US Darts Masters 2022 | Day One Preview and Order of Play
The opening World Series event of the season commences in New York City on Friday with the First Round of the US Darts Masters.
A selection of the sport’s biggest names will battle it out at the iconic Madison Square Garden Hulu Theater from June 3-4, with eight PDC representatives joined by eight North American stars.
The PDC representatives will each take on a North American qualifier in Round One as they look to avoid a potential banana skin.
Michael van Gerwen, winner of the inaugural US Masters in Las Vegas five years ago, kicks off his campaign against PDC Tour Card holder Jules van Dongen.
Van Gerwen has already picked up three European Tour titles and two Players Championship titles this season and will be looking to continue his dominance of the World Series, having racked up 17 tournament wins since 2013.
Dutch-born Van Dongen, who is making his World Series debut, came through the European Qualifying School in January to earn his place on the tour and also featured in the recent WDF World Championship.
Gary Anderson, US Masters champion in 2018, faces a tough opening test against recent ProTour event finalist Matt Campbell.
Anderson finished rock bottom of this year’s Premier League table, and the two-time World Champion will be determined to bounce back on the televised stage at the first time of asking.
Canadian ace Campbell, who will feature in the World Cup of Darts later this month, was runner-up to reigning US Masters champion Nathan Aspinall in Players Championship 13 in April, defeating the likes of Danny Noppert and Krzysztof Ratajski along the way.
World number one Peter Wright launches his quest for a fourth World Series title with a clash against PDC Tour Card holder Danny Baggish.
Wright, who narrowly missed out on the Premier League play-offs a week ago, last won a ranking tournament in February but has shown signs of a return to form with yet another new setup in recent weeks.
Baggish came through Qualifying School in dramatic fashion last year but has struggled to make inroads during his time on the tour so far, though he did recently register his first win on the European Tour and won the North American Championship in 2019.
The opening match of the tournament sees man of the moment Michael Smith take on debutant qualifier Doug Boehm.
Smith secured his first weekly Premier League title at the 16th and final time of asking in Newcastle last Thursday before going on to win the Dutch Darts Championship at the weekend.
Shanghai Masters champion in 2018, ‘Bully Boy’ knows what it takes to win a World Series event and heads to The Big Apple in fine form and full of confidence.
Boehm is the top CDC Order of Merit qualifier and will look to make it a memorable first appearance on a televised stage.
Meanwhile, ‘Queen of The Palace’ Fallon Sherrock aims to shine on jubilee weekend as she takes on CDC qualifier and recent WDF World Championship participant Leonard Gates.
Sherrock rose to stardom courtesy of her run to the Last 32 of the 2020 World Championship, before reaffirming her credentials by reaching last year’s Nordic Masters final, followed by a run to the Quarter-Finals of the Grand Slam of Darts.
Sherrock makes her World Series return (Photo by PDC)
Gates posted a sensational 113.24 average at this year’s Q School and will look to register his first win in the World Series, having been whitewashed 6-0 by Rob Cross in the 2019 US Masters.
World number two Gerwyn Price, a former World Series Finals champion, kicks off with a tie against recent World Seniors Masters champion David Cameron.
Grand Slam champion Price has picked up a European Tour title and a Players Championship title this season, but missed out on a place in the Premier League play-offs.
Canada’s Cameron defeated the likes of Kevin Painter, Robert Thornton and Phil Taylor en route to his first televised title at Lakeside last weekend and will look to pick up from where he left off as he eyes another big name scalp.
Premier League champion Jonny Clayton, the reigning World Series Finals winner, is faced with a tricky opener against American left-hander Danny Lauby Jr.
Clayton finished top of the Premier League table and has a chance to defend his title in Berlin later this month, but will firstly have his sights set on a second World Series title in five appearances.
Lauby, the CDC Order of Merit number two, has featured in successive PDC World Championships and has narrowly lost out 3-2 on both occasions, going down to Ryan Searle and William O’Connor.
James Wade, whose maiden World Series title came at the World Series Finals in 2018, starts his latest campaign against Tour Card holder Jeff Smith.
Wade secured a place in the Premier League play-offs with a third place finish and will be out to recapture his sparkling mid-season form after a recent illness setback.
Smith, the 2016 Lakeside runner-up and former World Cup quarter-finalist, is no stranger to the PDC World Series and is making his third consecutive US Masters appearance as he bids for his first win.
The action gets under way from 7pm EST (12am UK time), with First Round matches to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
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US Darts Masters 2022 Day One Schedule of Play
All times BST (local time five hours behind)
Friday June 3
First Round
12am Michael Smith v Doug Boehm
12.30am James Wade v Jeff Smith
1am Gary Anderson v Matt Campbell
1.30am Fallon Sherrock v Leonard Gates
2am Peter Wright v Danny Baggish
2.30am Michael van Gerwen v Jules van Dongen
3am Gerwyn Price v David Cameron
3.30am Jonny Clayton v Danny Lauby
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