Phil Taylor will begin his bid for a record-extending 14th BetVictor World Matchplay title against Stuart Kellett later this month, while tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen has been drawn against 2005 champion Colin Lloyd.
Taylor, (pictured), the reigning champion who is looking to win a record sixth successive title, meets Cheshire-based debutant Kellett in the first round of the event at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens on Sunday July 21.
Kellett, the UK Masters runner-up in March, is one of the 16 qualifiers for the tournament from the ProTour Order of Merit, who join the top 16 from the world rankings in the field.
World Grand Prix and Premier League champion Michael van Gerwen, the 5/2 favourite with sponsors BetVictor, will also be in action on Sunday July 21 against Colin Lloyd, who won the 2005 World Matchplay with an 18-12 defeat of John Part.
Part – a two-time runner-up – has drawn world number four James Wade, who was the 2007 champion and has also reached four finals in Blackpool since 2006 in a brilliant run and faces the Canadian on the event’s opening night on Saturday July 20.
2010 runner-up Raymond van Barneveld, the number eight seed, takes on Austrian debutant Mensur Suljovic on the opening night, while world number five Simon Whitlock faces Jelle Klaasen and Terry Jenkins, a two-time finalist, meets Andy Smith.
Sunday’s afternoon session in Blackpool will kick off as world number ten Justin Pipe faces Welsh ace Mark Webster, while Kevin Painter meets debutant Jamie Lewis, Belgian Kim Huybrechts play in-form Peter Wright and Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan tackles former World Champion Steve Beaton.
Taylor’s clash wth Kellett and van Gerwen’s meeting with Lloyd top the bill on Sunday evening, with Mervyn King kicking off the session against Gary Anderson before Dave Chisnall plays Paul Nicholson.
The first round will conclude on Monday when Adrian Lewis, last weekend’s European Championship winner, plays Belgian debutant Ronny Huybrechts.
Wes Newton, the number seven seed who hit a nine-darter at last year’s World Matchplay, takes on in-form Jamie Caven, while Blackpool’s Ronnie Baxter plays world number six Andy Hamilton and Robert Thornton faces Ian White.
The second round will be played across two evenings on Tuesday July 23 and Wednesday July 24, with the quarter-finals then taking place on Thursday July 25 and Friday July 26.
The semi-finals of the event will be held on Saturday July 27, with the 20th World Matchplay winner being crowned in the final on Sunday July 28.
1st Round games in BetVictor World Matchplay: sponsor’s prices:
K Painter 2/7
v
J Lewis 5/2
J Pipe ½
v
M Webster 6/4
T Jenkins 8/13
v
A Smith 6/5
A Lewis 1/6
v
R Huybrechts 7/2
P Taylor 1/14
v
S Kellett 13/2
Barney 1/6
v
M Suljovic 7/2
K Huybrechts 10/11
v
P Wright 10/11
S Whitlock 4/11
v
J Klaasen 2/1
D Chisnall ½
v
P Nicholson 6/4
W Newton 4/5
v
J Caven Evens
A Hamilton 4/11
v
R baxter 2/1
R Thornton 2/7
v
I White 5/2
J Wade ¼
v
J Part 11/4
M King 6/5
v
G Anderson 8/13
MvG 1/12
v
C Lloyd 6/1
B Dolan 4/5
v
S Beaton Evens
Specials:
Will there be a nine-dart finish?
Yes ½
No 6/4
Will there be a 170 check out?
No 4/1
Yes 1/7