UK Open - First Day, Evening
BARNEY KO'S LEWIS IN CORAL UK OPEN AS ANDERSON & JENKINS CRASH OUT
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD knocked reigning Coral UK Open champion Adrian Lewis out of this year's tournament with a fine third round victory on Friday night, as World Champion Gary Anderson let his chance to progress to the last 32 slip away in Minehead.
Lewis had claimed the fourth major individual title of his career when he swept aside Terry Jenkins 11-1 in last year's final at the Butlins Minehead Resort, but saw his hopes of retaining the title dashed by the Dutchman.
Although Lewis hit back from 2-0 down to level at two-all - aided by three 180s and a 106 finish in a two-leg burst - van Barneveld took the next six legs to move to the brink of victory with some superb darts. A ten-dart finish from Lewis kept alive his hopes, but two misses at double top allowed van Barneveld in to complete a 14-darter to seal the win - boosting the two-time champion's confidence following his Premier League defeat to Kim Huybrechts 24 hours earlier.
"I'm extremely happy with this win," said van Barneveld. "I remembered that Adrian beat me 9-2 here last year and I was really focused this time."
Van Barneveld has now been drawn against Peter Wright, who hit a brilliant ten 180s in his 9-5 win over Steve Beaton in their third round contest.
World Champion Anderson missed a total of 13 match darts across four legs as he allowed Mervyn King to come from 8-4 down to edge a 9-8 victory in their clash.
2014 UK Open runner-up Jenkins also exited the event in the third round as he lost out 9-3 to Jamie Caven, who now takes on Devon Petersen after the South African defeated Matt Clark, Mark Cox and Mark Barilli on Friday.
Five-time Premier League champion Phil Taylor swept aside Rileys qualifier John Ferrell 9-2 with a 103 average before drawing Shropshire youngster David Pallett, who had seen off Colin Fowler 9-4.
World number one Michael van Gerwen defied the pain of a pulled muscle in his throwing arm to defeat Paul Nicholson 9-3, setting him up for a last 32 clash with Rileys Amateur Qualifier Paul Hogan.
"I think that I pulled a muscle in my arm in the sixth or seventh leg and I need to get it looked at before tomorrow," said the Dutch star. "It's really strange and I was quite surprised, but it could be a long weekend and you can't afford anything to possibly cost you the title."
Hampshire's Hogan followed up his three wins in Friday's afternoon session with a 9-5 defeat of Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas as he reached the fourth round in Minehead for a second successive year.
Hogan is the last remaining amateur qualifier following Ferrell's loss to Taylor and Jason Mold's 9-0 whitewash against Wes Newton, who now plays another former UK Open runner-up in Vincent van der Voort, the Dutchman who defeated Lee Evans 9-4.
Kevin Painter also suffered a 9-0 whitewash as he went down to Andrew Gilding, who now meets Dutch ace Jelle Klaasen after the former Lakeside Champion overcame Brendan Dolan 9-4.
Stephen Bunting edged out Michael Smith 9-8 in a dramatic deciding leg of their clash, with the former World Youth Champion missing two match darts to allow the Premier League ace to follow a 177 by landing tops for the win.
Bunting now faces another fellow St Helens ace, Dave Chisnall, after the in-form Premier League leader defeated youngster Ryan Harrington 9-6.
Two-time UK Open champion James Wade enjoyed a 9-3 win over Joe Murnan as he progressed to play emering ace Nathan Aspinall, who defeated Chris Dobey and James Richardson on Friday.
Norfolk's Nathan Derry claimed an impressive 9-2 win over World Youth Champion Keegan Brown as he moved through to a local derby against King on Saturday.
2012 UK Open champion Robert Thornton knocked out Australian ace Simon Whitlock 9-5, and the Scot will now take on UK Open debutant Eddie Dootson, with the St Helens newcomer defeating Joe Cullen 9-6.
Australian ace Kyle Anderson won his third game of the day with a 9-6 defeat of Alan Norris, and he now plays debutant James Wilson after the Yorkshireman saw off Ricky Evans 9-4.
Kent youngster Josh Payne was a 9-6 winner against former semi-finalist as he set up a fourth round meeting with Austrian Mensur Suljovic, who swept aside Dutchman Joey Ten Berge by dropping only one leg.
Ronnie Baxter's 9-2 defeat of Brian Woods earned him a last 32 clash with Jan Dekker, whose 9-5 win over Justin Pipe sees him complete a quartet of Dutchman in the fourth round.
Christian Kist almost became a sixth Dutchman to progress as he came from 6-0 down to force a deciding leg against Ian White only for the Stoke ace to prevail.
White now meets William O'Connor in the fourth round, with the Irish player overcoming Wales' Mark Webster 9-5.
2013 UK Open finalist Andy Hamilton was a narrow 9-8 winner against Aaron Turner, and he now plays Kim Huybrechts after the Belgian hit a 170 finish against Max Hopp before coming from 7-5 down against the German teenager to win 9-7.
Scotland's John Henderson was a 9-7 winner against left-hander Steve Douglas as he moves through to meet Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, who dropped only one leg as he knocked out Newcastle's Kevin McDine.