World Darts Championship 2022/23 | Day Five preview and order of play
Top seed Gerwyn Price gets his 2022/23 World Darts Championship campaign off and under way at Alexandra Palace on Monday.
Daryl Gurney is the only seeded player to have departed the competition so far, and Price will be determined to avert a shock early exit of his own and kick-start his quest for a second world title.
Price claimed glory behind closed doors at Ally Pally two years ago and faces a crucial campaign this time around as he bids to defend the £500,000 prize money against his world ranking.
The Welshman comes into the event as world number one but could drop to fourth in the Order of Merit should he fail to reach the final in January.
Price, runner-up in this year’s World Matchplay and winner of the World Series Finals, opens up with a tricky tie against world number 50 Woodhouse – who is appearing in the Second Round for the third time in four attempts.
Woodhouse defeated debutant Ukrainian qualifier Vladyslav Omelchenko in straight sets on Sunday afternoon and is now eyeing what would be the most significant win of his career to date.
The afternoon session includes a stand-out clash between former Grand Slam champion Jose de Sousa and 2010 world finalist Simon Whitlock.
De Sousa is the number 17 seed making his fifth consecutive World Championship appearance, having fallen at the Last 32 hurdle in successive outings.
The former Premier League finalist has reached two Semi-Finals on the European Tour this season, as well as the Quarter-Finals of the World Matchplay, and notably defeated Whitlock 10-9 en route to the Semis of The Masters back in January.
Whitlock was denied glory by Phil Taylor in the 2010 final and has been an ever-present since, reaching a further two Semi-Finals, though he has not been beyond the Fourth Round in his last eight appearances.
The 53-year-old partnered Damon Heta to World Cup glory for Australia this summer and dug deep to deny Asian qualifier Christian Perez in a fifth set decider on Saturday.
The opening match of the afternoon sees a resurgent Andrew Gilding take on former UK Open semi-finalist Robert Owen – who finished second on this year’s Challenge Tour Order of Merit to seal a debut at Ally Pally.
Gilding, also a former UK Open semi-finalist, has reached finals on both the European Tour and ProTour in a memorable 2022 to ensure a return to the sport’s show-piece event for the first time since 2016.
Danny Jansen, who defeated Gilding to claim a maiden Players Championship title back in April, steps up to face fellow debutant Paolo Nebrida.
Jansen, 20, is recognised for his trademark mullet and has established himself as one of the top emerging Dutch stars, but faces a tricky test from Filipino ace Nebrida – runner-up in this year’s Asian Championship.
Former Lakeside World Champion Steve Beaton marks his 22nd PDC World Championship appearance with a First Round meeting with debutant Danny van Trijp.
Beaton, who made his BDO World Championship debut 30 years ago, enjoyed a superb run to the final of Players Championship 30 in November and continues to thrive at the top level after four decades as a professional.
Van Trijp, meanwhile, picked up a brace of Challenge Tour titles this season and is one of 12 Dutch representatives in the event as he bids to mark a dream debut.
Niels Zonneveld and Lewy Williams go head-to-head for the right to face three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen in Round Two.
Zonneveld is a former World Youth semi-finalist who reached the Fifth Round of this year’s UK Open, while Welsh youngster Williams returns for a second successive stint at Ally Pally, having finished fourth on the Development Tour Order of Merit.
Geert Nentjes aims to register his first World Championship win at the third time of asking when he faces North American champion Leonard Gates.
Nentjes, a four-time Development Tour winner, reached the Fifth Round of this year’s UK Open, while Gates makes his Ally Pally debut at the age of 52 following his success in New York in June, and also competed in last month’s Grand Slam of Darts.
Ritchie Edhouse comes up against Canada’s David Cameron for the right to take on Danny Noppert in the Last 64.
Edhouse, a former Euro Tour semi-finalist, was beaten by Gerwyn Price here 12 months ago despite a superb showing and is yet to lose in the opening round.
Cameron qualified for his first PDC World Championship appearance following a trio of titles on the CDC tour this year and was notably crowned World Seniors Masters champion after defeating Phil Taylor in the final at Lakeside in May.
The action commences from 12.30pm GMT, with First Round and Second Round matches to be contested over the best five sets, best of five legs per set.
The tie break rule does not apply to First Round matches, meaning the fifth leg of a deciding set would be sudden death, while the final set in matches from Round Two onwards must be won by two clear legs, unless the score reaches 5-5, in which case a sudden-death leg will be played.
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World Darts Championship 2022/23 Day Five Schedule
Monday December 19
Afternoon Session (12.30pm-4.30pm)
Andrew Gilding v Robert Owen (R1)
Danny Jansen v Paolo Nebrida (R1)
Niels Zonneveld v Lewy Williams (R1)
Jose de Sousa v Simon Whitlock (R2)
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Geert Nentjes v Leonard Gates (R1)
Ritchie Edhouse v David Cameron (R1)
Steve Beaton v Danny van Trijp (R1)
Gerwyn Price v Luke Woodhouse (R2)
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