Announcements

ST HELENS darts duo Dave Chisnall and Michael Smith both face tough opening round ties in the Unibet Masters.

The fifth staging of the Unibet Masters will see the world's top 16 players face off from January 27-29 at Arena MK in Milton Keynes, with the four sessions broadcast live on ITV4.

Smith's match opens the tournament on Friday January 27, with the Clock Face thrower taking on inaugural champion Phil Taylor.

Chisnall — a 2016 finalist — faces 2015 runner-up Raymond van Barneveld.

Two-time World Champion Gary Anderson plays Benito van de Pas, world number three Peter Wright takes on Ian White.

New World Champion Michael Van Gerwen, the top seed as world number one, opens his challenge for a Masters hat-trick against Australia's Simon Whitlock, the world number 16, in one of Saturday's final four first round games.

2014 champion James Wade takes on Scottish star Robert Thornton, with world number four Adrian Lewis up against Belgium's Kim Huybrechts and Austria's Mensur Suljovic making his Masters debut when he faces Dutchman Jelle Klaasen.

Sunday afternoon then sees the four quarter-finals held before the tournament concludes on Sunday evening with the semi-finals and final.

Tickets for the 2017 Unibet Masters are still available and can be purchased online from www.theticketfactory.com/PDC. Tickets, including table seating, for all sessions are also available from the Stadium MK Box Office via 0333 200 5343 or boxoffice@mkdons.com.

Van Gerwen is the 13/25 pre-tournament favourite with sponsors Unibet, with world number two Anderson the 7/1 second favourite and both Taylor and Wright rated 11/1 to take the title on January 29.

2017 Unibet Masters.

Tournament Bracket & First Round Draw.

Michael van Gerwen (1) v Simon Whitlock (16).

Mensur Suljovic (8) v Jelle Klaasen (9).

James Wade (5) v Robert Thornton (12).

Adrian Lewis (4) v Kim Huybrechts (13).

Gary Anderson (2) v Benito van de Pas (15).

Dave Chisnall (7) v Raymond van Barneveld (10).

Phil Taylor (6) v Michael Smith (11).

Peter Wright (3) v Ian White (14).

Schedule of Play.

Friday January 27 (7pm).

First Round.

Dave Chisnall (7) v Raymond van Barneveld (10).

Phil Taylor (6) v Michael Smith (11).

Gary Anderson (2) v Benito van de Pas (15).

Peter Wright (3) v Ian White (14).

Saturday January 28 (7pm).

First Round.

Mensur Suljovic (8) v Jelle Klaasen (9).

James Wade (5) v Robert Thornton (12).

Michael van Gerwen (1) v Simon Whitlock (16).

Adrian Lewis (4) v Kim Huybrechts (13).

Sunday January 29

Afternoon Session (12.45pm)

Quarter-Finals.

Taylor (6)/Smith (11) v Wright (3)/White (14).

Anderson (2)/Van de Pas (15) v Chisnall (7)/Van Barneveld (10).

Wade (5)/Thornton (12) v Lewis (4)/Huybrechts (13).

Van Gerwen (1)/Whitlock (16) v Suljovic (8)/Klaasen (9).

Evening Session (7pm).

Semi-Finals/Final.