ROBERT THORNTON believes that it would be the highlight of his career to claim glory on Scottish soil in The Coral Masters this weekend, as he prepares for the tournament's opening night on Friday.
The former UK Open champion is joined by his rivals inside the world's top 16 for the inaugural, £160,000 event, which is being staged at the Royal Highland Centre from November 1-3, live on ITV4.
Thornton was joined by his first round opponent Andy Hamilton and Scotland's world number 15 Peter Wright to launch the event on Thursday, and admits that walking away with the £50,000 title - ahead of the likes of Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Adrian Lewis - would be his crowning glory.
"It would be the highlight of my career to win a tournament in front of the Scottish fans," said Ayrshire's Thornton, ranked 11th in the PDC Order of Merit.
"It's the first time I've played a big event in Edinburgh so I don't know what the crowd will be like, but if they're anything like the Premier League crowd in Glasgow earlier this year they'll be loud!
"I like the noise and it brought the best out of me in Glasgow - it helped me to concentrate even more on my game. I'll do what I usually do, go up on stage and take one game at a time and see where that gets me.
"With this being the top 16, you know you're not having to go through one or two rounds before you get one of the big boys, you know you playing a great player straight away.
"In the last 18 months to two years I've been doing really well, and it's the same for Andy. It's always tough against him because he's like me, he never gives in, and I'm looking forward to it.
"If we're both on our game it should be an absolute cracker and it could go down to the last leg. It will be good fun!"
The tournament kicks off on Friday night, with the world's top 16 drawn in bracket order for the event - meaning that World Champion Phil Taylor, the world number one, faces number 16 seed Terry Jenkins.
"It's going to be a cracking game because I know Terry will be brilliant," said Taylor. "I like Terry and we always have good battles.
"It's a tough first round, but everyone's got a tough game because of the nature of the tournament. To have the top 16 in one event makes it very special and it will be a really tough tournament to win."
World number two Michael van Gerwen, the reigning Premier League Darts champion, faces Peter Wright as the West Lothian-born thrower looks to cap his rise into the world's elite with glory on Scottish soil.
Wright has won his second ranking title this year, reached three other finals on the PDC ProTour and also won through to his first major televised semi-final at June's UK Open - and admits that he is looking to emulate van Gerwen's rise in the past 18 months.
"Michael's been fantastic in the last year or so, both for darts and also for me," said Wright, who will wear a new, Scottish-themed shirt for the first time on Friday.
"He's taught me a few things, personally, about what to do and I've followed what he's done with interest.
"It should be me telling him really, he's only 24 and I'm 43! But he's magic and I look up to him. I want to do exactly the same as him, and there's no reason why I can't.
"We've played a dozen times already this year - I've beaten three times and they've been good games, and if you take Michael out of the equation for this year, I could have done even better than I have done!
"I'm in great form and it will be a good game on Friday night. I'm really excited and I can't wait to get on stage in Edinburgh."
Wright is one of three players in the field, alongside Jenkins and Justin Pipe, who could win a place in next week's William Hill Grand Slam of Darts if they reach the final of The Masters.
World number nine Pipe faces eighth seed Wes Newton in Friday's opener, and is determined not to allow the prospect of winning a Grand Slam spot to distract him from the Edinburgh event.
"Getting into the Grand Slam is important but I can't lose sight of the fact that I'm here to try and win The Masters," said Pipe. "If I can get through to the final, then reaching the Grand Slam will take care of itself, but the important thing is that I focus on the games ahead of me.
"Playing Wes will be a really tough game, but amongst the top 16 in the world there aren't easy matches, and I know exactly what I'll get from Wes because he's a great player.
"Hopefully that will bring the best out of me and we'll have a good game on Friday night."
Australian star Simon Whitlock, the world number four, takes on Mervyn King in their first round clash, with the former European Champion aiming to make his mark in Edinburgh.
"This is going to be one of the most exciting tournaments I've ever played in and I'm honoured to be part of the field," said Whitlock, the 2012 European Champion.
"To have the top 16 players in one tournament is going to be fantastic for the players and the fans alike.
"The standard of play in some of the non-televised tournaments recently has been exceptional so if everyone can continue that form it's going to be a very memorable tournament."
World number three Adrian Lewis takes on in-form Kim Huybrechts, who followed up a Players Championship victory in Killarney with glory in last weekend's Dutch Darts Masters event.
James Wade, the seven-time major winner and world number five, plays 2011 Players Championship Finals winner Kevin Painter, while recent World Grand Prix finalist Dave Chisnall takes on five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld.
The Coral Masters will be held throughout the weekend at the Royal Highland Centre, with Friday's first round followed by the quarter-finals on Saturday, with the destiny of the £50,000 first prize decided on Sunday night with the semi-finals and final.
Tickets for The Coral Masters are still available, and can be purchased at the Royal Highland Centre from 5.45pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (play commences 6.45pm).
The Coral Masters
Schedule of Play
Friday November 1 (6.45pm-11.30pm)
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-11.30pm)
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-11pm)
Semi-Finals
Final
All games best of 19 legs
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)
Coral Pre-Tournament Odds
6/4 Phil Taylor
11/4 Michael van Gerwen
8/1 Adrian Lewis
12/1 James Wade
14/1 Simon Whitlock
18/1 Raymond van Barneveld
20/1 Dave Chisnall
25/1 Kim Huybrechts
28/1 Andy Hamilton
33/1 Wes Newton
33/1 Robert Thornton
40/1 Peter Wright
50/1 Justin Pipe
66/1 Mervyn King
80/1 Terry Jenkins
80/1 Kevin Painter
Each-way 1/2 the odds a place 1,2
First Round Match Odds
2/5 James Wade v Kevin Painter 7/4
4/6 Wes Newton v Justin Pipe 11/10
8/11 Andy Hamilton v Robert Thornton Evs
4/9 Simon Whitlock v Mervyn King 13/8
4/7 Adrian Lewis v Kim Huybrechts 5/4
1/6 Phil Taylor v Terry Jenkins 7/2
1/3 Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright 9/4
10/11 Dave Chisnall v Raymond van Barneveld 4/5