PHIL TAYLOR will begin the defence of his Skybet World Grand Prix title against Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan on Monday October 5, while Dublin duo Jacko Barry and Mick McGowan will clash in the tournament's first round.
The £350,000 tournament - unique for having to start and finish a leg with a double - will be held in the Citywest Hotel IECC from October 5-11, offering £100,000 to the champion.
Taylor, who picked up an eighth title last year when he defeated Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 in the final, has drawn Co Fermanagh's Brendan Dolan in round one.
Dolan, ranked 48th in the PDC Order of Merit, will be making his third World Grand Prix appearance and secured his qualifying place for the tournament by reaching the semi-finals of the Austrian Open Players Championship recently.
However, he has picked up arguably the toughest draw, facing reigning champion Taylor on the opening night on Monday October 5, in the best-of-three set first round.
"I'm looking forward to the game," said Taylor. "The first round is always hard because it's so short but it's a good challenge to get through.
"I know how good Brendan is and he's had a good year, plus he'll be looking to put on a good show, and he'll have plenty of support from Northern Ireland."
While a number of leading players were drawn together, including 2004 winner Colin Lloyd against world number three John Part and Terry Jenkins against Wayne Mardle, two leading Irish players will also clash.
Balbriggan's Mick McGowan and Stamullen-based Jacko Barry - the only two Irish representatives in the field - were drawn together for the opening round as both battle for supremacy as their country's number one player.
World number two James Wade, the 2007 World Grand Prix champion, will begin his challenge to win back the title against two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley, while van Barneveld has drawn left-hander Alan Tabern.
Two players will make their debuts in the double-start format on the opening night, with Australian Open Players Championship winner Paul Nicholson facing Wayne Jones and Scotland's Gary Anderson meeting Northern Irish veteran John MaGowan.
Exciting Dutch youngster Michael van Gerwen will make his debut on the Citywest Hotel stage on Tuesday when he takes on Kevin Painter, while number seven seed Mervyn King meets UK Open runner-up Colin Osborne in another tasty first round clash.
The Skybet World Grand Prix will be the first sporting event to be staged in the new International Event and Conference Centre at Saggart's Citywest Hotel, increasing the capacity to over 3,000 fans for the tournament.
Ticket prices start at €15 and tickets are still available from the Citywest Hotel Box Office on 00353 1 401 0505 or via darts09@citywesthotel.com.
Skybet World Grand Prix
Monday October 5
First Round
Wayne Jones v Paul Nicholson
Andy Smith v Vincent van der Voort
Denis Ovens v Mark Dudbridge
John Part v Colin Lloyd
John MaGowan v Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor v Brendan Dolan
Terry Jenkins v Wayne Mardle
Adrian Lewis v Robert Thornton
Tuesday October 6
First Round
Wes Newton v Jamie Caven
Andy Hamilton v Mark Walsh
Kevin Painter v Michael van Gerwen
Mervyn King v Colin Osborne
Jacko Barry v Mick McGowan
James Wade v Dennis Priestley
Raymond van Barneveld v Alan Tabern
Ronnie Baxter v Steve Beaton
Wednesday October 7
Second Round
Part/Lloyd v Smith/van der Voort
Lewis/Thornton v MaGowan/Anderson
Taylor/Dolan v Jones/Nicholson
Jenkins/Mardle v Ovens/Dudbridge
Thursday October 8
Second Round
King/Osborne v Hamilton/Walsh
van Barneveld/Tabern v Newton/Caven
Wade/Priestley v Painter/van Gerwen
Baxter/Beaton v Barry/McGowan
Friday October 9
Quarter-Finals
Jenkins/Mardle/Ovens/Dudbridge v Part/Lloyd/Smith/van der Voort
Wade/Priestley/Painter/van Gerwen v King/Osborne/Hamilton/Walsh
Taylor/Dolan/Jones/Nicholson v Lewis/Thornton/MaGowan/Anderson
Baxter/Beaton/Barry/McGowan v van Barneveld/Tabern/Newton/Caven
Saturday October 10
Semi-Finals
Sunday October 11
Final
The draw bracket and seedings are:
Phil Taylor (1) v Brendan Dolan
Wayne Jones v Paul Nicholson
Adrian Lewis (8) v Robert Thornton
John MaGowan v Gary Anderson
Terry Jenkins (5) v Wayne Mardle
Denis Ovens v Mark Dudbridge
John Part (4) v Colin Lloyd
Andy Smith v Vincent van der Voort
James Wade (2) v Dennis Priestley
Kevin Painter v Michael van Gerwen
Mervyn King (7) v Colin Osborne
Andy Hamilton v Mark Walsh
Ronnie Baxter (6) v Steve Beaton
Jacko Barry v Mick McGowan
Raymond van Barneveld (3) v Alan Tabern
Wes Newton v Jamie Caven
The £350,000 tournament - unique for having to start and finish a leg with a double - will be held in the Citywest Hotel IECC from October 5-11, offering £100,000 to the champion.
Taylor, who picked up an eighth title last year when he defeated Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 in the final, has drawn Co Fermanagh's Brendan Dolan in round one.
Dolan, ranked 48th in the PDC Order of Merit, will be making his third World Grand Prix appearance and secured his qualifying place for the tournament by reaching the semi-finals of the Austrian Open Players Championship recently.
However, he has picked up arguably the toughest draw, facing reigning champion Taylor on the opening night on Monday October 5, in the best-of-three set first round.
"I'm looking forward to the game," said Taylor. "The first round is always hard because it's so short but it's a good challenge to get through.
"I know how good Brendan is and he's had a good year, plus he'll be looking to put on a good show, and he'll have plenty of support from Northern Ireland."
While a number of leading players were drawn together, including 2004 winner Colin Lloyd against world number three John Part and Terry Jenkins against Wayne Mardle, two leading Irish players will also clash.
Balbriggan's Mick McGowan and Stamullen-based Jacko Barry - the only two Irish representatives in the field - were drawn together for the opening round as both battle for supremacy as their country's number one player.
World number two James Wade, the 2007 World Grand Prix champion, will begin his challenge to win back the title against two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley, while van Barneveld has drawn left-hander Alan Tabern.
Two players will make their debuts in the double-start format on the opening night, with Australian Open Players Championship winner Paul Nicholson facing Wayne Jones and Scotland's Gary Anderson meeting Northern Irish veteran John MaGowan.
Exciting Dutch youngster Michael van Gerwen will make his debut on the Citywest Hotel stage on Tuesday when he takes on Kevin Painter, while number seven seed Mervyn King meets UK Open runner-up Colin Osborne in another tasty first round clash.
The Skybet World Grand Prix will be the first sporting event to be staged in the new International Event and Conference Centre at Saggart's Citywest Hotel, increasing the capacity to over 3,000 fans for the tournament.
Ticket prices start at €15 and tickets are still available from the Citywest Hotel Box Office on 00353 1 401 0505 or via darts09@citywesthotel.com.
Skybet World Grand Prix
Monday October 5
First Round
Wayne Jones v Paul Nicholson
Andy Smith v Vincent van der Voort
Denis Ovens v Mark Dudbridge
John Part v Colin Lloyd
John MaGowan v Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor v Brendan Dolan
Terry Jenkins v Wayne Mardle
Adrian Lewis v Robert Thornton
Tuesday October 6
First Round
Wes Newton v Jamie Caven
Andy Hamilton v Mark Walsh
Kevin Painter v Michael van Gerwen
Mervyn King v Colin Osborne
Jacko Barry v Mick McGowan
James Wade v Dennis Priestley
Raymond van Barneveld v Alan Tabern
Ronnie Baxter v Steve Beaton
Wednesday October 7
Second Round
Part/Lloyd v Smith/van der Voort
Lewis/Thornton v MaGowan/Anderson
Taylor/Dolan v Jones/Nicholson
Jenkins/Mardle v Ovens/Dudbridge
Thursday October 8
Second Round
King/Osborne v Hamilton/Walsh
van Barneveld/Tabern v Newton/Caven
Wade/Priestley v Painter/van Gerwen
Baxter/Beaton v Barry/McGowan
Friday October 9
Quarter-Finals
Jenkins/Mardle/Ovens/Dudbridge v Part/Lloyd/Smith/van der Voort
Wade/Priestley/Painter/van Gerwen v King/Osborne/Hamilton/Walsh
Taylor/Dolan/Jones/Nicholson v Lewis/Thornton/MaGowan/Anderson
Baxter/Beaton/Barry/McGowan v van Barneveld/Tabern/Newton/Caven
Saturday October 10
Semi-Finals
Sunday October 11
Final
The draw bracket and seedings are:
Phil Taylor (1) v Brendan Dolan
Wayne Jones v Paul Nicholson
Adrian Lewis (8) v Robert Thornton
John MaGowan v Gary Anderson
Terry Jenkins (5) v Wayne Mardle
Denis Ovens v Mark Dudbridge
John Part (4) v Colin Lloyd
Andy Smith v Vincent van der Voort
James Wade (2) v Dennis Priestley
Kevin Painter v Michael van Gerwen
Mervyn King (7) v Colin Osborne
Andy Hamilton v Mark Walsh
Ronnie Baxter (6) v Steve Beaton
Jacko Barry v Mick McGowan
Raymond van Barneveld (3) v Alan Tabern
Wes Newton v Jamie Caven