Darts : Life^s a circus as Menace bids for £50k Big Topper!
DENNIS Priestley will be among 32 of the sport of darts^ best, bidding for a £50,000 prize when the PDC returns to its spiritual home for the inaugural Players Championship finals.
Until two years ago, the Circus Tavern in Purfleet hosted the PDC World Darts Championship – but will now showcase the newest big money televised tournament on the circuit with the top performers from the Players Championship battling it out.
The Circus has proved a happy hunting ground for the Menace in the past as he captured his second world championship on the Purfleet stage and also reached four other finals in the venue. Tomorrow afternoon (Friday), Priestley meets the man who knocked him out in the first round of the 2007 World Championships Steve Maish with a second round contest against Denis Ovens or John Part on Saturday up for grabs.
With the top names from the PDC all under one roof, the tournament should prove to be one of the best on the tour. Highlights in the first round include the fiery prospect Michael van Gerwin taking on world champion Phil Taylor, Andy Hamilton meeting Peter Manley and Raymond van Barneveld against Andy Jenkins.
This event will be the last on tour for many of the PDC players for some time as the Premier League of Darts takes centre stage for the next month. The tour resumes with the German Players Championship on February 28 but first the Premier League kicks off next Thursday in Liverpool.
Story By:South Yorkshire Times
http://www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk/sport/Life39s-a-circus-as-Menace.4922836.jp