By Alex Moss
9 DECEMBER 2016 • 1:30PM
Reigning world champion Scott Waites begins his quest for a second Finder Darts Masters title in the Netherlands this evening.
Waites, who won the Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship for the second time back in January, takes on Belgium’s Andy Baetens in his opening game in Group A.
The three-day invitiational event, being held at the Hotel Zuiderduin, in Egmond aan Zee, starts tonight with the first round of group games.
2011 winner Waites will be joined by two other former champions on the opening night of the tournament, as 2010 champion Ross Montgomery and 2014 winner Jamie Hughes also take to the stage.
Hughes kicks off the session against home favourite Martijn Kleermaker in Group G, while in Group E Montgomery goes up against England’s Martin Atkins in the penultimate game of the evening.
The opening clash in Group B features an all-Dutch encounter between Jeffrey Sparidaans and Jimmy Hendriks, Wouter Vaes takes on Conan Whitehead in Group C, and Martin Phillips and Brian Dawson square off in Group H.
In Group F, Welshman Jim Williams goes up against Holland’s Richard Veenstra, and in the final game of the night Madars Razma faces Tony O’Shea in Group D.
In the ladies event, Fallon Sherrock will start the defence of her title against Lisa Ashton in Group A, while last year’s runner-up Anastasia Dobromyslova takes on Sharon Prins.
Last year’s youth runner-up Maikel Verberk opens his campaign against Marvin van Velzen in Group B, while Wessel Nijman and Jordan Thomas face off in Group A.
The tournament will be available to darts fans in the UK via a live online stream here.
Order of Play
Friday December 9 (7.30pm local time)
First Group Games
Jamie Hughes v Martijn Kleermaker (G)
Maikel Verberk v Marvin van Velzen (YB)
Jeffrey Sparidaans v Jimmy Hendriks (B)
Sharon Prins v Anastasia Dobromyslova (LB)
Scott Waites v Andy Baetens (A)
Wessel Nijman v Jordan Thomas (YA)
Wouter Vaes v Conan Whitehead (C)
Martin Phillips v Brian Dawson (H)
Fallon Sherrock v Lisa Ashton (LA)
Jim Williams v Richard Veenstra (F)
Martin Atkins v Ross Montgomery (E)
Madars Razma v Tony O’Shea (D)
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