THE field for next weekend's Cash Converters Players Championship Finals has been confirmed following the completion of the Players Championships in Barnsley, with Jamie Lewis hanging on to 32nd place for the ITV4-televised event.
The £250,000 tournament, held at the Butlins Minehead Resort from Friday November 29-Sunday December 1, sees the top 32 players from the year's final ProTour Order of Merit competing.
Michael van Gerwen topped the final ProTour Order of Merit, winning an incredible £125,350 during the year as he took victory in five of the eight UK Open Qualifiers, two European Tour events and two Players Championships.
Dave Chisnall, who won his third title of the year in Saturday's Players Championship, edged out Peter Wright to finish second with £68,400 to the Scot's £64,900.
Brendan Dolan's victory in Sunday's Players Championship 16 saw him move onto £59,800 for the year, just £200 ahead of another shooting star, Kim Huybrechts, while Robert Thornton claimed £57,900, Jamie Caven won £55,100 and Steve Beaton picked up £50,650.
Welsh ace Jamie Lewis, a European Tour finalist in Gibraltar, held onto 32nd place in the final ProTour Order of Merit by winning through to Sunday's Players Championship quarter-finals, although he was given some nervous moments by Ricky Evans, who lost in the semis but would have reached the top 32 with victory in Barnsley.
Lewis will now take on van Gerwen in Friday's first round of the Cash Converters Players Championship Finals, with Chisnall meeting another Dutchman, Jelle Klaasen.
Reigning Players Championship Finals winner Phil Taylor, who finished 19th on this year's ProTour Order of Merit, faces 2010 champion Paul Nicholson in the first round, while the 2012 Minehead runner-up, number five seed Kim Huybrechts, is up against Terry Jenkins.
2011 champion Kevin Painter, the only other player to lift the title, takes on two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis, while number three seed Peter Wright plays Michael Smith and last week's William Hill Grand Slam of Darts finalist Robert Thornton opens against Richie Burnett.
Jamie Caven, the number seven seed, plays Colin Lloyd, European Tour winners Steve Beaton and Wes Newton take on James Wade and Andy Smith respectively, while Dolan meets Wayne Jones.
Last year's losing semi-finalists in Minehead, Australian Simon Whitlock and Taunton's Justin Pipe, face each other in the first round this year, while Mervyn King faces Raymond van Barneveld.
John Part, who won March's UK Masters European Tour event at the Butlins Minehead Resort, opens against Andy Hamilton, while that event's runner-up Stuart Kellett will play Somerset-based Gary Anderson, and Ian White meets Ronnie Baxter.
The schedule of play for the Cash Converters Players Championship Finals will be announced in due course.
First Round Draw & Tournament Bracket
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Jamie Lewis (32)
Adrian Lewis (16) v Kevin Painter (17)
Steve Beaton (8) v James Wade (25)
Wes Newton (9) v Andy Smith (24)
Kim Huybrechts (5) v Terry Jenkins (28)
Ian White (12) v Ronnie Baxter (21)
Brendan Dolan (4) v Wayne Jones (29)
John Part (13) v Andy Hamilton (20)
Dave Chisnall (2) v Jelle Klaasen (31)
Gary Anderson (15) v Stuart Kellett (18)
Jamie Caven (7) v Colin Lloyd (26)
Simon Whitlock (10) v Justin Pipe (23)
Robert Thornton (6) v Richie Burnett (27)
Mervyn King (11) v Raymond van Barneveld (22)
Peter Wright (3) v Michael Smith (30)
Paul Nicholson (14) v Phil Taylor (19)
No comments:
Post a Comment