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The top 16 PDC players commence the challenge to find who will become the 1999 World Grand Prix champion at Rochester's Casino Rooms, Kent, on Wednesday 20th October.The tournament was won last year by reigning and record-holding seven times World Champion Phil Taylor, who defeated Rod Harrington in a close-fought 13-8 final.
Obviously Taylor is one of the favourites to take the title, and with his forthcoming showdown against BDO World Champion Ray Barneveld on November 9th, probably the most anticipated match ever in televised darts history, the Staffordshire player will be anxious to retain his crown at Rochester.
However Taylor's last performance on television, at the World Matchplay in Blackpool in August, was not quite what "The Power's" fans were hoping for - despite initial good victories over Ronnie Baxter and Chris Mason, he eventully lost out 17-15 to rising star Peter Manley from Surrey.
Manley, the new World Number One, finished runner-up in the event, and undoubtedly poses one of Taylor's biggest opponents at the Grand Prix.
But perhaps the most feared of all at Rochester, along with Phil Taylor, will be "The Prince of Style" Rod Harrington.
Harrington had an epic victory over Manley at the Matchplay - he lead by 17-14 needing only one leg to win, but had to watch in horror as Manley recovered his three-leg defecit and looked favourite to take the title. But Harrington refused to let the pressure get the better of him, and in spite of having to play in a temperature exceeding 100%C, he battled hard to restore a 1 leg advantage, and finally checked out a mighty 136 finish to become the first ever man to retain the Matchplay trophy.
So how confident is he of winning the Grand Prix? Speaking to me from his home in Chelmsford, Essex, just four days ago, he said: "I am very confident of winning it. Retaining the Matchplay has added to my confidence, and I will be practising hard to prepare for the event. If I can get past Bob Anderson in my first game, then I will be very difficult to beat. Hopefully now Rod Harrington is the sort of person who other players do not want to be drawn against".
"As for my toughest opponents", he went on, "Obviously Phil is a massive threat, but then so too are players like Peter (Manley) and Alan (Warriner). It may well be between us four, although, having said that, Dennis (Priestley) has recovered some form recently as well".
Indeed, Priestley reached the semi-finals of the Matchplay, losing out only to Harrington. Ironically, "The Menace", who has contended so many classic finals with his good friend Taylor, now finds himself playing him in his opening game. The round-robin system means that losing the first match does not necessarily result in elimination, but Dennis will at any rate be keen to try and overcome his longtime rival.
All in all it makes for one massive feast of World Darts. Will Taylor retain his crown? Will Harrington make it two major TV wins in a row? Or is it time for another player to steal the limelight? What is certain is that the PDC Grand Prix will provide yet another sensational week of top sport.
by Matt Gilbert
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