2016 Coral UK Open Draw

THE draw for the first two rounds of the Coral UK Open has been made, with former champion Robert Thornton set to star on the main stage at the Butlins Minehead Resort when the tournament kicks off on Friday March 4.

The £300,000 Coral UK Open Televised Finals see 128 players competing at the Butlins Minehead Resort, with play in the early rounds being split across eight stages simultaneously, live on ITV4.

A total of 96 professional players won through the six £60,000 Coral UK Open Qualifiers held in Wigan during February, while a further 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers complete the field after coming through open knockouts held in Rileys Sports Bars.

The top 32 players from the UK Open Order of Merit - including reigning UK Open champion Michael van Gerwen, World Champion Gary Anderson, 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor and 2014 UK Open champion Adrian Lewis - will enter the action in Friday evening's third round.

Friday afternoon's first round sees the players ranked from 65-96 in the UK Open Order of Merit joined by the 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers, with the players ranked from 33-64 coming in for the second round.

The first round draw will see former UK Open finalist Wes Newton kicking off the event on the Main Stage in the Skyline Pavilion against Mark Cox.

Belgium's Ronny Huybrechts will play Rileys Qualifier Mark Rice, before veteran star Dennis Smith meets Alex Roy, who also won through the Rileys Qualifiers, before Andy Smith plays Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena.

Stage Two, which is situated in Reds Bar, will kick off with a trio of matches as professional aces meet Rileys Qualifiers, with Andy Boulton up against Lee Grimshaw, William O'Connor playing Mark Jodrill and Sweden's Magnus Caris facing Jason Mold, before Ireland's Mick McGowan plays former World Youth Championship finalist Nathan Aspinall.

Stages Three to Eight will be located in the Centre Stage area, with the stars in first round action including former World Youth Champion Arron Monk against Rileys Qualifier Stewart Rattray, former UK Open semi-finalist Alan Tabern facing youngster Harry Ward and Paul Hogan - a Rileys Qualifier who reached the last 32 a year ago - taking on Daniel Day.

The second round action on the Main Stage will include 2012 UK Open champion Robert Thornton's meeting with either Monk or Rattray, while former Players Championship Finals winner Kevin Painter meets Rileys Qualifier John Scott or Dean Winstanley.

Austrian youngster Rowby-John Rodriguez will play Lee Evans, while UK Open debutant Jeffrey de Graaf takes on either William O'Connor or Mark Jodrill.

Stage Two's second round games include Mark Dudbridge - who hit a nine-dart finish in the UK Open Qualifiers - up against Dutchman Joey Ten Berge and Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan taking on one of two Rileys Qualifiers, Steven Rose or Scott Marsh.

Andrew Gilding, a semi-finalist at the 2015 UK Open, will open his challenge in the second round against Ryan De Vreede or Nathan Derry, while two-time UK Open quarter-finalist Jamie Caven plays Gary Stone or Johnny Haines.

The third round draw for Friday evening's matches, which feature the top 32 players from the UK Open Order of Merit plus the second round winners, will be made on stage at the conclusion of the afternoon session.

2016 Coral UK Open
Schedule of Play - First & Second Rounds
Friday March 4
Afternoon Session (11.45am-5pm)
Main Stage
First Round
Mark Cox v Wes Newton
Ronny Huybrechts v Mark Rice
Dennis Smith v Alex Roy
Andy Smith v Jermaine Wattimena
Second Round
Jeffrey de Graaf v William O'Connor/Mark Jodrill
Lee Evans v Rowby-John Rodriguez
Arron Monk/Stewart Rattray v Robert Thornton
Kevin Painter v John Scott/Dean Winstanley

Stage Two
First Round
Andy Boulton v Lee Grimshaw
William O'Connor v Mark Jodrill
Jason Mold v Magnus Caris
Mick McGowan v Nathan Aspinall
Second Round
Matt Clark v Mike De Decker
Joey Ten Berge v Mark Dudbridge
Brendan Dolan v Steven Rose/Scott Marsh
Darron Brown v Ryan Harrington/Glen McGrandle

Stage Three
First Round
Kevin Dowling v Dick van Dijk
Curtis Turner v Jonathan Worsley
Arron Monk v Stewart Rattray
Barry Lynn v Dean Stewart
Second Round
Gary Stone/Johnny Haines v Jamie Caven
Andy Brown/Mark Frost v Mark Barilli/Darren Layden
Yordi Meeuwisse v Robbie Green
Jay Foreman v Ronny Huybrechts/Mark Rice

Stage Four
First Round
Ben Green v Jason Hogg
Michael McFall v Dirk van Duijvenbode
Harry Ward v Alan Tabern
Daniel Day v Paul Hogan
Second Round
Wayne Jones v Andy Jenkins
Chris Jones/Paul Milford v Jason Heaver/Steve Maish
Harry Ward/Alan Tabern v Josh Payne/Dave Parletti
Darren Webster/Lee Morris v Scott Dale

Stage Five
First Round
Mark Barilli v Darren Layden
Ian McFarlane v Jonny Clayton
Ryan De Vreede v Nathan Derry
Darren Webster v Lee Morris
Second Round
Richie Corner v Berry van Peer
Dennis Smith/Alex Roy v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Barry Lynn/Dean Stewart v Brett Claydon
Jan Dekker/Andrew Davidson v Cristo Reyes

Stage Six
First Round
Andy Brown v Mark Frost
Paul Whitworth v Joe Murnan
Jan Dekker v Andrew Davidson
Jason Heaver v Steve Maish
Second Round
Les Delderfield/Mark Wilson v Matthew Edgar
David Pallett v Jason Marriott
Ian McFarlane/Jonny Clayton v James Wilson
Mark Cox/Wes Newton v Ken MacNeil/Rob Cross

Stage Seven
First Round
Les Delderfield v Mark Wilson
John Scott v Dean Winstanley
Chris Jones v Paul Milford
Steven Rose v Scott Marsh
Second Round
Paul Whitworth/Joe Murnan v Ritchie Edhouse
Michael McFall/Dirk van Duijvenbode v Peter Hudson
Andy Smith/Jermaine Wattimena v Kevin Dowling/Dick van Dijk
Jason Mold/Magnus Caris v Ben Green/Jason Hogg

Stage Eight
First Round
Gary Stone v Johnny Haines
Ken MacNeil v Rob Cross
Ryan Harrington v Glen McGrandle
Josh Payne v Dave Parletti
Second Round
Curtis Turner/Jonathan Worsley v Andy Boulton/Lee Grimshaw
Andrew Gilding v Ryan De Vreede/Nathan Derry
Daniel Day/Paul Hogan v Tony Newell
Mick McGowan/Nathan Aspinall v Stuart Kellett

Session Schedule
Friday March 4
Afternoon Session (11.45am-5pm)
First Round
Second Round

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Third Round

Saturday March 5
Afternoon Session (12.30pm-5pm)
Fourth Round

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Fifth Round

Sunday March 6
Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Quarter-Finals

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Semi-Finals
Final

Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Second Round - Best of 11 legs
Third Round - Best of 17 legs
Fourth Round - Best of 17 legs
Fifth Round - Best of 17 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Final - Best of 21 legs

Prize Fund
Winner £60,000
Runner-Up £30,000
Semi-Finalists £17,000
Quarter-Finalists £10,000
Fifth Round Losers £5,000
Fourth Round Losers £3,000
Third Round Losers £1,500
Total £300,000