2007 UK Open - Format

Format

Qualifying events are held at Punch Taverns pubs across the UK - winners from each pub event progress to one of four Regional Finals, to be staged in their relevant area. Players who reach the final eight in the Regional Finals will qualify for the televised stages of the UK Open in Bolton.

In addition there are eight UK Open Regional Finals for the "professional" players. All events are open to all darts players on payment of an entry fee - which means that players from both the PDC and BDO are eligible to enter. Players who enter through the Punch Taverns Qualifying Round are not eligible to play in the regional qualifying events and vice-versa.

The results of the eight qualifiers are then collated into an Order of Merit table (Winner £4000; Runner-up £2000; 3-4 £1000; 5-8 £500; 9-16 £250; 17-32 £100; 33-64 £50). This was raised to Winner £5000; Runner-up £2500; 3-4 £1250; 5-8 £600; 9-16 £300; 17-32 £150; 33-64 £75 from January 2007. The top 128 players (plust ties) in this Order of Merit join the 32 Punch Taverns qualifiers at the televised stages in Bolton.

The format for the event changes in 2007 to allow the tournament to expand by an extra day, and increase the number of players in the field.

• Day 1, Preliminary Round - best of 15 legs

16 Matches drawn from a pool of 32 Punch Taverns Qualifiers and the 31 players with £50 or £75 in UK Open Order of Merit

1st round - best of 15 legs

32 Matches with 16 Preliminary Round survivors, the remaining 31 players who were not drawn in Preliminary Round and players ranked 97-113 in UK Open Order of Merit

• Day 2, 2nd round - best of 15 legs

Players ranked 65 to 96 join the first round winners.

3rd round - best of 15 legs

Players ranked 33 to 64 join the second round winners.

• Day 3, 4th round - best of 21 legs

Players ranked in the top 32 join the third round winners.

5th round - best of 21 legs

Last 32 of competition

6th round - best of 21 legs

Last 16 of competition followed by draw for quarter-finals in bracket form to avoid players being drawn in consecutive matches.

• Day 4, Quarter finals - best of 21 legs

Semi finals - best of 21 legs

Final - best of 31 legs