PDC Unibet Masters Darts 2016: Dates, Draw, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
The top 16 Professional Darts Corporation players in the world will battle it out for the Unibet Masters title this weekend, with reigning champion Michael van Gerwen bidding to bounce back from a disappointing performance at the world championships.
It’s a chance for those players who underwhelmed in that competition to make amends quickly at a pedigree event, potentially setting up a tremendous 2016.
As the top seed and holder, the Dutchman is the big favourite, but the likes of Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis will fancy their chances too.
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Here’s the draw for the competition at ArenaMK in Milton Keynes, the key viewing details and a look at a couple of players who should go far in this year’s edition.
| (1) Michael van Gerwen | vs. | (16) Stephen Bunting |
| (8) Michael Smith | vs. | (9) Raymond van Barneveld |
| (4) Phil Taylor | vs. | (13) Jelle Klaasen |
| (5) Peter Wright | vs. | (12) Ian White |
| (2) Gary Anderson | vs. | (15) Vincent van der Voort |
| (7) Robert Thornton | vs. | (10) Dave Chisnall |
| (3) Adrian Lewis | vs. | (14) Kim Huybrechts |
| (6) James Wade | vs. | (11) Terry Jenkins |
Dates: Saturday, Jan. 30 and Sunday, Jan. 31
Live Stream: ITV Player (UK)
TV Info: Live coverage on ITV 4 (UK)
Gary Anderson
The man to beat on the oche at the moment is world champion Anderson, who cemented his status as a great of the game by clinching his second world title at Alexandra Palace earlier this month. The Scot was a class above the rest of the field and secured an emphatic triumph over Adrian Lewis in the final.
On his way to glory at Ally Pally, the 45-year-old even notched a perfect nine-dart finish in his semi-final win over Jelle Klaasen:
The momentum built from his win at the tournament should see Anderson perform well for the early tournaments this year.
When the Scot settles into a groove, he’s a very difficult man to beat. He’s one of the most reliable scorers in the PDC, and as is evident by the nine-dart finish above, he can bring his very best to the board at crucial points.
Sports commentator Stuart Pyke thinks he’s a player who can never be completely ruled out of the running:
The draw at the Masters seems kind to Anderson. As the second seed, he’s in the bottom half, and although he’s got some hardened competitors in his section, Van Gerwen, Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld will all be avoided until the final should the Scot keep winning.
Anderson fell to Taylor in the quarter-finals last year, but buoyed by achievement of becoming a two-time world champion, expect him to add another major title to his rapidly expanding haul of silverware.
Prediction: Winner
Michael van Gerwen
Heading into the 2016 William Hill World Championship, Van Gerwen looked almost unbeatable. The Dutchman was scoring heavily, ruthless on doubles and emitting the aura of a player ready to add another world crown to his array of titles.
But it all came crumbling down at Alexandra Palace, as the world No. 1 was eliminated by compatriot Van Barneveld in a thrilling tussle. Van Gerwen will be desperate to respond to that third-round exit in Milton Keynes and retain the title he won for the first time 12 months ago.
As we can see, courtesy of the PDC Twitter feed, even though Van Gerwen fell short at the year’s showpiece event, he was honoured at the organisation’s annual awards for his exceptional play:
The Dutchman excelled in the televised tournaments last year, notching the World Matchplay, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship crowns as well as the Masters. But losing so early in the world championship in such agonising circumstances clearly took a lot out of the 26-year-old.
Expect another deep run in the competition from the man known as Mighty Mike, but he'll fall just short in Sunday’s showpiece final.
Prediction: Runner-Up
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