2017 UK Open finalist Gerwyn Price will take on former BDO number one James Wilson in the opening afternoon of this year’s event next month, which will also see five-time world champion and two-time UK Open winner Raymond van Barneveld in action.
128 players will compete from March 2-4 at the Butlins Minehead Resort, with eight stages in play simultaneously during the early stages of the competition. The 96 professionals will be joined by 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers, who could be pitted against the world’s biggest names due to the open-draw format.
One of the stand-out ties of the opening session will see last year’s finalist Gerwyn Price meet former BDO number one James Wilson in the second-round. ‘The Iceman’ finished 33rd on the UK Open Order of Merit, therefore just misses out on automatic entry to the third-round.
Five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld will also be in action as he takes on debutant Mike Norton. The Dutchman won the tournament dubbed ‘The FA Cup of Darts’ back in 2007 and 2008, and was beaten in a thrilling quarter-final clash by eventual winner Peter Wright in last year’s tournament.
Four-time major finalist Dave Chisnall plays either Rene Eidams or Andrew Johnson, whilst Chisnall’s fellow St Helen’s star- former Lakeside world champion Stephen Bunting, will play either Bradley Brooks or Chris Quantock.
Last year’s semi-finalist Alan Norris faces either Mick McGowan or Dirk van Duijvenbode in his opening tie. Meanwhile, 2007 runner-up Vincent van der Voort meets either Chris Lacey or a Rileys qualifier.
The first-round, which features the 32 amateur qualifiers and players ranked 65th-96th on the Order of Merit, will see nine-time major finalist Terry Jenkins play 2010 Players Championship Finals winner Paul Nicholson.
Elsewhere, world number fourteen Benito van de Pas will lock horns with Spanish star Cristo Reyes, whilst World Youth champion Dimitri van den Bergh meets Lee Evans in the opening-round.
Former UK Open finalists Andy Hamilton and Mark Walsh take on William O’Connor and Alex Roy respectively, as three-time world champion John Part prepares to take on an amateur qualifier from Wolverhampton, as he makes his first Minehead appearance since 2015.
The top 32 players from the UK Open Order of Merit enter the fray in round-three on Friday evening, and they include defending champion Peter Wright, world number one Michael van Gerwen and world champion Rob Cross.
Former champions Adrian Lewis and James Wade also enter the competition at the third-round stage, alongside Premier League stars Gary Anderson, Michael Smith, Simon Whitlock and Daryl Gurney. The draw for the third-round will be made following the conclusion of Friday afternoon’s session.
Photo Credit: Lawrence Lustig/PDC
Coral UK Open Draw
First Round
Andrew Davidson v Michael Burgoine
Rene Eidams v Andrew Johnson
Michael Barnard v Rileys Aberdeen Qualifier
Lee Evans v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Dan Read v Joe Davis
Bradley Brooks v Chris Quantock
Paul Nicholson v Terry Jenkins
Kirk Shepherd v Adam Hunt
Rileys Wolverhampton Q2 v Mark Rice
Simon Tate v Michael Rasztovits
Liam Kelly v Luke Humphries
Mark Walsh v Alex Roy
Robert Rickwood v Rene Berndt
Daniel Lee v Harry Ward
Rileys Wolverhampton Q1 v John Part
Mickey Mansell v Ryan Meikle
Rileys London Victoria Q1 v Ian Jopling
Benjamin McClelland v David Airey
Chris Lacey v Rileys Coventry Qualifier
Ryan Harrington v Richie Burnett
Ricky Evans v Rileys South Benfleet Qualifier
Mick McGowan v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Cody Harris v Tony Mitchell
Craig Winstanley v Mark Craddock
Andy Hamilton v William O’Connor
Martin Atkins v Rileys Liverpool Qualifier
Rileys Norwich Qualifier v Paul Hogan
Cristo Reyes v Benito van de Pas
Ron Meulenkamp v Rileys Nottingham Qualifier
George Killington v Andy Jenkins
Jason Mold v Prakash Jiwa
Darren Johnson v Rileys London Victoria Q2
Second Round
Mold/Jiwa v Nathan Rafferty
Hamilton/O’Connor v Jermaine Wattimena
Vincent van der Voort v Lacey/Rileys Coventry Qualifier
Mike Norton v Raymond van Barneveld
Richard North v Nicholson/T Jenkins
L Evans/Van den Bergh v Chris Dobey
Dave Chisnall v Eidams/Johnson
Stuart Kellett v McClelland/Airey
Danny Noppert v Harrington/Burnett
Jason Lowe v Johnson/Rileys London Victoria Q2
Robert Owen v Davidson/Burgoine
Alan Norris v McGowan/Van Duijvenbode
John Goldie v Rileys Norwich Qualifier/Hogan
Vincent Kamphuis v Shepherd/Hunt
James Richardson v Rickwood/Berndt
Kelly/Humphries v Wayne Jones
James Wilson v Gerwyn Price
Maik Langendorf v Tate/Rasztovits
Antonio Alcinas v Walsh/Roy
Mansell/Meikle v Winstanley/Craddock
Keegan Brown v Killington/A Jenkins
Stephen Bunting v Brooks/Quantock
Rileys London Victoria Q1/Jopling v Geert Nentjes
Lee/Ward v Ted Evetts
Meulenkamp/Rileys Nottingham Qualifier v Read/Davis
Harris/Mitchell v Barnard/Rileys Aberdeen Qualifier
Reyes/Van de Pas v David Evans
Jose Justicia v Joe Cullen
Nathan Aspinall v Rileys Wolverhampton Q2/Rice
Carl Wilkinson v R Evans/Rileys South Benfleet Qualifier
Atkins/Rileys Liverpool Qualifier v Rileys Wolverhampton Q1/Part
Andrew Gilding v Gabriel Clemens
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