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For Immediate Release: Tuesday, 22nd June 2004
For the third year running the very best darts players from North America, Europe and the UK
will compete in the Las Vegas Desert Classic III live from the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino Resort 28th June – 4th July.
The tournament which was staged for the first time ever at the MGM Grand in 2002, returns
with a bigger and better format and a staggering $170,000 prize fund to showcase the very best the sport has to offer.
One of the most watched sports on British television the Desert Classic III begins with two
days of intense qualifying, from which sixteen players will emerge victorious.
They will join the best twelve players in the World Rankings and the four highest ranked
North Americans to make an up a field of 32 for the main event on June 30th.
These elite darts players will then go head-to-head live on Sky Sports back to the UK and on
delayed Fox Sports Net in the US for the ultimate prize of being crowned 2004 Las Vegas Desert Classic Champ.
Defending Champion Peter Manley will be back ready to retain the title he won in such style
last year, along with 2003 runner-up former World Champion Canada’s John Part who will be flying the flag for North America, eager to prove himself on home
soil.
Eleven times world champ Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, Alan ‘The Ice Man’ Warriner, plus
up-and-coming stars Mark Dudbridge, Wayne ‘Hawaii 501’ Mardle and Kevin Painter will all be out to claim the title for themselves – with America’s best darters
standing in their way.
A genuine battle of between Europe and North America, the Desert Classic III will be held in
the Ballrooms, Studio Walk bringing the bright lights and drama of one of Britain’s best loved and most popular sports to the heart of the Gambling Capital of
the World.
Schedule of Play
Monday, 28th June (not televised)
10am-2pm 1st Eliminator
3pm-7pm 2nd Eliminator
Tuesday, 29th June (not televised)
10am-2pm 3rd Eliminator
3pm-7pm 4th Eliminator
Wednesday, 30th June
10am-8pm – 16 x First Round Matches (Best of 3 Sets)
Top 12 + 4 North American wild cards v 16 qualifiers
Thursday, 1st July
10am-6pm – 8 x Second Round Matches (Best of 5 Sets)
Friday, 2nd July
10am-3pm – Quarter Finals (Best of 5 Sets)
Saturday, 3rd July
10am-1pm – Semi Finals (Best of 7 Sets)
Sunday, 4th July
10am-12noon – Final (Best of 13 Sets)
Las Vegas Desert Classic Prize Fund
Winner: £15,000
Runner-Up: £7,500
3/4th: £5,000|
5-8th: £3,500
9-16th: £2,000
17-32nd: £1,350
Top 12 Automatic Qualifiers
John Part, Roland Scholten, Phil Taylor, Peter Manley, Colin Lloyd, Wayne Mardle, Kevin Painter, Dennis
Smith, Ronnie Baxter, Andy Jenkins, Alan Warriner, Denis Ovens
Four North American Wild Cards
(3 US players topped the Wild card order of merit over ten ranked events; 1 Canada top of
NDF rankings 31st May)
Gerry Convery (Can), Darin Young, Ricky Villanueva, Bruce Cotterell
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