Tomorrow (Saturday) brings the start of the 2020 BDO World Championship. This year’s event sees a switch from the traditional home at the Lakeside Country Club at Frimley Green in Surrey, to The Indigo at the O2 in south east London.

The World Championship comprises three events, with separate championships for the men, women, and youth.  The youth event sees the final only, the qualifying rounds having been played in Essex in October.  The women’s championship will be contested by sixteen players, while a total of 40 men will battle it out for the men’s title.

The American representative is Chattanooga’s Joe Chaney.  “Chanesaw” made his World Championship debut in 2018, when he lost to Dutchman Danny Noppert.  Since then, Joe has gained much international experience, most notably at the 2019 BDO World Trophy, where he was edged out in the quarter-finals by eventual winner, Jim Williams.  Chaney opens his account on Sunday afternoon, facing off against England’s Ben Hazel.

#1 seed for the men is Wesley Harms, one of four Dutch seeds in the Top 8.  Much of the focus in the men’s event will be on Leighton Bennett, who becomes the youngest competitor in World Championship history at 14 years of age.  Bennett takes on former World Champ, Scott Mitchell.

Lisa Ashton heads the women’s seeds, but again, a teenager will be attracting plenty of attention.  15-year-old Beau Greaves is playing in her first senior World Championship, having won several tour events in 2019.

The Youth Final takes place next Saturday, and features the aforementioned Leighton Bennett, and Ireland’s Keane Barry.

Updates and results can be found at www.bdodarts.com

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