UK Open 2019 preview & schedule: Friday afternoon session

The UK Open returns for its 2019 edition, with 159 professionals and amateurs competing in the PDC's 'FA Cup of Darts'.

It would have been 160, but for the absence of 2018 finalist Corey Cadby. David Pallett and Robert Owen will be there, however. Their run to the semi-finals, along with Cadby's showing, is a reminder of what this tournament is capable of. UK Open champion Gary Anderson will, thankfully, be there to defend his title. The majors begin here. And behind the World Championship and World Matchplay, it's widely agreed that the UK Open is the biggest and best the PDC has to offer. Friday afternoon in Minehead is set to be a busy one. The fact that the first, second and third rounds will all be completed by 5pm means that any player starting in the first round who gets through could have played up to 33 legs by teatime. It's a gruelling event, and one that often scuppers players. At least the tournament will do that this year, rather than Storm Emma. Ten games will be played on the Main Stage in the first session of the UK Open. A further 13 will take place on Stage Two. Stages 3-8 are quieter locales, but busy; they'll host 72 games in the afternoon.

All-out action

We'll have to wait and see exactly what ties the second and third rounds produce, but there are already some tasty confirmed ties. Round One kicks off with Pallett looking to repeat last year's heroics. He meets former BDO world number one Mark McGeeney, a debutant in Minehead. Elsewhere, Barry Lynn and Michael Rasztovits exemplify the incredible strength of the amateur and Challenge Tour fields respectively.
Former finalist Wes Newton meets Cameron Menzies on the Main Stage, followed by Dawson Murschell taking on Ross Smith in a round two game. Also in that round will Glen Durrant's first UK Open match, up on the biggest stage; he'll play a familiar face in Daniel Day, or a new one in the form of Maik Kuivenhoven.
The second round will also feature in international affair, with Robert Marijanovic playing Davy van Baelen. Scott Baker, in hot form on the floor, clashes with Ryan Harrington.

Big names enter

The world's top 32 enter in the fourth round. But some well-known faces are among those popping up as the third round gets going. One confirmed tie is a real stunner; Luke Humphries, fresh from a Premier League draw with Gerwyn Price, meets Vincent van der Voort. That will be on the Main Stage; so too will a game between two World Championship headline-makers, Nathan Aspinall and Toni Alcinas. Mickey Mansell plays Danny Noppert in a confirmed Stage Two match. Krzysztof Ratajski awaits the winner of the Baker/Harrington match, and Steve Lennon plays James Richardson. Other third round ties include Gabriel Clemens versus Zoran Lerchbacher, and Richard North going head-to-head with Ronny Huybrechts. The fourth round draw will be made after the conclusion of the third round, ready for a packed evening. It's three days of Minehead madness - enjoy. for more information about the UK Open including the schedule, prize fund breakdown, TV coverage and format.

Friday afternoon schedule

Main Stage

Mark McGeeney v David Pallett - First Round
Wes Newton v Cameron Menzies - First Round
Dawson Murschell v Ross Smith - Second Round
Glen Durrant v Day/Kuivenhoven - Second Round
Portela/Bates v Hughes/Rydz - Second Round
Taylor/Labanauskas v Kevin Burness - Second Round
Luke Humphries v Vincent van der Voort - Third Round
Toni Alcinas v Nathan Aspinall - Third Round
Ricky Evans v Justicia/Thoburn/Dennant - Third Round
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Shepherd/Worsley/Brooks - Third Round

Stage Two

Barry Lynn v Michael Rasztovits - First Round
Jamie Hughes v Callan Rydz - First Round
Dennis Nilsson v Madars Razma - First Round
Mike van Duivenbode v Ted Evetts - First Round
Scott Taylor v Darius Labanauskas - First Round
Wayne Jones v Vincent Kamphuis - Second Round
C Harris/Davey v Adam Hunt - Second Round
Temple/Preston v Arron Monk - Second Round
Shepherd/Worsley v Bradley Brooks - Second Round
Mickey Mansell v Danny Noppert - Third Round
James Richardson v Steve Lennon - Third Round
Baker/Harrington v Krzysztof Ratajski - Third Round
Devon Petersen v Portela/Bates/Hughes/Rydz - Third Round

Stage Three

Conan Whitehead v Michael Burgoine - First Round
Shaun Fox v Andy Jenkins - First Round
Joe Murnan v Mark Frost - First Round
Diogo Portela v Barrie Bates - First Round
Mark Wilson v Mark Dudbridge - Second Round
Nilsson/Razma v McGeeney/Pallett - Second Round
Van Duivenbode/Evetts v George Killington - Second Round
Collins/Rodriguez v Andy Boulton - Second Round
Gabriel Clemens v Zoran Lerchbacher - Third Round
Beveridge/Woodhouse v Chris Dobey - Third Round
Stevenson/Gray/McFarlane v Mark Webster - Third Round
Carlin/Bunse/Michael v Durrant/Day/Kuivenhoven - Third Round

Stage Four

Adam Huckvale v Mark Barilli - First Round
Geert Nentjes v David Evans - First Round
Cody Harris v John Davey - First Round
Kirk Shepherd v Jonathan Worsley - First Round
Matthew Edgar v Gary Eastwood - Second Round
Harry Ward v Browning/L Harris - Second Round
Newton/Menzies v Atkins/Bain - Second Round
Derry/Budgen v Van der Meer/Dootson - Second Round
Richard North v Ronny Huybrechts - Third Round
Ryan Joyce v Owen/Kantele/Lacey - Third Round
Newton/Menzies/Atkins/Bain v Josh Payne - Third Round
Cullen/Robinson/De Sousa/Raman v Van Duijvenbode/Clark/Zonneveld - Third Round

Stage Five

Jose de Sousa v Brian Raman - First Round
Nathan Derry v Lee Budgen - First Round
Vincent van der Meer v Eddie Dootson - First Round
Matt Clark v Niels Zonneveld - First Round
Robert Marijanovic v Davy van Baelen - Second Round
Fox/Jenkins v Mario Robbe - Second Round
Simon Stevenson v Gray/McFarlane - Second Round
Gavin Carlin v Bunse/Michael - Second Round
Wilson/Dudbridge v William O'Connor - Third Round
Fox/Jenkins/Robbe v Jeffrey de Zwaan - Third Round
Collins/Rodriguez/Boulton v Christian Kist - Third Round
Jones/Kamphuis v Taylor/Labanauskas/Burness - Third Round

Stage Six

Jarred Cole v Michael Barnard - First Round
Jason Cullen v Reece Robinson - First Round
Christian Bunse v John Michael - First Round
Martin Atkins v Jamie Bain - First Round
Scott Baker v Ryan Harrington - Second Round
Tony Newell v Huckvale/Barilli - Second Round
Tytus Kanik v Wilkinson/Meeuwisse - Second Round
Lynn/Rasztovits v Whitehead/Burgoine - Second Round
Edgar/Eastwood v Ryan Searle - Third Round
Ward/Browning/Harris v Jan Dekker - Third Round
Temple/Preston/Monk v Robert Thornton - Third Round
Van Duivenbode/Evetts/Killington v Nilsson/Razma/McGeeney/Pallett - Third Round

Stage Seven

Marko Kantele v Chris Lacey - First Round
Lloyd Browning v Lee Harris - First Round
Kevin Thoburn v Matthew Dennant - First Round
Adrian Gray v Ian McFarlane - First Round
Peter Hudson v John Goldie - Second Round
Nentjes/Evans v Cole/Barnard - Second Round
Robert Owen v Kantele/Lacey - Second Round
Murnan/Frost v Ryan Meikle - Second Round
Marijanovic/Van Baelen v Martin Schindler - Third Round
Newell/Huckvale/Barilli v Brendan Dolan - Third Round
Derry/Budgen/Van der Meer/Dootson v Keegan Brown - Third Round
Kanik/Wilkinson/Meeuwisse v Murschell/R Smith - Third Round

Stage Eight

Daniel Day v Maik Kuivenhoven - Carl Wilkinson v Yordi Meeuwisse - Terry Temple v Simon Preston - Robbie Collins v Rowby-John Rodriguez - Darren Beveridge v Luke Woodhouse - Cullen/Robinson v De Sousa/Raman - Jose Justicia v Thoburn/Dennant - Dirk van Duijvenbode v Clark/Zonneveld - Ron Meulenkamp v C Harris/Davey/Hunt - Nentjes/Evans/Cole/Barnard v Justin Pipe - Murnan/Frost/Meikle v Alan Tabern - Lynn/Rasztovits/Whitehead/Burgoine v Hudson/Goldie -