Las Vegas Qualifiers 2019: The Lowdown

Jeff Smith (PDC)

We take a closer look at the eight North American players who will star in the 2019 Dafabet US Darts Masters and North American Darts Championship.

Both events will take place across July 4-5 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas.

UK fans will be able to watch the US Darts Masters through ITV4, with the North American Championship available worldwide on video.pdc.tv.

Worldwide TV coverage of the US Darts Masters and North American Darts Championship will include live broadcasts through DAZN in the USA, Canada and Brazil.

Tickets available via www.axs.com

Jeff Smith (Lawrence Lustig, PDC)

Jeff Smith

Age: 43
Home town: Hampton, New Brunswick, Canada
Nickname: The Silencer
First Round Opponent: Peter Wright
Career History: Reigning NADC Champion Jeff Smith is the only North American Qualifier from the 2018 events to make a return to the big stage in 2019.

Having competed at the 2016 Grand Slam of Darts and, most recently, the 2018/19 and 2019/20 William Hill World Darts Championships, Smith is a familiar face to darts fans.

The Canadian represented his country at the 2013 World Cup of Darts alongside John Part and was a Lakeside finalist in 2016.

Darin Young (PDC)

Darin Young

Age: 46
Home town: White Haven, Pennsylvania, USA
Nickname: Big Daddy
First Round Opponent: Michael van Gerwen
Career History: A stalwart of North American darts, Darin Young has competed in nine PDC World Championships and represented the USA ten times at the World Cup of Darts.

Since making his TV debut at the 2004 Las Vegas Desert Classic, Young went on to become an ever-present in the tournament and the 2019 US Darts Masters will see him return to 'The City of Lights' for the first time in ten years.

Jim Long (Lawrence Lustig, PDC)

Jim Long

Age: 51
Home town: London, Ontario, Canada
First Round Opponent: Michael Smith
Career History: A late bloomer in professional darts, Jim Long had competed in just a handful of local events before competing on the CDC Tour in 2018, where a string of impressive results saw him reach the 2018/19 PDC World Championship where he made a winning debut to reach the Last 64 stage.

The Canadian represented his country at the World Cup of Darts for the first time in June alongside Dawson Murschell, where a high-quality showing saw the pair reach the quarter-finals.

Gary Mawson (PDC)

Gary Mawson

Age: 56
Home town: Pompano Beach, Florida, USA
Nickname: The Mauler
First Round Opponent: Gerwyn Price
Career History: Gary Mawson's finest hour came at the 2008 UK Open, where the Canadian enjoyed a remarkable run to the final.

The experienced Canadian-born American made his TV debut at the 1995 World Matchplay, made it to the quarter-finals of the 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic and also held a PDC Tour Card in 2011.

Mawson will be making his first TV appearance since 2012 when he partnered Young to the quarter-finals of the World Cup of Darts.

Leonard Gates (PDC)

Leonard Gates

Age: 48
Home town: Houston, Texas, USA
Nickname: Soldier Gates
First Round Opponent: Rob Cross
Career History: Former Minor League Baseball player Leonard Gates will make much-anticipated his TV debut on Thursday against former World Champion Rob Cross.

The highly-rated American is one of the most feared players on the North American scene, having claimed an impressive haul of almost 50 titles, including two CDC Tour event wins in 2018.

Shawn Brenneman, Peter Wright (PDC)

Shawn Brenneman

Age: 45
Home town: Princeton, British Colombia, Canada
Nickname: Suave
First Round Opponent: Nathan Aspinall
Career History: A competitor on the North American circuit since 1997, Shawn Brenneman made his TV debut at the 2008 PDC US Open.

The Canadian went on to appear in the Las Vegas Desert Classic of the same year, but had to wait nine years for his next big stage PDC outing at the 2017 US Darts Masters.

Elliot Milk (Monster Darts)

Elliot Milk

Home town: South Dakota, USA
Nickname: Milkman
First Round Opponent: Gary Anderson
Career History: A competitor in North American darts since 2008, Elliot Milk will make his TV debut against reigning champion Gary Anderson.

Daniel Baggish (PDC)

Daniel Baggish

First Round Opponent: Daryl Gurney
Career History: Guam-born Daniel Baggish has picked up nine titles on the North American circuit over the last 12 years and he will also make his TV debut on Thursday.