THE draw for the partypoker.com World Grand Prix has been made, with Michael van Gerwen beginning the defence of his title in the double-start event against Keegan Brown at the Citywest Hotel on Sunday October 4.
The 32-player event features the unique format of players needing to both begin and end every leg with a double, adding extra pressure throughout in Dublin.
Reigning champion Michael van Gerwen - who followed up his 2012 win by defeating James Wade in last year's final - will take on 2014 World Youth Champion Keegan Brown in their opening fixture.
World Champion Gary Anderson will face an all-Scottish first round tie with John Henderson, as the number two seed looks to better last year's run to the semi-finals at the Citywest Hotel.
Phil Taylor, the 11-time World Grand Prix champion and number three seed, has drawn Holland's Vincent van der Voort as he bids to complete a Dublin dozen in the Sky Sports-televised event.
Number four seed Peter Wright faces a tough first round opponent in Dave Chisnall, the 2013 World Grand Prix runner-up and current world number nine.
Number five seed Adrian Lewis will take on another former World Grand Prix finalist, Raymond van Barneveld, in another tasty tie, while two-time champion Wade is up against Austria's Mensur Suljovic.
Robert Thornton - who shared nine-darters with Wade in a historic second round tie last year - will play Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, while number eight seed Michael Smith has drawn Welsh debutant Gerwyn Price.
In-form Jelle Klaasen, who won Sunday's Players Championship in Barnsley, will meet Northern Irish star Brendan Dolan, a former World Grand Prix finalist who hit the event's first-ever double-start nine-darter in 2011.
Belgium's Kim Huybrechts takes on top Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas, Ireland's William O'Connor will meet Welshman Jamie Lewis and former Lakeside Champions Mark Webster and Stephen Bunting also clash.
Two former World Grand Prix finalists clash as Mervyn King meets Terry Jenkins - who celebrated his 52nd birthday with a Players Championship win on Saturday - while 2004 Dublin semi-finalist Steve Beaton drew Justin Pipe.
Australian star Simon Whitlock meets Andrew Gilding, while Ian White is up against Jamie Caven, who only booked his place in the World Grand Prix - at the expense of Joe Murnan - on the final weekend of Players Championship events ahead of the cut-off.
Tickets for the partypoker.com World Grand Prix are available from the Citywest Hotel
By email to darts15@citywesthotel.com.
Telephone - By calling 01 401 0505 (Outside Ireland 00353 1 401 0505).
Click here for the schedule of play
PDC Dublin Fans' Forum
The partypoker.com World Grand Prix will be preceded on Thursday October 1 (7pm) by a PDC Fans’ Forum at Busker’s Bar in Dublin, featuring Adrian Lewis, Brendan Dolan and Raymond van Barneveld. Entry is free, with registration via www.owal.co/register.
partypoker.com World Grand Prix
First Round Draw & Draw Bracket
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Keegan Brown
Kim Huybrechts v Benito van de Pas
Michael Smith (8) v Gerwyn Price
William O'Connor v Jamie Lewis
Adrian Lewis (5) v Raymond van Barneveld
Mark Webster v Stephen Bunting
Peter Wright (4) v Dave Chisnall
Jelle Klaasen v Brendan Dolan
Gary Anderson (2) v John Henderson
Ian White v Jamie Caven
Robert Thornton (7) v Daryl Gurney
Justin Pipe v Steve Beaton
James Wade (6) v Mensur Suljovic
Andrew Gilding v Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor (3) v Vincent van der Voort
Mervyn King v Terry Jenkins
Qualifiers:
Top 16 from PDC Order of Merit (Top eight players seeded):
1 Michael van Gerwen
2 Gary Anderson
3 Phil Taylor
4 Peter Wright
5 Adrian Lewis
6 James Wade
7 Robert Thornton
8 Michael Smith
9 Dave Chisnall
10 Ian White
11 Simon Whitlock
12 Brendan Dolan
13 Terry Jenkins
14 Mervyn King
15 Kim Huybrechts
16 Raymond van Barneveld
ProTour Order of Merit Qualifiers:
Jelle Klaasen
Justin Pipe
Vincent van der Voort
Benito van de Pas
Mensur Suljovic
Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price
Steve Beaton
John Henderson
Andrew Gilding
Mark Webster
Keegan Brown
Jamie Caven
Jamie Lewis
Leading two players from Ireland/Northern Ireland from ProTour Order of Merit:
Daryl Gurney
William O'Connor