Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Darts draw released for Las Vegas Desert Classic

Tuesday night’s draw for the PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic, whose opening rounds take place Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., in the Islander Ballroom at Mandalay Bay (in order of play):

WEDNESDAY

Dennis Priestley vs. Colin Monk

Priestly is 3-1 lifetime against Monk.

Alan Tabern vs. Wes Newton

Tabern, “The Saint” that is seeded eighth, is 2-6 lifetime against “Av It” Newton.

Colin Lloyd vs. Peter Wright

Lloyd is 3-1 vs. Wright.

Ronnie Baxter vs. Jelle Klaasen

“The Matador” Klaasen is 5-3 lifetime against Baxter, who belted Phil Taylor in Tuesday’s final of the Las Vegas Players Championship. Klaasen had a 5-1 edge on Tabern before wilting in the Players.

Terry Jenkins vs. Simon Whitlock

Sky Sports commentator Eric Bristow pegged Whitlock, “The Wizard” from Down Under, as “the floater” of the tournament for his recent success. Jenkins is the fifth seed of the tourney.

Phil Taylor vs. Jamie Caven

A very interesting opener for top-seeded Phil “The Power” Taylor, the 14-time World Champion whom mentor Bristow picked to win this tournament. However, Bristow also tabbed Caven as his third choice in his exclusive handicap to the Sun. “He’s a young lad,” Bristow said, “and he’s won a lot of money lately. He’s confident.” The best-of-11 first-round leg might go all 11.

Wayne Mardle vs. Gary Anderson

Anderson is 2-0 against Mardle.

John Part vs. Scott Burnett

Part, the fourth-seeded Canadian who is called “Darth Maple,” has won 185,000 British pounds this season. Last year here, he lost his opening round match and took him 2,000 British pounds.

THURSDAY

Mervyn King vs. Louis Blundell

According to database records, this is the first meeting between the sixth-seeded King and Blundell.

Andy Hamilton vs. Chris White

White, one of four North American invites in the Classic, has never played Hamilton in a professional tournament.

Mark Walsh vs. Peter Manley

Manley, who wears the big pink “Mr. Porky” shirt, is 3-5 lifetime vs. Walsh.

Colin Osborne vs. Co Stompe

Osborne is undefeated in three professional matches against Stompe.

Raymond van Barneveld vs. Bill Davis

“Barney,” the third seed from the Netherlands, is 1-0 against Davis, but Davis isn’t concerned. “I can beat him,” Davis said Tuesday night in the Tradewinds Ballroom, where the draw was held. He was somewhat joking, somewhat serious. Everyone here is good, Davis said, so anybody can be beaten. This is the third time in four years that Davis, a Philadelphia native and top-100 world player, has qualified for the televised stage of the Classic.

James Wade vs. Phillip Hazel

Bristow tabbed Wade, the second seed of the Desert Classic, as his second choice to win the tournament. Wade is second on the PDC’s Order of Merit, having made about 320,000 British pounds this season. That’s half of what No. 1 Phil Taylor has earned.

Adrian Lewis vs. Vincent van der Voort

Lewis, the seventh seed of the Classic, is 7-5 lifetime against van der Voort.

Kevin Painter vs. Darin Young

They’ve never played. This is the fifth Desert Classic final-32 showing for “Big Daddy” Young, who hails from White Haven, Pa.

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