All eyes in the darting world will be on Ted Hankey and Dean Winstanley this weekend as they start their PDC careers in the sunny climes of Benidorm at the PDC Players Championship.

Hankey is one of the world’s most exciting and entertaining darts players (with 2 World Championship titles and a totally unpredictable demeanor) and he has already become an instant hit with the PDC. 

Dean Winstanley is amongst the hottest young darts players to emerge in recent years. He shot to the number 1 ranked player in the WDF in what seemed like the blink of an eye and he seems set for a meteoric rise in the PDC rankings.

The two men face off against the PDC's finest in the first round at the Benidorm Championship and it represents an intriguing test for both players as they attempt to get vital points on the road to getting into the major televised events. Having had a full 2 weeks off after their recent Lakeside World Championships, both players have been practicing hard and early indications from Ted and Dean are that they will enjoy the new environment. Both men are certainly looking forward to the chance to rekindle some old rivalries!

Ted Hankey said "There has been much speculation since the Grand Slam about my future, and to be honest I was not sure myself, but I've made my decision and I'm looking forward to the massive challenge ahead. Everyone at the BDO has been superb down the years, and I thank them for all their hard work and support".

Dean echoed Ted’s thoughts as he said "The BDO have been fantastic and it is with a heavy heart that I made this difficult decision. Maybe it affected my Lakeside preparation, but I had to give serious thought to switching to the PDC and I'm 100% committed to making the most of this new opportunity and getting on TV again".

Ted’s superb run at the Lakeside (where he narrowly missed out on a final place) sees him in great form, whilst Dean recently sailed through the PDC Q School to get his Tour Card.

Date : 27-01-2012