The Unipart British
Professional Championship from The Coatham Bowl, Redcar
The fourth British Professional Championship starts this afternoon with 32 of the top darts players competing for prize money of over £30,000, the winner taking some £8,000. The first round has brought together some interesting tussles. The opening session features the world's top pro ERIC BRisTow , No 1 seed, who has to play his crucial first match against newcomer to TV GARY LAWRENCE from Sussex.
First time in the seedings, BOB ANDERSON (8), from Surrey, could have a difficult time against Welsh star
cERi MORGAN ; and another top Welsh thrower, PETER LOCKE , meets another of the 13 newcQmers, LAWRENCE WHITFIELD , from Wiltshire.
Each first-round match is the best of five sets, three legs per set. Introduced by TONY GUBBA Commentators sid WADDELL and TONY GREEN
Directors MIKE ADLEY and KEITH MACKENZIE
Producer KEITH PHILLIPS
• FEATURE: page 14