Van Gerwen v Beaton; Taylor v West; Van Barneveld v King
Friday 30 September 2016 20:40, UK
Robert Thornton will begin the defence of his World Grand Prix title in Dublin with a tough test against former BDO world champion Stephen Bunting.
The Scot will return to the Citywest Hotel in Dublin in the hope a return to the venue where he triumphed so memorably last season can inspire a turnaround in his 2016 fortunes.
Having beaten Michael van Gerwen 5-4 in a thrilling final last year to claim his second major title, Thornton has been handed a spot in the opposite half of the draw to the dominant Dutchman and will kick off against Bunting.
The 2014 BDO world champion has yet to scale those heights in the PDC but will be hopeful of a run at the tournament in Dublin which always has potential to surprise given the double-start nature of the contests.
All-conquering world No 1 Van Gerwen, twice a champion in Dublin (2012 and 2014) will face the Bronzed Adonis Steve Beaton but faces a favourable run to the quarter-finals where he is likely to meet Peter Wright before a showdown with Phil Taylor in the last four if the seedings are followed.
Eleven-time Grand Prix champion Taylor, without a major title since the 2014 Grand Slam, will face Steve West in the opening round before a possible second-round meeting with in-form Austrian Mensur Suljovic, who is up against one of the home favourites Daryl Gurney in his opener.
Brendan Dolan gave the Emerald Isle its only Grand Prix finalist back in 2011 where he lost to The Power, Dolan opens up against Wright.
Also back on the oche is Raymond van Barneveld and he faces 2012 finalist Mervyn King in arguably the tie of the first round - neither man is seeded but a win will give them the perfect chance of another Dublin final.
Barney lost back-to-back Grand Prix finals to Taylor in 2008 and 2009 but has not gone beyond the second round in each of the last five years. Having missed out on the Champions League of Darts, the Dutch darting legend will be determined to make his mark.
Darts next major gets underway next Sunday on Sky Sports when 32 of the world's best go head-to-head in one of the toughest competitions to win - the World Grand Prix is on Sky Sports 3 from 7pm on October 2.
