches take place, as well two women’s semi-finals. Saturday’s action will begin with two men’s semi-finals and conclude with the women’s final, before the final in the men’s section takes place on Sunday evening.
Channel 4, who have taken over terrestrial rights from the BBC on a two-year deal, will show the afternoon games live; one semi-final and the final. Channel 4’s coverage will be fronted by Rob Walker, with analysis proved by Deta Hedman, Paul Nicholson and Bobby George.
BT Sport will show the evening games every night, including the final. Matt Smith will host BT Sport’s coverage, with analysis from two-time former Lakeside semi-finalist Chris Mason. Both channels will have a shared commentary team consisting of John Rawling, Vassos Alexander and Jim Proudfoot.
Saturday January 7
First Round (best of five sets)
Afternoon session (1300-1600)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
Glen Durrant (1) v Nick Kenny
Trina Gulliver (6) v Claire Brookin
Dennis Nilsson v Ryan Joyce (P)
Darryl Fitton (10) v Wouter Vaes
Evening session (1900-2200)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Seigo Asada v Jeff Smith (P)
Roger Janssen v Mark McGrath (P)
Aileen de Graaf (3) v Rachel Brooks
Jim Williams (13) v Tony O’Shea
Sunday January 8
First Round (best of five sets)
Afternoon session (1300-1600)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
Martin Adams (5) v Nilsson/Joyce
Tom Sawyer v Paul Hogan (P)
Lisa Ashton (2) v Sharon Prins
Scott Mitchell (2) v Janssen/McGrath
Evening session (1900-2200)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Krzysztof Ratajski v Willem Mandigers (P)
Fallon Sherrock (7) v Olive Byamukama
Raymond Smith v Davy van Baelen (P)
Jamie Hughes (4) v Martin Atkins
Monday January 9
First Round (best of five sets)
Afternoon session (1300-1530)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
David Cameron v Jimmy Hendriks (P)
Craig Caldwell v Dennis Harbour (P)
Dean Reynolds (7) v Pip Blackwell
Evening session (1900-2100)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Martin Phillips (16) v Sawyer/Hogan
Lorraine Winstanley (5) v Anca Zijlstra
Geert De Vos (15) v Smith/Van Baelen
Brian Dawson (12) v Asada/Smith
Tuesday January 10
First Round (best of five sets)
Afternoon session (12.30-1600)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
Danny Noppert (3) v Cameron/Hendriks
Richard Veenstra (14) v Ross Montgomery
Deta Hedman (1) v Casey Gallagher
Wesley Harms (9) v Ratajski/Mandigers
Evening session (1900-2100)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Mark McGeeney (11) v James Hurrell
Anastasia Dobromyslova (4) v Rhian Griffiths
Dennis Labanauskas (8) v Conan Whitehead
Scott Waites (6) v Caldwell/Harbour
Wednesday January 11
Second Round (Best of seven sets)
Afternoon session (12.30-1600)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
Two Matches – Schedule TBC
Corrine Hammond (8) v Patricia Farrell (Rd 1)
One women’s QF match
Evening session (1900-2130)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Two Matches – Schedule TBC
One women’s QF match
Thursday January 12
Second Round (Best of seven sets)
Afternoon session (1230-1600)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
Two men’s matches – Schedule TBC
One women’s QF match
Evening session (1900-2100)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Two Matches – Schedule TBC
One women’s QF match
Friday January 13
Quarter-Finals (Best of nine sets)
Afternoon session (1230-1600)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
Two Matches – Schedule TBC
One women’s SF match
Evening session (1900-2100)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Two Matches – Schedule TBC
One women’s SF match
Saturday January 14
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 sets)
Afternoon session (1430-1700)
TV Coverage: Channel 4
Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 (SF1)
Evening session (1900-2100)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Winner QF3 v Winner QF4 (SF2)
Women’s Final
Sunday January 15 (1900)
The Finals (Best of 13 sets)
TV Coverage: Channel 4 & BT Sport
Men’s Final
BDO World Darts Championship Prize Money
Men’s Event
Winner: £100,000
Runner-Up: £35,000
Semi-Finalists: £15,000
Quarter-finalists: £6,500
Last 16: £4,500
1st Round Losers: £3,250
Preliminary rd Losers: £2,000
Highest Checkout: £5,000
Total Prize Fund: £300,000
Women’s Event
Winner: £12,000
Runner-Up: £5,000
Semi-Finalists: £2,000
Quarter-finalists: £1,000
Last 16: £500
Total Prize Fund: £29,000
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