TAYLOR TO FACE JENKINS - THE CORAL MASTERS SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
PHIL TAYLOR will take on Terry Jenkins in the first round of The Coral Masters on Friday November 1, while Scottish pair Robert Thornton and Peter Wright face tough tests as the inaugural tournament kicks off at the Royal Highland Centre.
The Masters features the top 16 players from the PDC Order of Merit, with Scottish duo Thornton and Wright set to appear on home soil in Edinburgh.
Scotland's former Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson, however, missed out on qualification, having needed to win one of last weekend's Players Championship tournaments in Killarney to return to the world's top 16.
World Champion Taylor, the world number one, takes on 16th seed Terry Jenkins when the tournament begins with the eight first round matches on Friday November 1 in one bumper session of darts.
The pair's last meeting came in July's World Matchplay, when Taylor edged to a 14-12 victory in an epic contest in Blackpool before going on to win a record-breaking sixth successive title in the event.
World number two Michael van Gerwen, the reigning Premier League Darts champion and World Championship runner-up, takes on West Lothian-born Wright, who has moved up to a career-high 15th in the rankings this year.
Ayrshire's Thornton, the 2012 UK Open champion, is seeded 11th for the tournament and plays Andy Hamilton, the three-time major finalist and world number six.
European Champion Adrian Lewis, the world number three, comes up against Belgium's Kim Huybrechts, Australian star Simon Whitlock will take on Mervyn King and seven-time major winner James Wade plays Kevin Painter.
Recent World Grand Prix finalist Dave Chisnall will meet five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, while Fleetwood's two-time major finalist Wes Newton plays emerging Justin Pipe.
"The confirmation of the top 16 and the draw for The Masters has really set pulses racing," said PDC Chairman Barry Hearn. "This is a mouth-watering line-up which promises to showcase the very best of our sport.
"To see such huge match-ups, such as Phil Taylor against Terry Jenkins, Michael van Gerwen up against in-form Peter Wright and Adrian Lewis playing Kim Huybrechts, who won a ProTour event last week, in the first round shows just how competitive The Masters will be.
"We've seen great interest in The Masters and it's been a joy to see the excitement which bringing a major darts event to Edinburgh has justifiably created, and the countdown is now firmly underway!"
Following Friday's first round action, the quarter-finals will take place on Saturday night, including the potential for an all-Dutch clash between van Gerwen and van Barneveld.
The semi-finals and final will then complete the weekend's action on Sunday evening, with all three games taking place in one session to determine the winner of the £50,000 inaugural Masters title.
The Coral Masters will be played at the Royal Highland Centre from November 1-3. Tickets are available now from pdc.seetickets.com or by calling 0844 871 8807.
PDC Top 16 (at October 20 2013)
1. Phil Taylor
2. Michael van Gerwen
3. Adrian Lewis
4. Simon Whitlock
5. James Wade
6. Andy Hamilton
7. Dave Chisnall
8. Wes Newton
9. Justin Pipe
10. Raymond van Barneveld
11. Robert Thornton
12. Kevin Painter
13. Mervyn King
14. Kim Huybrechts
15. Peter Wright
16. Terry Jenkins
The Coral Masters
Tournament Draw Bracket
Phil Taylor (1) v Terry Jenkins (16)
Wes Newton (8) v Justin Pipe (9)
James Wade (5) v Kevin Painter (12)
Simon Whitlock (4) v Mervyn King (13)
Michael van Gerwen (2) v Peter Wright (15)
Dave Chisnall (7) v Raymond van Barneveld (10)
Andy Hamilton (6) v Robert Thornton (11)
Adrian Lewis (3) v Kim Huybrechts (14)
Schedule of Play
Friday November 1 (6.45pm-10.45pm)
First Round
James Wade (5) v Kevin Painter (12)
Wes Newton (8) v Justin Pipe (9)
Andy Hamilton (6) v Robert Thornton (11)
Simon Whitlock (4) v Mervyn King (13)
Adrian Lewis (3) v Kim Huybrechts (14)
Phil Taylor (1) v Terry Jenkins (16)
Michael van Gerwen (2) v Peter Wright (15)
Dave Chisnall (7) v Raymond van Barneveld (10)
Best of 11 legs
Saturday November 2 (6.45pm-10.45pm)
Quarter-Finals
Wade/Painter v Whitlock/King
Hamilton/Thornton v Lewis/Huybrechts
Taylor/Jenkins v Newton/Pipe
van Gerwen/Wright v Chisnall/van Barneveld
Best of 15 legs
Sunday November 3 (6.45pm-10.45pm)
Semi-Finals
Final
All games best of 19 legs