Gerwyn Price will become the latest big name to get his Paddy Power World Darts Championship campaign underway at London's Alexandra Palace on Monday evening.
Day Four of the prestigious event will see three first round ties and Price's second round clash take place in the capital, as the 2021 champion looks to stamp his authority on the Alexandra Palace stage once again.
The Welshman will be looking to bounce back from his early exits at last month's Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals, after succumbing at the second round stage against Gary Anderson and Kim Huybrechts respectively.
Price will take on debutant Connor Scutt in his World Championship opener, after Scutt averaged 95.97 in his victory over Krzysztof Kciuk on Saturday - his highest average in a PDC televised event.
“The World Championship is completely different to any other tournament. It’s the venue, it’s the atmosphere, the crowd, the format,” claimed Price, the number five seed this year.
“It’s the biggest tournament of the year. I’m sure even the likes of Luke [Humphries] would probably give up the three trophies he’s just won in place of this one.
“I am playing really well. It takes someone to be close to their A-game to knock me out of a tournament, and that is what’s happened this year.
“I’ve just got to stay positive and keep knocking on the door. Eventually one of them will open and there will be a nice trophy waiting for me.”
Price is without a Premier televised ranking title since November 2021, although he's enjoyed a prolific 2023 season, winning six ranking titles and guiding Wales to their second World Cup of Darts success in June.
The 38-year-old is now bidding to become only the seventh multiple World Darts Champion, although he believes this year's event could be the most wide-open since the tournament's inception 30 years ago.
“I think anybody could win it, so I wouldn’t write anyone off,” added the three-time Grand Slam champion.
“Obviously there will be favourites, but there are so many players out there that can win on any given day.
“I think players that were lower down the rankings are improving, but I think some of the players at the top end aren’t playing very well, so the tournament is wide open.
“If you’re off your game, it doesn’t matter whether you’re playing Luke [Humphries], Michael [van Gerwen] or even a qualifier, you’re not going to win.
“I’m just hoping I can take my game up another level and lift this trophy again.”
Monday's action will also see World Youth Championship runner-up Gian van Veen take on Hong Kong's Man Lok Leung in an all-debutant affair, with last year's semi-finalist Gabriel Clemens awaiting the winner.
Elsewhere, Belgium's Mario Vandenbogaerde will play debutant Thibault Tricole, who will become the first French player to compete for the coveted Sid Waddell Trophy.
Meanwhile, Martin Lukeman returns to Ally Pally for the second consecutive year, as he takes on New Zealand's Haupai Puha for a place in round two.
2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship
Monday December 18 (1900 GMT)
3x First Round, 1x Second Round
Mario Vandenbogaerde v Thibault Tricole (R1)
Gian van Veen v Man Lok Leung (R1)
Martin Lukeman v Haupai Puha (R1)
Gerwyn Price v Connor Scutt (R2)
Written by Josh Gorton & Connor Wagner