Phil Taylor has opted against competing in the double-start Unibet World Grand Prix in Dublin next month.
Taylor has been highly selective in picking which events he enters in his final season before retirement and has decided to miss the PDC's third longest-running televised major, which he's won 11 times during his glittering career.
The Power will be defending his Champions League of Darts crown this weekend in Cardiff, where he is 5/1 second favourite to win, but after that we'll next see him at the inaugural German Darts Masters (October 20-21), the World Series of Darts Finals (November 3-5), potentially the Grand Slam of Darts (November 11-19) and definitely the World Championship, where he'll bid to bow out on a ultimate high.
Taylor's absence from the World Grand Prix has opened the door for 2015 champion Robert Thornton to take his place in the 32-man field at the Citywest Hotel from October 1-7 having initially slipped out of the qualifying places at the weekend.
Michael van Gerwen, who reclaimed the title he lost to Thornton 12 months ago, will head the eight seeded players in the tournament, which will be screened live by Sky Sports and boasts a prize fund of £400,000.
The draw for the World Grand Prix, which features a unique double-start set play format, will be made on Sunday September 17.
World Grand Prix: Order of Merit qualifiers
Seedings players in brackets
- Michael van Gerwen (1)
- Gary Anderson (2)
- Peter Wright (3)
- Adrian Lewis (4)
- Dave Chisnall (5)
- Mensur Suljovic (6)
- Michael Smith (7)
- Raymond van Barneveld (8)
- Jelle Klaasen
- James Wade
- Daryl Gurney
- Kim Huybrechts
- Ian White
- Benito van de Pas
- Simon Whitlock
- Robert Thornton
ProTour Order of Merit Qualifiers
- Rob Cross
- Alan Norris
- Joe Cullen
- Mervyn King
- Gerwyn Price
- Steve Beaton
- Kyle Anderson
- Cristo Reyes
- Darren Webster
- Stephen Bunting
- Christian Kist
- John Henderson
- Justin Pipe
- Steve West
- Richard North
- Ronny Huybrechts
