Las Vegas Desert Classic - First Round Draw

PHIL TAYLOR will meet Mark Dudbridge in the pick of the first round matches at the Las Vegas Desert Classic VI, while John Part begins his title defence against Steve Maish at Mandalay Bay.
Taylor, the three-time Desert Classic champion and number one seed, will come up against Dudbridge on the tournament's opening night on Wednesday.
Dudbridge, who had to battle through the qualifiers for the event on Monday and Tuesday, has previously faced Taylor in the finals of the World Championship and World Matchplay.
World Champion Raymond van Barneveld has drawn Kevin Painter in another tasty first round contest, while Part takes on Essex qualifier Steve Maish as he bids to emulate his 2006 success.
World number three Colin Lloyd faces a tricky opener against Wes Newton, who has reached the semi-finals for the past two years.
2003 Desert Classic winner Peter Manley has drawn quick-throwing Dutchman Vincent van der Voort - the recent Blue Square UK Open runner-up - in another mouth-watering clash.
Wayne Mardle, twice a runner-up in the tournament, will take on John Ferrell, who has returned to the professional circuit this year and battled through the qualifiers.
Ferrell was one of the 16 players to win a place in the main field from the qualifying events staged on Monday and Tuesday.
Cheshire-based newcomer Stuart Holden meets Gary Mawson, one of four top-ranked North Americans who joined the PDC's top 12 players in qualifying automatically for the main event.
Ronnie Baxter - the runner-up in the inaugural Desert Classic - was the highest profile player to miss out in the qualifiers, along with Welshman Barrie Bates and Andy Jenkins.
Rising stars Colin Osborne and Alan Tabern face James Wade and America's John Kuczynski respectively, and another USA favourite, Ray Carver, drew world number five Terry Jenkins.
PDC newcomers Mervyn King and Tony Eccles face trans-Atlantic battles with Gerry Convery and Darin Young - who each topped the rankings in their respective countries to win a place in the event.
Adrian Lewis will come up against Essex's Steve Smith, Roland Scholten faces Andy Smith and Dennis Priestley has a repeat of his first round clash of 2006 when he takes on Dennis Smith.

Las Vegas Desert Classic VI - First Round Draw
Darin Young v Tony Eccles
Phil Taylor v Mark Dudbridge
Gerry Convery v Mervyn King
John Kuczynski v Alan Tabern
Roland Scholten v Andy Smith
John Part v Steve Maish
Colin Lloyd v Wes Newton
James Wade v Colin Osborne
Gary Mawson v Stuart Holden
Peter Manley v Vincent van der Voort
Raymond van Barneveld v Kevin Painter
Dennis Priestley v Dennis Smith
Andy Hamilton v Steve Beaton
Adrian Lewis v Steve Smith
Terry Jenkins v Ray Carver
Wayne Mardle v John Ferrell
Best of 11 legs
From Round Two onwards a free draw will be made.

Las Vegas Desert Classic VI - Schedule of Play
Wednesday 4 July
11am James Wade v Colin Osborne
11.30am Gary Mawson v Stuart Holden
12pm Andy Hamilton v Steve Beaton
12.30pm Phil Taylor v Mark Dudbridge
1pm Colin Lloydv Wes Newton
1.30pm Terry Jenkins v Ray Carver
2pm Wayne Mardle v John Ferrell
2.30pm John Part v Steve Maish

Thursday 5 July
11am Gerry Convery v Mervyn King
11.30am Dennis Priestley v Dennis Smith
12pm Darin Young v Tony Eccles
12.30pm Peter Manley v Vincent van der Voort
1pm Raymond van Barneveld v Kevin Painter
1.30pm John Kuczynski v Alan Tabern
2pm Adrian Lewis v Steve Smith
2.30pm Roland Scholten v Andy Smith