The board allocations for the opening rounds of the 2018 Coral UK Open have been confirmed, with a two-time champion and three former finalists set to compete on the Main Stage at the Butlin’s Minehead Resort.
The 128-player Coral UK Open will take place from March 2-4, with eight stages in action simultaneously in the early stages as professional stars and Rileys Amateur Qualifiers compete.
The opening rounds in the afternoon session on Friday March 2 see the lower-ranked professionals and amateur competitors in action.
The Main Stage will begin as former UK Open finalist Terry Jenkins meets 2010 Players Championship Finals winner Paul Nicholson.
Former Lakeside Champion Richie Burnett then meets Ryan Harrington, who is competing in his third UK Open inside four years, before reigning PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion Dimitri Van den Bergh plays Lee Evans.
The first round action on the Main Stage concludes as three-time World Champion John Part, the 2004 UK Open runner-up, plays Rileys Amateur Qualifier John Morris.
Stage Two’s first round games begin with 2005 finalist Mark Walsh taking on ever-present Alex Roy, while Spain’s Cristo Reyes then plays Dutch ace Benito van de Pas.
The first round also features former UK Open runner-up Andy Hamilton, fellow former World Championship finalist Kirk Shepherd, New Zealand’s Cody Harris and 2017 PDC Unicorn Development Tour Order of Merit winner Luke Humphries.
The 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers also enter at the first round stage, headlined by Paul Hogan, who defeated Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis on his way to the last 16 in the 2017 UK Open.
Two-time UK Open winner Raymond van Barneveld, a five-time World Champion, heads the field of players entering in the second round, as he plays TV debutant Mike Norton.
2017 UK Open runner-up Gerwyn Price meets James Wilson, while Spain’s Toni Alcinas meets Walsh or Roy, and Alan Norris plays Mick McGowan or Dirk van Duijvenbode on the Main Stage.
Former UK Open finalist Vincent van der Voort, Dutch debutant Danny Noppert and former Premier League stars Dave Chisnall and Stephen Bunting will be in action on Stage Two in the second round.
Former World Youth Champion Keegan Brown, former European Championship finalist Wayne Jones, emerging youngsters Richard North, Chris Dobey, Nathan Aspinall and Ted Evetts and former UK Open semi-finalist Andrew Gilding will also be in action in round two.
The top 32 players from the UK Open Order of Merit – including reigning champion Peter Wright, world number one Michael van Gerwen and World Champion Rob Cross – will enter the event on Friday evening in the third round.
The action continues on Saturday March 3 with play across two sessions, before Sunday’s final stages see the action centred on the Main Stage in the Skyline Pavilion.
From the conclusion of the second round onwards, a open draw will be made on stage.
2018 Coral UK Open
Friday March 2
Afternoon Session (12pm start)
First Round
Main Stage
Paul Nicholson v Terry Jenkins
Ryan Harrington v Richie Burnett
Lee Evans v Dimitri Van den Bergh
John Morris v John Part
Stage Two
Mark Walsh v Alex Roy
Cristo Reyes v Benito van de Pas
Mick McGowan v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Bradley Brooks v Chris Quantock
Board Three
Andrew Davidson v Michael Burgoine
Rene Eidams v Andrew Johnson
Michael Barnard v Scott Robertson
Dan Read v Joe Davis
Board Four
Andrew Pullen v Mark Rice
Simon Tate v Michael Rasztovits
Liam Kelly v Luke Humphries
Robert Rickwood v Rene Berndt
Board Five
Daniel Lee v Harry Ward
Kirk Shepherd v Adam Hunt
Mickey Mansell v Ryan Meikle
Darryl Pilgrim v Ian Jopling
Board Six
Benjamin McClelland v David Airey
Chris Lacey v Martin Biggs
Ricky Evans v Andreas Hajiminia
Cody Harris v Tony Mitchell
Board Seven
Craig Winstanley v Mark Craddock
Andy Hamilton v William O’Connor
Martin Atkins v Paul Whitworth
Darren Brown v Paul Hogan
Board Eight
Ron Meulenkamp v Andy Hibbert
George Killington v Andy Jenkins
Jason Mold v Prakash Jiwa
Darren Johnson v John Scott
Second Round
Main Stage
Toni Alcinas v Walsh/Roy
James Wilson v Gerwyn Price
Alan Norris v McGowan/Van Duijvenbode
Mike Norton v Raymond van Barneveld
Stage Two
Vincent van der Voort v Lacey/Biggs
Danny Noppert v Harrington/Burnett
Dave Chisnall v Eidams/Johnson
Stephen Bunting v Brooks/Quantock
Board Three
Richard North v Nicholson/T Jenkins
Reyes/Van de Pas v David Evans
L Evans/Van den Bergh v Chris Dobey
John Goldie v Brown/Hogan
Board Four
Stuart Kellett v McClelland/Airey
Vincent Kamphuis v Shepherd/Hunt
Mold/Jiwa v Nathan Rafferty
Pilgrim/Jopling v Geert Nentjes
Board Five
Robert Owen v Davidson/Burgoine
Hamilton/O’Connor v Jermaine Wattimena
Kelly/Humphries v Wayne Jones
Atkins/Whitworth v Morris/Part
Board Six
Jose Justicia v Joe Cullen
Keegan Brown v Killington/A Jenkins
Andrew Gilding v Gabriel Clemens
Jason Lowe v Johnson/Scott
Board Seven
Nathan Aspinall v Pullen/Rice
Carl Wilkinson v R Evans/Hajiminia
Harris/Mitchell v Barnard/Robertson
Meulenkamp/Hibbert v Read/Davis
Board Eight
Lee/Ward v Ted Evetts
Maik Langendorf v Tate/Rasztovits
Mansell/Meikle v Winstanley/Craddock
James Richardson v Rickwood/Berndt
Session Times
Friday March 2
Afternoon Session (12pm-5pm)
First Round – Best of 11 legs
Second Round – Best of 11 legs
Played across eight stages
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Third Round – Best of 19 legs
Played across eight stages
Saturday March 3
Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Fourth Round – Best of 19 legs
Played across four stages
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Fifth Round – Best of 19 legs
Played across two stages
Sunday March 4
Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Quarter-Finals – Best of 19 legs
Played on Main Stage
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Semi-Finals – Best of 21 legs
Final – Best of 21 legs
Stage locations
Main Stage – Skyline Pavilion
Stage Two – Reds Bar
Stages Three-Eight – Centre Stage
Prize Fund
Winner – £70,000
Runner-Up – £35,000
Semi-Finalists – £17,500
Quarter-Finalists – £11,500
Last 16 – £6,500
Last 32 – £3,500
Last 64 – £1,750
Total – £350,000