Darts: PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic VIII - Day One
PHIL TAYLOR began the defence of his PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic title with a 6-3 victory over Jamie Caven at the Mandalay Bay Resort.
Taylor headed to Las Vegas struggling with a back problem, but showed few ill-effects to dispose of the qualifier from Derby.
Taylor took a key 3-1 lead and held off Caven^s challenge to set up a second round clash with long-term rival Dennis Priestley on Friday.
"Jamie put me under a lot of pressure but my finishing got me through," said Taylor. "He played very well, he^s one to watch for the future and he^s getting better every week."
He added: "The back will be okay but it is affecting me. Now I get stiff towards the end of the day so I was glad to get through that."
Priestley booked his spot in the last 16 with a fine 6-1 win over Colin Monk in the opening game of the tournament, while Terry Jenkins repeated that scoreline in seeing off Australian Simon Whitlock.
Jenkins now meets Colin Lloyd in round two, with the Chelmsford star defeating Lowestoft-based qualifier Peter Wright 6-3 to end a run of three successive first round losses in the Desert Classic.
Two-time semi-finalist Wes Newton knocked out number eight seed Alan Tabern, and will face Gary Anderson after the Scot overcame Wayne Mardle 6-2.
Holland^s Jelle Klaasen impressed with a 6-2 defeat of Ronnie Baxter, who had won the Las Vegas Players Championship on Tuesday, while 2006 Desert Classic winner John Part overcame American Scott Burnett 6-2.
Thursday sees the first round conclude with the final eight matches, including world number two James Wade against Kiwi debutant Phillip Hazel and Raymond van Barneveld^s meeting with American Bill Davis.
PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic VIII
Tuesday July 2 (11am start local time, 7pm BST)
Best of 11 legs
DENNIS PRIESTLEY 6-1 COLIN MONK
DENNIS PRIESTLEY opened the PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic with a clinical 6-1 victory over Colin Monk.
Monk had battled through the qualifiers to win a spot in the Desert Classic for the first time, but his stay in the main event was made brief by a strong Priestley display.
While the pair traded finishes of 66 and 81 in the opening two legs, Priestley took the third with a 96 checkout and then broke in the fourth with a 136 finish to lead 3-1.
Monk missed four doubles to break back in the fifth, which Priestley took on double four, before the pair endured some wayward finishing in the next.
Monk saw a dart for double top land in double five, and Priestley stepped in to finish on double one to move 5-1 up and a leg away from the victory.
He then sealed victory by taking out 81 on double 18, setting up a second round date with either Phil Taylor or Jamie Caven.
WES NEWTON^S love of the PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic continued with a 6-3 win over Alan Tabern at the Mandalay Bay Resort.
Newton has twice reached the semi-finals of the tournament, and remains on course for another strong week in Las Vegas after seeing off Lancashire rival Tabern.
Tabern knocked out Raymond van Barneveld on his way to the quarter-finals last year, but never recovered from allowing Newton into a 3-0 lead.
Newton took out 90 in two darts for the opening leg, and immediately broke in the second before landing double 16 to treble his lead.
The Fleetwood ace also landed a 180 in the fourth, but Tabern took out 101 to get off the mark.
Double top moved Newton 4-1 up, but five missed doubles allowed Tabern to take leg six.
Newton moved a leg away from the win on double five, and though Tabern reduced the gap to 5-3 with a 100 finish a double 12 checkout ensured victory.
"This event and being in Las Vegas seems to bring the best out of me, so hopefully I can have a good run this week," said Newton.
"Alan and I always seem to have good games and I was determined to get revenge for him beating me in the UK Open recently.
"I started well and kept it going throughout the match."
COLIN LLOYD banished his PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic blues with a 6-3 first round defeat of Peter Wright.
Lloyd had been a first round loser for the past three years in the Desert Classic, but ended that run against the big-stage newcomer.
Wright had qualified for his Desert Classic debut on Sunday, and then overcame Lloyd on his way to the semi-finals of the Las Vegas Players Championship on Tuesday.
However, Lloyd gained revenge to book his spot in the last 16.
Wright won the opening leg, but Lloyd replied with a triple salvo to lead 3-1, taking out 74 in two darts, 114 and then double top to push clear.
Wright took out 84 on the bullseye to reduce the gap going into the break, and finished a string of missed doubles from Lloyd to level on double top.
But Lloyd regained his range on the doubles, finishing double eight at the first time of asking to move 5-3 up before defying a maximum from Wright to seal victory on double 14.
JELLE KLAASEN powered into the second round of the PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic with a 6-2 demolition of Ronnie Baxter.
Baxter entered the Desert Classic on the back of a semi-final appearance in the UK Open last month and Tuesday^s Las Vegas Players Championship victory, but failed to hit top gear against the Dutchman.
While Klaasen missed doubles in the opening leg, which Baxter took on double top against the throw, the youngster replied with three successive legs to edge away.
Double 16 for a 14-darter saw Baxter cut the gap to 3-2, but he missed the bullseye to level in the next before Klaasen took out double top.
A neat two-dart 61 finish put Klaasen a leg away from victory, which he sealed in style with a 12-darter, landing back-to-back 180s and double eight for the match.
TERRY JENKINS produced an impressive display to swiftly see end Simon Whitlock^s PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic hopes with a 6-1 victory.
Jenkins showed the form which took him to the 2007 Desert Classic final to sweep past the qualifier.
After missing double top for a 160 finish in the opening leg, he landed double ten to lead before Whitlock took out double eight to level.
But Jenkins repeated the double ten finish to lead 2-1 and then hit tops to break throw.
A fine 106 finish put Jenkins 4-1 up, and he hit scores of 180 and 140 to leave double top in the next, applying enough pressure to force Whitlock to miss his one dart at the same bed.
Jenkins then sealed the win with a 98 checkout, finishing on double 12 to set up a tasty second round game with Colin Lloyd.
PHIL TAYLOR began the defence of his PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic title with a 6-3 victory over Jamie Caven at the Mandalay Bay Resort.
Taylor headed to Las Vegas struggling with a back problem, but showed few ill-effects to dispose of the qualifier from Derby.
Taylor took a key 3-1 lead and held off Caven^s challenge to set up a second round clash with long-term rival Dennis Priestley on Friday.
Caven took the opening leg on double ten, but Taylor won the next three, including a two-dart 86 to break throw, to push himself ahead.
Caven replied with an 86 finish of his own, but a 180 was not enough in the next, with Taylor hitting a 177 and double eight to lead 4-2.
The qualifier opened leg seven with scores of 140 and 180 in reducing the gap to one leg, but double top edged Taylor towards victory before he hit the same bed to seal the win.
"Jamie put me under a lot of pressure but my finishing got me through," said Taylor.
"He played very well, he^s one to watch for the future and he^s getting better every week."
He added: "The back will be okay but it is affecting me. I decided to try and get fit and pulled my back on my bike.
"Now I get stiff towards the end of the day so I was glad to get through that."
GARY ANDERSON powered into the second round of the PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic with a 6-2 defeat of Wayne Mardle.
Anderson won through the qualifiers on Monday to earn a Desert Classic debut, and produced a classy display to see off the two-time finalist.
Mardle opened the game with a 115 checkout, but Anderson replied in style with an 11-darter and then traded maximums before taking a 2-1 lead.
The Scot then followed up a double top finish with a bullseye checkout for a 121 in extending his advantage to 4-1 at the break.
Mardle returned to hit double top and reduce the arrears, but a 130 bullseye finish put Anderson 5-2 up and he sealed the win on double ten - having hit six from seven attempts at a double.
"It^s nice to get on stage and perform," said Anderson. "I^ve never been great with first round games but it^s a relief to be through.
"I hit my doubles, which I^ve been struggling on recently, and can build on this."
Anderson entered the match having needed treatment for an allergic reaction to an energy drink earlier on Wednesday, and added: "I^m still feeling a bit iffy so I^ll just stick to the coffee I think!"
JOHN PART began his bid for a second PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic title with a 6-2 win over Scott Burnett.
The 2006 champion triumphed in the all-north American battle to jump into the last 16 and set up a clash with Jelle Klaasen on Friday.
Part kicked off the game with a 117 finish, and also took out 90 in leg two before punishing missed doubles from Burnett to lead 3-0.
He also won the fourth, hitting a 180 in a 14-darter, before Burnett - the North American Darts Championship winner making his televised debut - found his range on the doubles.
Double 16 got him off the mark, before double ten halved the deficit, although Part was too strong in leg seven to edge 5-2 up.