Field completed for FA Cup of Darts in Bolton next month
The 138-man field for the UK Open in Bolton in June has been completed after Sunday's final qualifier was held in Wigan.
96 professionals have made it through to the final stages at the Reebok Stadium for the event being staged from June 3-6, with them joined by 32 amateur qualifiers for the tournament.
The £200,000 tournament, all of which will be played out in front of the Sky Sports cameras, is known as 'The FA Cup of Darts' because of the free draw format after each round.
The excitement of the open draw is built on by the fact that the UK Open features play on eight boards simultaneously in the early rounds, leading to a unique experience for the darting public.
Reigning UK Open champion Phil 'The Power' Taylor will enter the event alongside many of the other top names on Friday June 4 at the third round stage, mirroring football's FA Cup.
Early starts
However, stars such as Wayne Mardle, Peter Manley, former World Champions Steve Beaton and Richie Burnett and the 2004 UK Open winner Roland Scholten will all be in action on the opening night on Thursday June 3.
Bolton-born American star Gary Mawson will also feature on the opening night, returning to the scene of his finest hour after reaching the UK Open final two years ago, where he lost to James Wade.
Worsley-based Matt Clark will enter in round three, while Eccles' Peter Hudson will make his debut in a major tournament after impressing in his first year on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit.
PDC players battled through a series of eight qualifiers to earn their places in the tournament, with 96 qualifying alongside 32 amateurs, who won through free-to-enter knockouts held in Rileys Clubs around the UK, and ten top County players.
Near miss
Bolton's Paul Williams, a former UK Open semi-finalist, agonisingly missed out on qualification in the final qualifier last Sunday, losing to eventual winner James Wade in the first round in his bid to get through at the final attempt.
Chorley's Louis Blundell, Heywood's Darren Latham and St Helens-based professionals Michael Smith, 19, and Alan Tabern - a quarter-finalist in Bolton last year - are other local qualifiers, with the latter enjoying his best performance of 2010 by reaching the last eight of Sunday's final qualifier.
Prestwich's Paul Whitworth is among the Rileys Qualifiers, along with former Widnes rugby league player John Bowles, Skelmersdale's Bradley Williams and Liverpool's 19-year-old Jamie Green, the son of former PDC player Robbie Green.
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