The world’s best darts players – including Scottish trio Gary Anderson, Robert Thornton and Peter Wright – are set to return to Edinburgh in November for The Unibet Masters.
The ITV-televised knockout tournament, first staged last year and won by Phil Taylor, will be held at the Royal Highland Centre on November 1-2, featuring the top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit.
This year’s field is set to include Eyemouth-born Gary Anderson, the former Premier League Darts champion who missed out on last year’s inaugural Masters but has returned to the world’s top ten with five ranking victories so far in 2014.
Anderson is set to join West Lothian-born Peter Wright – the 2014 World Championship finalist – and Ayrshire’s former UK Open champion Robert Thornton as Scottish stars in the 16-player field.
Reigning champion Taylor, 2013 runner-up Adrian Lewis and World Champion Michael van Gerwen will head the field for the tournament, which has been billed by PDC Chairman Barry Hearn as “the best of the best”.
The field will also include Australian star Simon Whitlock, seven-time major winner James Wade, former major finalists Dave Chisnall, Andy Hamilton, Wes Newton, Brendan Dolan, Mervyn King and Kim Huybrechts, Stoke’s rising star Ian White and Premier League champion Raymond van Barneveld.
However, with nine ranking events – including October’s World Grand Prix – to come ahead of the cut-off for The Unibet Masters on October 21, there is still the chance for players outside of the top 16 – including Justin Pipe, Terry Jenkins, Kevin Painter, Jamie Caven and Steve Beaton – to jump up the rankings.
“It gives us great pleasure to welcome Unibet as our new title sponsors for The Unibet Masters, and we look forward to another hugely successful event in Edinburgh in November,” said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn.
“The Unibet Masters pits the world’s top 16 players against each other and will prove just who really is the best of the best!”
Unibet Head of Sportsbook Erik Backlund said: “We are delighted to be working alongside the PDC, who have done great work to increase the popularity of darts.
“This is a great opportunity to grow awareness of our product in in the darts community.”
The Unibet Masters will begin with the first round being held across two sessions on Saturday November 1. The quarter-finals will take place in the afternoon session on Sunday November 2, with the semi-finals and final in the evening session.