PDC Coral Masters 2013 live on ITV4

The world’s best darts players return to Scotland for a brand new three-day PDC tournament televised by ITV4.

The Coral Masters will see the world’s top 16 players facing off for a £60,000 first prize with play taking place at the Royal Highland Centre from November 1-3.

Led by current PDC world champion Phil Taylor, the tournament will also feature Premier League champion Michael van Gerwen, European champion Adrian Lewis and Scotland’s former UK Open champion Robert Thornton, as they face off across three nights in a knockout format.

The Masters sees top class darts return to the Royal Highland Centre for the first time since the Ingliston venue staged the popular Premier League Darts event in 2009.

Fresh from his recent win at the recent World Grand Prix in Dublin, number one seed Taylor will, as always, be the man to beat.

With the world’s top 16 drawn in bracket order for the event, Taylor faces number 16 seed Terry Jenkins in the first round.

Two Scottish players will feature in the competition with 2012 UK Open winner Robert Thornton and Peter Wright lining up to win in front of their home crowd this weekend.

Wright faces world number two van Gerwen in the first round and the West Lothian-born thrower will be looking to cap his rise into the world’s elite with glory on home turf.

He won his second ranking title this year, reached three other finals on the PDC ProTour and also won through to his first major televised semi-final at June’s UK Open.

Among some of the other stand-out first round ties, James Wade, the seven-time major winner and world number five, plays 2011 Players Championship Finals winner Kevin Painter, while recent World Grand Prix finalist Dave Chisnall takes on five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld.

With only the top 16 competing in Edinburgh, fans will be treated to a feast a high class darts across all three days of competition, all live and free on ITV4.

Commenting on the latest televised competition to the darting calendar, PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said: “The Coral Masters sees the best of the best in the world of darts coming together to play in what promises to be a memorable event, as our top 16 do battle to see who really is The Master!”

“This is a new concept for us with only the world’s top 16 players qualifying, but the format will ensure high quality matches throughout three days and exciting matches between the biggest names in darts.

“Scotland has got a great darting history as well as a superb current crop of players. Staging The Masters in Edinburgh will again give Scottish fans the chance to enjoy top-class darts in the flesh this November.”

ITV4 will screen all three days of the 2013 Coral Masters live in its entirety as PDC returns to the channel for the second time this year, following on from its coverage of the European Championship in the summer.

Play will commence on Friday, November 1, with the eight first round matches, followed by the four Quarter-Finals on Saturday, November 2.

The semi-finals and final of the inaugural Coral Masters will then be held on Sunday, November 3, in one session as the destiny of the title is decided.

ITV4’s live transmissions from Edinburgh begin at 6.45pm across each of the three days.

Matt Smith presents the action alongside regular ITV pundits and former PDC professionals Chris Mason and Alan Warriner-Little.

Stuart Pyke and John Rawling will share commentary duties alongside Mason and Warriner-Little for the whole tournament, while Ned Boulting conducts the pre and post match interviews with the players.

All of ITV4’s live coverage will be available to watch in high-definition on ITV4 HD, plus online via itv.com/itv4.