Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship Draw
JOHN PART will begin the defence of his Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship against American Bill Davis, while Phil Taylor drew qualifier Steve Grubb for the first round of the tournament.
Part claimed his third World Championship title 12 months ago, and meets US number two Davis in an all-north American battle at London^s Alexandra Palace.
Phil Taylor, the 13-time World Champion, will take on Somerset-based qualifier Steve Grubb in his opening contest, while number two seed Raymond van Barneveld meets another new face, Newcastle^s Mark Stephenson.
World number three James Wade takes on Northern Ireland^s Brendan Dolan, while Terry Jenkins drew resurgent Dennis Smith.
Kirk Shepherd, last year^s runner-up, was handed a tough task against Dutch left-hander Jan van der Rassel, and another Dutch star, Co Stompe, drew Andy Jenkins.
Former world number one Colin Lloyd meets 2006 Lakeside Champion Jelle Klaasen in a repeat of their recent meeting in the first round of the European Championship.
Russian lady star Anastasia Dobromyslova, the current Women^s World Champion who has joined the PDC, meets Holland^s Remco van Eijden in the preliminary round, with the winner taking on Tony Eccles.
The Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship begins on Friday December 19 at Alexandra Palace.
Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
Preliminary Round Draw
Hannes Schnier (Austria) v Shi Yongsheng (China)
David Fatum (USA) v Shane O^Connor (Ireland)
Warren French (New Zealand) v Akihiro Nagakawa (Japan)
Marko Kantele (Finland) v Lourence Ilagan (Philippines)
Charles Losper (South Africa) v Sudesh Fitzgerald (Guyana)
Remco van Eijden (Holland) v Anastasia Dobromyslova (Russia)
First Round Draw Bracket
Phil Taylor (1, England) v Steve Grubb (England)
Michael van Gerwen (32, Holland) v Darin Young (USA)
Roland Scholten (16, Holland) v Carlos Rodriguez (Spain)
Kevin Painter (17, England) v Matt Clark (England)
Wayne Mardle (8, England) v Fatum/O^Connor
Wayne Jones (25, England) v Robert Thornton (Scotland)
Alan Tabern (9, England) v Steve Beaton (England)
Andy Jenkins (24, England) v Co Stompe (Netherlands)
Terry Jenkins (5, England) v Dennis Smith (England)
Alex Roy (28, England) v Kevin McDine (England)
Mervyn King (12, England) v Schnier/Yongsheng
Mark Walsh (21, England) v Jamie Caven (England)
John Part (4, Canada) v Bill Davis (USA)
Barrie Bates (29, Wales) v Felix McBrearty (N. Ireland)
Peter Manley (13, England) v Mensur Suljovic (Austria)
Mark Dudbridge (20, England) v Nick Fullwell (England)
Raymond van Barneveld (2, Holland) v Mark Stephenson (England)
Wes Newton (31, England) v Per Laursen (Denmark)
Ronnie Baxter (15, England) v Kantele/Ilagan
Denis Ovens (18, England) v Steve Maish (England)
Andy Hamilton (7, England) v Michael Barnard (England)
Andy Smith (26, England) v Tony Ayres (England)
Colin Lloyd (10, England) v Jelle Klaasen (Netherlands)
Kirk Shepherd (23, England) v Jan van der Rassel (Netherlands)
Adrian Lewis (6, England) v Russell Stewart (Australia)
Adrian Gray (27, England) v Paul Nicholson (Australia)
Dennis Priestley (11, England) v French/Nagakawa
Chris Mason (22, England) v John MaGowan (N. Ireland)
James Wade (3, England) v Brendan Dolan (N. Ireland)
Tony Eccles (30, England) v van Eijden/Dobromyslova
Colin Osborne (14, England) v Losper/Fitzgerald
Vincent van der Voort (19, Holland) v Nandor Bezzeg (Hungary)