13-times World Champion Phil Taylor will break new ground for the sport of darts when he heads to South Africa next month. Taylor will represent the PDC and Team Unicorn helping to spread the darting gospel to a global audience at the end of September. And for the first time, South Africa will send a representative to the Ladbrokes.Com World Championships in Purfleet. Taylor’s visit coincides with a massive darting weekend in Johannesburg, which will crown the South African Masters Champion, who will earn that coveted spot at the Circus Tavern. “I am really looking forward to taking darts to South Africa,” Taylor said. “It is another massive step forward for the sport and I’m told the standard is very good. Obviously it is an unknown quantity but it is great to see darts expanding into new territories.” The South African Masters will see hundreds of players get the chance to throw a single leg of 501 in the fewest darts. The top 16 will then play off for the right to go to the World Championships and the last eight will take on ‘The Power’ in a series of special exhibitions. It looks like being a busy time for Taylor, as he prepares for the World Darts Trophy in Holland and of course the defence of his SkyBet World Grand Prix in Dublin. He may also be flying the flag in the Far East before he heads to the Circus Tavern bidding for another World Title. PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said: “The expansion of the World Championships to 64 players means that more countries than ever have the opportunity to be represented at the Circus Tavern. There has already been a lot of interest in South Africa and through TV coverage on Supersport, darts fans in South Africa have had the chance to see Phil Taylor’s successes in recent years. They will now be able to see him in the flesh for the first time.” Players from China, Japan, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – to name but a few – have enjoyed their chance on the biggest stage of all at The Circus. Taylor will be in Johannesburg to crown the next contender – from South Africa. BY STUART PYKE
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