Jason Lovett will take to his first UK Open oche this afternoon little more than a month after bagging a prized PDC tour card.

The Norwich thrower came through Q School in January and then had to succeed at another qualifier to appear at this weekend's ITV4 televised finals at Butlins' Minehead Resort in Somerset.

Lovett and Ben Ward will kick off the tournament's preliminary round on the main stage at 11.45am. The winner will take on Mark Cox for the chance to face either Matt Clark or Devon Petersen in the second round. Lovett's practice partner Darren Webster enters the event at that stage where he will lock horns with Alex Roy, John Ferrell or Paul Dawkins.

Bungay's Andrew Gilding, Mendham's Peter Wright, Bradenham's Mervyn King and North Walsham's Steve Beaton kickstart their hopes for glory in the evening's yet-to-be drawn third round.