LEWIS AIMING TO RETAIN CORAL UK OPEN
THE Coral UK Open kicks off on Friday, with Adrian Lewis looking to retain the title amongst a field of 147 players who will compete across three days at the Butlins Minehead Resort in one of the sport's most unpredictable events.
The UK Open sees a field of 115 professional players joined by 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers to compete in Minehead, with eight stages in action at once on the opening day.
The lower-ranked professionals, who qualified through a series of six one-day events held in Wigan during February, are joined by the amateur qualifiers for Friday afternoon's preliminary, first and second rounds, live on ITV4.
Big-name stars in action in the early rounds include three-time World Champion John Part, who plays Dutch newcomer Mike Zuydwijk, and 2011 UK Open finalist Wes Newton, who plays York left-hander Martyn Turner.
Former World Championship finalist Mark Dudbridhe is up against Rileys qualifier Lloyd Pennel, while fellow former major finalists Wayne Jones, Ronnie Baxter and reigning World Youth Champion Keegan Brown are also in action in the early rounds.
Friday night's third round sees the leading 32 qualifiers enter the fray, led by world number one Michael van Gerwen - who won three of the six UK Open Qualifiers - reigning World Champion Gary Anderson, 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor and defending UK Open champion Adrian Lewis.
The third round draw will be made at the end of the second round, and with no players being seeded there is the possibility of top players facing each other at any stage.
That unique format has led to the tournament being affectionately nicknamed as 'The FA Cup of Darts' due to the possibility of new faces emerging to cause major shocks during the weekend.
Lewis, though, is hoping to avoid any potential banana skins as he targets the £60,000 first prize on Sunday night.
"I'm looking forward to the UK Open and hopefully I can retain the title," added the 30-year-old. "It's such a challenging tournament and the last day, where you play three matches is tough.
"You've got to make sure that you prepare right and eat the right things to keep you going through the day, but I've got to make it to the last day first.
"It's the FA Cup of Darts and I could draw Phil or Michael in the first round or anybody - I can beat anybody and lose to anybody on my day and that's the magic of this event."
Coverage of the Coral UK Open is live on ITV4 in the UK & Ireland, with coverage worldwide through RTL7 in the Netherlands, Sport1 in Germany, Fox Sports in Australia, Sport1 in Germany, OSN across the Middle East and on www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers.
Prize money for the Coral UK Open has been increased in 2015 to a record £300,000 for the Televised Finals, with a further £300,000 having been paid out in the six UK Open Qualifiers last month.
Coral UK Open
Friday March 6
Afternoon Session (11.45am-5pm)
Main Stage
Preliminary Round
Jason Lovett v Ben Ward
Rory Duffy v Adam Huckvale
First Round
Matt Clark v Devon Petersen
John Part v Mike Zuydwijk
Mick Brooks v Keegan Brown
Second Round
Terry Temple v Kyle Anderson
Jamie Bain v Kevin Painter
James Wilson v Mark Frost
William O'Connor v Dean Winstanley
Ryan Harrington v Price/Padgett/S White/Tedstone
Stage Two
Preliminary Round
John Ferrell v Paul Dawkins
Lloyd Pennel v Mark Dudbridge
First Round
Adam Hunt v Alan Tabern
Wes Newton v Martyn Turner
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Layton/Sanwell
Jay Foreman v Ladley/Edwards
Hall/Green v Stuart Kellett
Second Round
O'Donnell/Duffy/Huckvale v Stephen Bunting
Christian Kist v Finnan/McEwan/Acott/Moss
Woodhouse/Prins/Stevenson v Payne/Sams
Stage Three
Preliminary Round
Chris Packer v Jamie Robinson
Connie Finnan v James McEwan
First Round
Darren Johnson v Ricky Sudale
Nick Fullwell v Lee Evans
Lovett/Ward v Mark Cox
Derek Brand v Hogan/Russell
Second Round
Jeffrey De Zwaan v Benito van de Pas
Newton/Turner v Jukes/Griffiths
Part/Zuydwijk v Brooks/Brown
Andy Smith v Pallett/Pennel/Dudbridge
Stage Four
Preliminary Round
Mark Layton v Tommy Sanwell
Dave Prins v Simon Stevenson
First Round
Joey Ten Berge v Brett Claydon
Johnny Clayton v Jermaine Wattimena
Price/Padgett v S White/Tedstone
Alex Roy v Ferrell/Dawkins
Second Round
Nathan Apsinall v Chris Dobey
Ronny Huybrechts v Fullwell/L Evans
Douglas/Robinson/Bowles v Andy Boulton
K Smith/Todd/Dale/Daniels v Andy Jenkins
Stage Five
Preliminary Round
Stuart White v Matthew Tedstone
Dave Ladley v Kevin Edwards
First Round
Mark Barilli v Steve Hine
Steve West v Colin Fowler
Hardy/Sanders v Mike De Decker
Luke Woodhouse v Prins/Stevenson
Second Round
Joe Cullen v R Smith/Hudson
Dean Stewart v Haines/Richardson
Hall/Green/Kellett v Joe Murnan
Brand/Hogan/Russell v Johnson/Sudale
Stage Six
Preliminary Round
Stephen Hardy v Dean Sanders
Graham Hall v Robbie Green
Adi Acott v Ian Moss
First Round
Mark Jones v Jason Wilson
Josh Payne v Lionel Sams
K Smith/Todd v Dale/Daniels
Douglas/Robinson v John Bowles
Second Round
Barilli/Hine v Dennis Smith
Clayton/Wattimena v Kevin McDine
Foreman/Ladley/Edwards v Aaron Turner
Parletti/Williams/Fairweather v Ronnie Baxter
Stage Seven
Preliminary Round
Gerwyn Price v Matt Padgett
Dave Parletti v Bradley Williams
Scott Dale v Nigel Daniels
First Round
Johnny Haines v James Richardson
Jon Jukes v Shaun Griffiths
Gary O'Donnell v Duffy/Huckvale
Finnan/McEwan v Acott/Moss
Second Round
M Jones/Jason Wilson v West/Fowler
Ricky Evans v van Duijvenbode/Layton/Sanwell
Hardy/Sanders/De Decker v Jan Dekker
Mold/Packer/J Robinson v Matthew Edgar
Stage Eight
Preliminary Round
Paul Hogan v Lee Russell
Kevin Smith v Mick Todd
Steve Douglas v Mark Robinson
First Round
Rob Smith v Peter Hudson
Jason Mold v Packer/J Robinson
Parletti/Williams v Arron Fairweather
David Pallett v Pennel/Dudbridge
Second Round
Nathan Derry v Hunt/Tabern
Clark/Petersen v Lovett/Ward/Cox
Roy/Ferrell/Dawkins v Darren Webster
Wayne Jones v Ten Berge/Claydon
Session Schedule
Please note that stages will be in the following areas of the Butlins Minehead Resort:
Main Stage - Skyline Pavilion
Stage Two - Reds Bar
Stages Three-Eight - Centre Stage
Friday March 6
Afternoon Session (11.45am-5pm)
Preliminary/First Round - Professionals 65-117 from UK Open Order of Merit & 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers
Second Round - First Round Winners & Professionals 33-64 from UK Open Order of Merit
Played on eight boards
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Third Round - Second Round Winners & Professionals 1-32 from UK Open Order of Merit
Played on eight boards
Saturday March 7
Afternoon Session (11.45am-5pm)
Fourth Round - Last 32
Played on four boards
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Fifth Round - Last 16
Main Stage & Stage Two
Sunday March 8
Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Quarter-Finals
Main Stage
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Semi-Finals
Final
Main Stage
Format
Preliminary/First/Second Rounds - Best of nine legs
Third/Fourth/Fifth Rounds - Best of 17 legs
Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Final - Best of 21 legs