THE Professional Darts Corporation will stage its first Players Championship in Australia this summer as part of the DPA's expanded William Cross Pro-Am series of events in August.
The William Cross Pro-Am will be held from 2-10 August at Shoalhaven Heads Sports & Recreation Club, featuring four separate tournaments.
Two 'Shoalhaven Classic' events will be held on 2 and 3 August, with each offering AUS$4,500 in prize money for players.
They will be followed from Monday to Saturday by the five-day Park Trent Properties William Cross Pro-Am, which has been expanded in 2008 to include players from South Africa alongside stars from Australia and New Zealand.
PDPA members can also enter the William Cross Pro-Am, with the top 12 ranked players joining players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa respectively in being seeded for the AUS$40,000 Men's Singles event, where they will be joined by 32 qualifiers.
Sunday 10 August will then see PDC stars from around the world take part in the Australian Open Players Championship, offering £20,000 (AUS$44,100) in prize money.
Entry to the Australian Open Players Championship will also be open to players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, either through direct entry for AUS$65 before 4pm (BST) on Wednesday 30 July or through one of two qualifiers, which cost AUS$15 to enter each. Entry for PDPA members will be £30, with entries closing at midday on Thursday 31 July.
The Shoalhaven Classic events, William Cross Pro-Am and Australian Open Players Championship will count towards the DPA Australian Grand Prix Order of Merit.
The week's events will also count for players from Australia and New Zealand towards a special Order of Merit, with the leading player from the four tournaments winning a place in the 2008 Grand Slam of Darts in November.
"Dart Players Australia have done a tremendous job in promoting professional darts in the Oceanic region in recent years and this is a hugely exciting development," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.
"The Australian Grand Prix circuit has developed an unprecedented level of competition, and the addition of a Players Championship to this week of tournaments will allow Antipodean players the chance to take on some of the most famous names in darts."
Hearn added: "I am delighted to see South Africa's inclusion in the William Cross Pro-Am in a Tri-Nations format.
"We have been encouraged by the growth of darts in South Africa in the past two years through the South African Open and South African Masters, and players from that country can only benefit from this opportunity."
Shoalhaven is based around two hours south of Sydney on the New South Wales coast, and the Sports & Recreation Club has regularly hosted tournaments on the AGP circuit in recent years.
The DPA will also be running events for ladies alongside the Shoalhaven Classic and William Cross Pro-Am events, as well as Unicorn-sponsored knockouts for boys and girls in the William Cross Pro-Am.
Dart Players Australia Chairman Kevin Berlyn said: "We are delighted to have received this backing from the PDC.
"The William Cross Pro-Am has been a popular addition to our calendar in the past two years, with four PDC stars coming over to take on the best from Down under.
"The invitation is now open to all players to take part in the Australian Open Players Championship, and we are looking forward to what will be the biggest week of darts in Australian history.
"We are also indebted to our sponsors Park Trent Properties and Unicorn Products for their backing, not just in these tournaments but in their support during recent years which has helped to make this possible."
Accommodation can be booked via Kylie Corr on +61244487154 AESD (Australian Eastern Standard Time) or via shbrc@williamcrossdartsopen.com.
Full event information can be found at www.williamcrossdartsopen.com.