DUTCH trio Jelle Klaasen, Vincent van der Voort and Co Stompe were amongst the first six qualifiers for the PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic on Sunday.
Almost 200 players travelled to the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas in a bid to win the 12 qualifying places in the main Desert Classic event, which begins on Wednesday.
Three of the first six players will join Raymond van Barneveld as Dutch representatives in the Desert Classic, with Klaasen, van der Voort and Stompe all winning through a tough field on Sunday.
Klaasen had to take on former World Champion Mark Webster in the first round, winning 5-2, and later edged out James Barton 5-4 before seeing off Smith in his deciding game, taking out 146 and 149 in the final two legs to seal the narrowest of victories.
Van der Voort was a 5-3 winner against Tony Eccles in his final match, having previously overcome Louis Blundell, Ian Jopling and Ken MacNeil.
Stompe qualified for a second successive year with a whitewash of Nick Fullwell in his decider.
He was a narrow 5-4 winner against Michael van Gerwen in his semi-final, and also produced two earlier 5-0 wins in a strong performance on the day.
Lowestoft^s Peter Wright, who has climbed into the world^s top 100 this year, defeated Andy Smith 5-3 to earn his Desert Classic debut.
Simon Whitlock celebrated his return to the PDC circuit by qualifying for the Desert Classic, winning his first three games without dropping a leg before defeating Mark Dudbridge and Barrie Bates to earn his spot.
The Queenslander is undefeated on the DartPlayers Australia circuit this season and maintained that form to earn a place in the main Desert Classic.
Jamie Caven^s recent run of form continued as he defeated Ireland^s Shane O^Connor 5-4 in his final match, hitting winning legs of 14, 11 and 13 darts to come from 4-2 down and sneak victory.
Sunday^s losing players will return on Monday for the second qualifier, which will produce the final six players for the main event.
The PDC^s top 16 and four North Americans have pre-qualified for the Desert Classic, with the televised stages beginning on Wednesday and screened live on Sky Sports in the UK.
PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic
Sunday Qualifier
First Round
Board One
Peter Manley (1) Bye
Mark Venable 5-1 Martin S Rodda
Jim Newman 5-1 Jeff Angione
Kevin Hill 5-2 Stephen MacAulay
Board Two
Mick McGowan (24) 5-4 David Fatum
Nikash Patel 5-1 Scott Clifford
Anthony Thompson 5-1 Michael Putz
Shane O^Connor 5-1 Joe DaVanti
Board Three
Kirk Shepherd (7) Bye
John Latchic 5-4 Pete Galloway
Jim McKevitt 5-1 Dave Fearn
Mark Lawrence 5-1 Robert Tafuri
Board Four
Jamie Caven (18) 5-0 Ghislain Tremblay
Matt Jackson 5-2 Davey Mansell
Paul Knighton 5-4 Pete Riehl
Rocco Maes 5-0 Mark Davis
Board Five
Robert Thornton (2) Bye
Davis Snider 5-0 Adam Young
Scott Henning 5-2 Paul Hawkett
Marc Garcia 5-1 Preston Fox
Board Six
Dennis Smith (23) 5-4 Mark Carter
Kevin Dowling 5-0 Joe Formica
Chris Cooper 5-4 Gordon Morrison
Mark Tiller 5-3 Joe Cullen
Board Seven
Jelle Klaasen (8) 5-2 Mark Webster
Dan Butler 5-0 Kevin Fletcher
James Barton 5-4 Lee Williams
Colin Monk 5-4 Bryan de Hoog
Board Eight
Wes Newton (17) 5-2 Darren Starr
Tony Ayres 5-0 Steve Carey
Kevin Harris 5-4 Steve Brown
Stephen Panuncialman 5-1 Darren Johnson
Board Nine
Denis Ovens (3) Bye
John Quantock 5-0 Robert Race
Allan Snabel 5-3 Daz Horler
Mark Nielsen 5-2 Jules Budd
Board Ten
Jan van der Rassel (22) 5-1 Gregory Coburn
Robbie Newland 5-4 Sara Rose
Peter Wright 5-0 Morihiro Hashimoto
James Stephenson 5-1 Andy Bradbury
Board 11
Andy Smith (9) 5-2 Brian Griffiths
Darren Latham 5-1 Brian Jones
Andy Mason 5-3 Stephen Grant
Gary Anderson 5-0 Paul DiCecca
Board 12
Steve Beaton (16) 5-2 Steve Grubb
John Dawes 5-0 Piki Morrison
Mark Stephenson 5-0 Bill Grubb
Larry Butler 5-3 Tyler Hayne
Board 13
Mark Dudbridge (4) Bye
Simon Craven 5-3 Dan Zimmerman
Alan Taylor 5-1 Paul Walker
Timmy Nicoll 5-2 Sam Rooney
Board 14
Gary Mawson (21) 5-0 Patrick Thernstrom
John Murray 5-4 Gary Storey
Simon Whitlock 5-0Chris Edwards
Bernard Prenter 5-4 Mark K Robinson
Board 15
Barrie Bates (10) 5-2 Joachim Koessler
Gerry Convery 5-1 Ben Burton
Ron Peppers 5-3 Chris Duff
Bertrand Lajoie 5-4 David Flowers
Board 16
Kevin McDine (15) 5-1 Stephen Osborne
Chuck Pankow 5-2 Alan Green
Paul Lim 5-4 Dan Lauby
Andy Fordham 5-3 Jon Archer
Board 17
Vincent van der Voort (5) Bye
Louis Blundell 5-1 Eddie Lawrence
Stuart Holden 5-4 Phillip Hazell
Ian Jopling 5-1 Sean Palfrey
Board 18
Steve Maish (20) 5-2 Andreas Waldenmaier
Aaron Turner 5-0 Neil Dickson
Jeff Hubbard 5-3 David Ansell
Ken MacNeil 5-0 Sato Fumihiro
Board 19
Tony Eccles (11) 5-1 Ray Carver
Karl Loiseau 5-2 Graham Warburton
Par Riihonen 5-2 John Worthington
Gary Barnett 5-4 John Denich
Board 20
Andy Jenkins (14) 5-1 Drazen Severin
John Jenkinson 5-2 Chris White
Brian Rowe 5-1 Adrian W Lewis
Robert Heckman 5-0 Andy Askey
Board 21
Roland Scholten (6) Bye
Mark W Robinson 5-1 Andrew Bent
Brad Hann 5-1 Geoff Daniels
Tom Wilson 5-1 Cory Donham
Board 22
Matt Clark (19) 5-3 Scott Robertson
Pete Allsopp 5-2 Steve Gooch
Nick Fullwell 5-0 John Loew
Neil McKnight 5-3 Dale A Slamon
Board 23
Michael van Gerwen (12) 5-3 Dave Ladley
Jason Clark 5-1 David Goodchild
Martyn Turner 5-0 Martin Hulme
Steve Hine 5-2 Dieter Schutsch
Board 24
Co Stompe (13) 5-0 Chris Goodband
John Kuczynski 5-0 Cyril Pearce
Jacko Barry 5-3 Ryan Vander Weit
Anne Gustafsson 5-1 Roger England
Second Round
Peter Manley 5-1 Mark Venable
Jim Newman 5-2 Kevin Hill
Nikash Patel 5-4 Mick McGowan
Shane O^Connor 5-0 Anthony Thompson
Kirk Shepherd 5-0 John Latchic
Mark Lawrence 5-0 Jim McKevitt
Jamie Caven 5-0 Matt Jackson
Rocco Maes 5-3 Paul Knighton
Davis Snider 5-3 Robert Thornton
Scott Henning 5-4 Marc Garcia
Dennis Smith 5-2 Kevin Dowling
Chris Cooper 5-2 Mark Tiller
Jelle Klaasen 5-1 Dan Butler
James Barton 5-2 Colin Monk
Wes Newton 5-4 Tony Ayres
Kevin Harris 5-4 Stephen Panuncialman
John Quantock 5-4 Denis Ovens
Mark Nielsen 5-2 Allan Snabel
Jan van der Rassel 5-1 Robbie Newland
Peter Wright 5-2 James Stephenson
Andy Smith 5-0 Darren Latham
Gary Anderson 5-0 Andy Mason
Steve Beaton 5-0 John Dawes
Larry Butler 5-1 Mark Stephenson
Mark Dudbridge 5-2 Simon Craven
Timmy Nicoll 5-2 Alan Taylor
Gary Mawson 5-4 John Murray
Simon Whitlock 5-0 Bernard Prenter
Barrie Bates 5-3 Gerry Convery
Bertrand Lajoie 5-4 Ron Peppers
Kevin McDine 5-2 Chuck Pankow
Paul Lim 5-3 Andy Fordham
Vincent van der Voort 5-1 Louis Blundell
Ian Jopling 5-1 Stuart Holden
Aaron Turner 5-4 Steve Maish
Ken MacNeil 5-1 Jeff Hubbard
Tony Eccles 5-0 Karl Loiseau
Par Riihonen 5-2 Gary Barnett
Andy Jenkins 5-1 John Jenkinson
Robert Heckman 5-0 Brian Rowe
Mark W Robinson 5-3 Roland Scholten
Tom Wilson 5-0 Brad Hann
Matt Clark 5-1 Pete Allsopp
Nick Fullwell 5-2 Neil McKnight
Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Jason Clark
Martyn Turner 5-3 Steve Hine
Co Stompe 5-0 John Kuczynski
Jacko Barry 5-0 Anne Gustafsson
Third Round
Peter Manley 5-4 Jim Newman
Shane O^Connor 5-4 Nikash Patel
Kirk Shepherd 5-4 Mark Lawrence
Jamie Caven 5-1 Rocco Maes
Davis Snider 5-1 Scott Henning
Dennis Smith 5-2 Chris Cooper
Jelle Klaasen 5-4 James Barton
Kevin Harris 5-4 Wes Newton
John Quantock 5-2 Mark Nielsen
Peter Wright 5-0 Jan van der Rassel
Andy Smith 5-3 Gary Anderson
Larry Butler 5-4 Steve Beaton
Mark Dudbridge 5-2 Timmy Nicoll
Simon Whitlock 5-0 Gary Mawson
Barrie Bates 5-0 Bertrand Lajoie
Kevin McDine 5-2 Paul Lim
Vincent van der Voort 5-4 Ian Jopling
Ken MacNeil 5-1 Aaron Turner
Tony Eccles 5-2 Par Riihonen
Andy Jenkins 5-1 Robert Heckman
Mark Robinson 5-2 Tom Wilson
Nick Fullwell 5-2 Matt Clark
Michael van Gerwen 5-4 Martyn Turner
Co Stompe 5-2 Jacko Barry
Fourth Round
Shane O^Connor 5-3 Peter Manley
Jamie Caven 5-1 Kirk Shepherd
Dennis Smith 5-2 Davis Snider
Jelle Klaasen 5-2 Kevin Harris
Peter Wright 5-1 John Quantock
Andy Smith 5-4 Larry Butler
Simon Whitlock 5-3 Mark Dudbridge
Barrie Bates 5-3 Kevin McDine
Vincent van der Voort 5-2 Ken MacNeil
Tony Eccles 5-1 Andy Jenkins
Nick Fullwell 5-2 Mark Robinson
Co Stompe 5-4 Michael van Gerwen
Losers £250
Fifth Round
Jamie Caven 5-4 Shane O^Connor
Jelle Klaasen 5-4 Dennis Smith
Peter Wright 5-3 Andy Smith
Simon Whitlock 5-2 Barrie Bates
Vincent van der Voort 5-3 Tony Eccles
Co Stompe 5-0 Nick Fullwell
Winners - Place in PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic
Losers £1,000
Qualifiers
Jamie Caven
Jelle Klaasen
Peter Wright
Simon Whitlock
Vincent van der Voort
Co Stompe
