Michael van Gerwen will start the defence of his BoyleSports World Grand Prix title against debutant Jamie Hughes.

The draw for the first round of the World Grand Prix was made this morning, with the world number one, a four-time winner of the double-start event, to face one of six players making their debuts at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.

The 22nd staging of the World Grand Prix starts a week on Sunday (October 6), with the tie of the first round pitting Rob Cross, the second seed, against world number nine Mensur Suljovic.

Third seed Daryl Gurney, the 2017 World Grand Prix winner, opens his campaign for a second title against Danny Noppert, while Gary Anderson, the fourth seed and 2016 runner-up, faces Keegan Brown.

Fifth seed Michael Smith, whose best run in Dublin is a second-round appearance in 2015, takes on world number 12 Simon Whitlock, and sixth seed Gerwyn Price meets world number 11 Dave Chisnall.

Last year’s runner-up Peter Wright, the seventh seed, has been drawn with German number one Max Hopp, while eighth seed James Wade, the 2007 and 2010 World Grand Prix champion, faces John Henderson.

With only the top eight on the PDC Order of Merit seeded for the 32-player event, the draw has thrown up three ties pitting players in the top 16 against each other, with world numbers 10 and 16, Ian White and Joe Cullen, also facing off in the opening round.

Nathan Aspinall, the UK Open and US Darts Masters champion, makes his debut in the tournament against Vincent van der Voort, while 2010 Dublin runner-up Adrian Lewis plays Jermaine Wattimena.

2012 finalist Mervyn King goes up against debutant Dimitri van den Bergh, Glen Durrant and Krzysztof Ratajski meet each other in their first appearances at the World Grand Prix, while Chris Dobey, the other debutant in the field, plays Ricky Evans.

2019 BoyleSports World Grand Prix
Draw Bracket
(1) Michael van Gerwen v Jamie Hughes
Jeffrey de Zwaan v Steve Beaton
(8) James Wade v John Henderson
Mervyn King v Dimitri Van den Bergh
(5) Michael Smith v Simon Whitlock
Joe Cullen v Ian White
(4) Gary Anderson v Keegan Brown
Ricky Evans v Chris Dobey
(2) Rob Cross v Mensur Suljovic
Glen Durrant v Krzysztof Ratajski
(7) Peter Wright v Max Hopp
Adrian Lewis v Jermaine Wattimena
(6) Gerwyn Price v Dave Chisnall
Stephen Bunting v Jonny Clayton
(3) Daryl Gurney v Danny Noppert
Vincent van der Voort v Nathan Aspinall

Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC