PartyPoker.com Grand Slam - Day 2 Eve
DEFENDING PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts champion Phil Taylor faces a winner-takes-all battle with Vincent van der Voort on Monday night after a 5-4 loss to Andy Jenkins.
Jenkins produced a superb performance to record the first win over Taylor in his career and ensure his spot in the last 16 of the Grand Slam of Darts.
He led 2-0 and 3-2 before Taylor hit back to lead, but the Portsmouth man sent the game into a decider before hitting a sensational 12-darter against the throw to take victory.
"I know what I have to do and I^ve no choice but to win or go home," said Taylor. "It^s as simple as that and it^s knockout darts for me now against Vincent - but that will bring out the best in me."
Jenkins is now assured of a place in the last 16, and said: "I^m so proud to have beaten Phil. He^s the best player ever and it means a lot to me."
Both Raymond van Barneveld and James Wade, ranked second and third in the Professional Darts Corporation, came from 3-1 down to win 5-3 with superb displays against Robert Thornton and Denis Ovens.
Wade^s 111.03 average was his highest in a televised event, while included a 121 finish in maintaining his unbeaten start to the tournament.
Mervyn ensured his place in the last 16 with a 5-3 defeat of Colin McGarry, while PDC World Champion John Part will progress following a 5-1 defeat of Kevin McDine.
Darryl Fitton^s 5-2 win over Paul Nicholson puts him in the driving seat in Group H, while ITV Wildcard Qualifier Wes Newton took a second successive victory with a 5-3 defeat of Darin Young.
Monday^s play sees Groups A-D play their final games, with three players in Group B still able to qualify.
Unbeaten Andy Hamilton meets Simon Whitlock, while Alan Tabern takes on eliminated player Brian Woods.
Group C sees unbeaten King face BDO World Champion Mark Webster and Colin McGarry take on winless Michael van Gerwen.
John Part, who has qualified in Group D, takes on Wayne Mardle, while Kevin McDine - who has far superior leg difference to Mardle - meets Women^s World Champion Anastasia Dobromyslova, who could still qualify with a 5-0 victory.
PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts
Second Group Games
Sunday November 16
Afternoon Session
Simon Whitlock 5-0 Brian Woods
Gary Mawson 5-0 Kirk Shepherd
Vincent van der Voort 5-1 Phill Nixon
Mark Webster 5-0 Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson 5-2 Kevin Painter
Terry Jenkins 5-3 Colin Lloyd
Adrian Lewis 5-0 Niels de Ruiter
Wayne Mardle 5-4 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Evening Session
Mervyn King 5-3 Colin McGarry
Andy Hamilton 5-1 Alan Tabern
Darryl Fitton 5-2 Paul Nicholson
Wes Newton 5-3 Darin Young
Andy Jenkins 5-4 Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld 5-3 Robert Thornton
James Wade 5-3 Denis Ovens
John Part 5-1 Kevin McDine
Final Group Games
Monday November 17
Andy Jenkins v Phill Nixon
Alan Tabern v Brian Woods
Michael van Gerwen v Colin McGarry
Mark Webster v Mervyn King
John Part v Wayne Mardle
Phil Taylor v Vincent van der Voort
Andy Hamilton v Simon Whitlock
Kevin McDine v Anastasia Dobromyslova
Tuesday November 18
Terry Jenkins v Wes Newton
Colin Lloyd v Darin Young
Denis Ovens v Niels de Ruiter
Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Mawson
Gary Anderson v Darryl Fitton
James Wade v Adrian Lewis
Robert Thornton v Kirk Shepherd
Kevin Painter v Paul Nicholson
MERVYN KING 5-3 COLIN McGARRY
MERVYN KING secured a place in the second round of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-3 defeat of Colin McGarry.
King followed up his opening win over Michael van Gerwen with another solid display to defeat the ITV Wildcard Qualifier, setting his stall out with a 13-dart leg to open the game.
He landed a 180 on his way to a 2-0 lead before McGarry got off the mark on double top.
A 112 finish, following a second maximum, put King in the driving seat, only for McGarry to win two of the next three to ensure some nervy moments at 4-3.
But King landed a 180 to set up a finish in the next, and sealed victory on double eight after both players endured some nervy moments at the double.
"I^m happy in bits with my performance," said King. "I took advantage of Colin^s slow start and I^m glad I did because he came back strongly.
"To be sure of a place in the last 16 is a boost but I know I^m capable of better than that."
McGarry must now defeat Michael van Gerwen in his final game if he is to win through to the second round, with the Dutch youngster unable to qualify after suffering two heavy defeats.
"I didn^t play as well as I can but I gave Mervyn a run for his money," said McGarry, from Larne in Northern Ireland. "Hopefully I can perform better on Monday and take the last spot."
ANDY HAMILTON 5-1 ALAN TABERN
ANDY HAMILTON effectively booked his PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts second round spot with a 5-1 win over Alan Tabern.
The 2007 runner-up has made a strong start to his challenge in Wolverhampton this year, defeating Brian Woods on Saturday and in-form Tabern in his second group game.
Hamilton
hit a 180 in a 12-darter to open the match, and stepped in to win the second after Tabern wasted two 180s by missing two darts for the leg.The St Helens man won the third leg on double 18, but double ten and double nine put Hamilton a leg away from victory.
Hamilton
then hit a 14-darter in leg six to wrap up a comprehensive win and leave himself in pole position in Group B."I^m on four points now and in a very good position," said Hamilton. "Last year I reached the final and I love it on stage in Wolverhampton!"
Tabern now needs to win his final game against Brian Woods, and hope Hamilton defeats Simon Whitlock if he is to qualify.
"I felt good up there but Andy was great and deserved to win," said Tabern. "The second leg was important but I had shots at doubles and didn^t take them."
DARRYL FITTON 5-2 PAUL NICHOLSON
DARRYL FITTON powered past Paul Nicholson 5-2 to put one foot into the second round of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts.
Fitton^s second successive win in the event means he needs only to avoid defeat to Gary Anderson on Tuesday night to ensure his last 16 place.
The Stockport star averaged 97 in an impressive display, hitting five 180s and missing only two darts at a double in the seven legs.
Nicholson had opened with a victory over Anderson, and shared a tight first four legs before Fitton pulled clear for the win.
The Australian number one had his chance in leg three, but missed two darts for a 2-1 lead before Fitton took out double four.
Fitton landed a 180 in the fourth, but a superb 103 checkout saw Nicholson level - only to see it bettered by a 117 finish from the Englishman.
Double 12 saw Fitton break throw, and a sensational 11-darter ensured his victory, with scores of 180, 140 and 135 followed by double 18.
"I^m very pleased with the win but I was a little erratic," said Fitton. "I was hitting the 180s and my finishes but need to polish up my scoring in between."
Nicholson added: "I think I played better than my first game but Darryl was far too good.
"I have to defeat Kevin Painter in my last game and I^m a big admirer of his. He^s a heavy scorer and I know I^ll have to take my chances."
WES NEWTON 5-3 DARIN YOUNG
ITV Wildcard Qualifier Wes Newton claimed a second successive victory in the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-3 defeat of Darin Young.
Newton
now has one foot in the second round of the tournament at the Wolverhampton Civic, having battled through over 200 players just to win a place in the tournament.Young took the game^s opening leg on double five, but Newton won the next two on double 16 and double top after misses from the American to edge himself ahead.
A 75 finish from Young levelled the game before the duo shared the next two to leave the scores locked at three-all.
Newton
moved a leg away from victory on double 12, and though Young landed a maximum in leg eight the Fleetwood-based star took out 100 for the win."I don^t think I^m playing as well as I can but I^m winning so that^s a bonus," said Newton.
"I can play better but at the end of the day I^ve won two games and I can relax a bit and let my ^A Game^ come out."
Young must win his final clash of the group phase, against Colin Lloyd on Tuesday, if he is to qualify, and he admitted: "I didn^t come up with the performance I needed and if you don^t hit your doubles you get what you deserve.
"I felt good but Wes hit some good shots. Hopefully I can come up with a win against Colin on Tuesday."
ANDY JENKINS 5-4 PHIL TAYLOR
DEFENDING PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts champion Phil Taylor faces a winner-takes-all battle with Vincent van der Voort on Monday night after a 5-4 loss to Andy Jenkins.
Jenkins produced a superb performance to record the first win over Taylor in his career and ensure his spot in the last 16 of the Grand Slam of Darts.
He led 2-0 and 3-2 before Taylor hit back to lead, but the Portsmouth man sent the game into a decider before hitting a sensational 12-darter against the throw to take victory.
"I^m so proud to have beaten Phil," said Jenkins. "He^s the best player ever and it means a lot to me.
"Getting into the second round was always going to be tough but I knew I had to play that well if I was going to beat Phil and I did it."
Jenkins took out a 15-darter to break throw in the opening leg, following two misses from Taylor, and then landed a 180 and double six to step in and double his advantage.
Taylor kicked into gear to win leg three, with a 180 pushing him clear before he took out double ten to get off the mark and then hit three successive 140s in the next to level.
A fine 11-darter put Jenkins 3-2 up, only for Taylor to respond and win leg six, before double top in the next put him front for the first time.
Jenkins won leg eight on double 16 to send the game into a decider, which he opened with a 180.
He added a 140 before setting up a finish, and took out 104 with Taylor waiting on 68 to claim the biggest win of his career.
"I didn^t play badly but Andy played some great darts under pressure and showed a lot of bottle," said Taylor.
"His confidence grew after winning the first leg and full credit to him.
"I know what I have to do and I^ve no choice but to win or go home. It^s as simple as that and it^s knockout darts for me now against Vincent - but that will bring out the best in me."
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 5-3 ROBERT THORNTON
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD came from 3-1 down to defeat Robert Thornton 5-3 and remain unbeaten in the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts.
The Dutchman, the number two seed, looked set to become Thornton^s latest big-name scalp when the Scot - a semi-finalist in the European Championship recently - stormed into the lead.
But van Barneveld showed his quality with four stunning legs to put one foot into the second round.
Thornton landed a 180 in taking the first leg, and double 18 saw him move 2-0 up before van Barneveld fired in a 13-darter to break throw and get off the mark.
A missed double top allowed Thornton to win the fourth leg on the same bed and move 3-1 up.
He also hit 180s in the next two, but van Barneveld landed 15-darters to deny the Scot and square the game.
The five-time World Champion hit a 180 and a 121 finish in winning the next to lead for the first time, before a 13-darter sealed his win.
"I know what Robert can do and he^s a world class player," said van Barneveld. "I had to score highly but to come from 3-1 down was tough.
"I had good belief and hit some good shots that helped me."
Thornton
now needs to defeat Kirk Shepherd in his final game if he is to qualify, and said: "I played a lot better than in my first game but I can^t argue with the result - Raymond was superb."JAMES WADE 5-3 DENIS OVENS
JAMES WADE battled back from 3-1 down with one of his finest ever performances to defeat Denis Ovens 5-3 and remain unbeaten in the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts.
Ovens started superbly to lead 3-1, including a 11-darter and some clinical finishing to take advantage, with Wade needing to produce a 12-dart leg to get off the mark.
A 177 set up a double 12 finish for the PDC world number three in the fifth leg, and double ten saw him level at three-all.
Wade then took out an 11-darter with a 98 finish to lead and wrapped up the win in 12 darts, following scores of 140, 140 and 180 with a 41 checkout to ensure his second win.
Wade^s average of 111.03 was his highest ever in a televised game, and puts him in pole position to win Group G.
"I^m happy to win but that was a very tough game," said Wade. "Denis was doing a job on me early on and I looked dead and buried at 3-1, but I managed to turn it around."
Ovens needs to defeat Niels de Ruiter on Tuesday if he is to qualify for round two, and said: "James showed why he^s world number three and came back very well, but now I have to win my third game and know what I have to do."
JOHN PART 5-1 KEVIN McDINE
PDC WORLD CHAMPION John Part booked his place in the second round of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-1 win over Kevin McDine.
Part followed up his 5-1 victory over Anastasia Dobromyslova with another clinical display to ensure his place in the knockout phase of the tournament.
McDine actually took the opening leg of the clash, on double 16, but a superb 135 finish from Part set him on his way.
The Canadian broke throw on double 16 in the next leg and punished two missed doubles from the 2007 semi-finalist with double five for a 3-1 lead.
A further miss from McDine, at double 12 for a 141 finish, proved costly as Part landed double top, before he sealed the win on double 16.