PHIL TAYLOR will begin the defence of his Stan James World Matchplay against Blackpool's Wes Newton next month.
The 2007 World Matchplay will take place at the Winter Gardens from Sunday 22 July to Saturday 28 July.
Taylor, the number one seed and eight-time World Matchplay champion, has drawn local favourite Newton, who made his debut in the tournament 12 months ago.
Taylor has previously faced Newton in the semi-finals of the Las Vegas Desert Classic as well as at last weekend's Blue Square UK Open - where Taylor landed a nine-darter against the 29-year-old from Fleetwood.
World Champion Raymond van Barneveld faces Denis Ovens, while the number three and four seeds, Colin Lloyd and Peter Manley, drew qualifiers Mervyn King and Michael van Gerwen.
King and van Gerwen were two of the four PDPA members to win places in the tournament, with the qualifiers determined by prize money won in a series of eight Players Championship events.
The final two of those took place at the Lakeside Holiday Village on Hayling Island on Saturday and Sunday, with King and Steve Beaton's displays over the weekend seeing them take places.
Adrian Gray and van Gerwen held on to their places to secure their World Matchplay debuts.
Gray was drawn against Kevin Painter and Beaton meets number seven seed Adrian Lewis.
James Wade, last year's runner-up, will meet Wolverhampton's Wayne Jones, and two former finalists clash in the meeting between Wayne Mardle and Mark Dudbridge.
Colin Osborne, a semi-finalist in the UK Open last weekend, drew three-time Blackpool finalist Dennis Priestley.
The Schedule of Play can be found here.
2007 Stan James World Matchplay
First Round Draw & Bracket
Phil Taylor (1) v Wes Newton
Kevin Painter (16) v Adrian Gray
Wayne Mardle (8) v Mark Dudbridge
Roland Scholten (9) v Chris Mason
Terry Jenkins (5) v Alan Tabern
John Part (12) v Alan Warriner-Little
Peter Manley (4) v Michael van Gerwen
Ronnie Baxter (13) v Bob Anderson
Raymond van Barneveld (2) v Denis Ovens
Barrie Bates (15) v Andy Smith
Adrian Lewis (7) v Steve Beaton
Andy Hamilton (10) v Mick McGowan
Dennis Priestley (6) v Colin Osborne
James Wade (11) v Wayne Jones
Colin Lloyd (3) v Mervyn King
Andy Jenkins (14) v Mark Walsh