#darts Taylor handed kind draw

Defending champion Phil Taylor has been handed a kind draw in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship as he bids to win his sixteenth world title.

The Power will face either Gary Mawson or Filipino qualifier Juanito Gionzon in the first round of the competition. The Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship will run from December 16 to January 3 at London’s Alexandra Palace.

Mawson and Gionzon will battle it out for the right to face Taylor in the preliminary round of the competition, although the Stoke-born thrower is in no doubt who will prevail. He also highlighted who he would rather face in his opening game of the defence of his title.

Speaking to Sky Sports News after the draw, he said: "I would probably say that Gary Mawson will come through that one.

"I don't know the other fella, so I'd probably be a bit more worried about him than I would be about Gary to be honest."

Taylor is the overwhelming 8/15 favourite with most people looking at the ladbrokes darts event  to win the title for the third successive year.

Elsewhere in the draw, 8/1 second favourite James Wade will face Spanish sensation Antonio Alcinas (400/1) whilst Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld (12/1), who won the title in 2007, will battle it out against Steve 'The Muffin Man' Hine (400/1).

Simon Whitlock (12/1), last year’s beaten finalist, will face Steve Evans (500/1) whilst 1994 winner Dennis Priestley, who is a 250/1 shot, will line up against 500/1 outsider Bernd Roith.

Meanwhile, two-time championship winner John Part (125/1) will face either Per Laursen or Boris Krcmar whilst Gary Anderson will play whoever prevails in the Matt Padgett/Morihito Hasimoto tie.

There is also a chance for fans to step up to the oche in the ladscup darts championship which will also take place at Alexandra Palace. (contributed article)