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Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Phil Taylor whitewashed qualifier Steve Grubb to make a strong start to his Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship challenge.

Taylor failed to drop a single leg against the pub landlord from Somerset, ruthlessly powering to victory without his opponent reaching a double at Alexandra Palace.

“It’s a relief to get the win,” admitted Taylor. “It was a different game to what I’m used to because Steve was struggling and I felt for him.

“Normally against a player, what they do motivates you but I had to try and motivate myself – you react to what they do.”

Taylor will meet Michael van Gerwen next Saturday in the second round, a year after the Dutch youngster pushed him all the way at Alexandra Palace.

Van Gerwen showed new found maturity to come from a set down to defeat America’s Darin Young in their first round game.

“Darin’s a slow player and I’m very quick so it was very difficult to play him,” said van Gerwen. “About two years ago I joined the PDC and I’m proud that I’ve learned to play against different types of players.”

Youngster Kevin McDine made an assured debut in the World Championship with a 3-1 defeat of Alex Roy, meaning he will now take on Dennis Smith – the conqueror of number five seed Terry Jenkins – after Christmas.

Emerging star Alan Tabern was another impressive winner on Saturday evening, defeating Steve Beaton in straight sets, while American David Fatum earned a clash with Wayne Mardle thanks to a 6-4 preliminary round defeat of Ireland’s Shane O’Connor.

Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship – Saturday
First Round (Preliminary Round games denoted by (P))
Afternoon Session
Dennis Smith (ENG) 3-1 Terry Jenkins (ENG)
Shi Yongsheng (CHI) 6-4 Hannes Schnier (AUT) (P)
Kevin Painter (ENG) 3-2 Matt Clark (ENG)
Dennis Priestley (ENG) 3-0 Warren French (NZ)
Barrie Bates (WAL) 3-0 Felix McBrearty (N.IRE)

Evening Session
Alan Tabern (ENG) 3-0 Steve Beaton (ENG)
David Fatum (USA) 6-4 Shane O’Connor (IRE) (P)
Michael van Gerwen (NED) 3-1 Darin Young (USA)
Phil Taylor (ENG) 3-0 Steve Grubb (ENG)
Kevin McDine (ENG) 3-1 Alex Roy (ENG)

Sunday December 21
1.10pm – Mark Walsh v Jamie Caven
2.15pm – Charles Losper v Sudesh Fitzgerald (P)
3.00pm – Mark Dudbridge v Nick Fullwell
4.00pm – Wes Newton v Per Laursen
5.00pm – Denis Ovens v Steve Maish

7.10pm – Andy Hamilton v Michael Barnard
8.15pm – Remco van Eijden v Anastasia Dobromyslova (P)
9.00pm – Wayne Mardle v David Fatum
10.00pm – Raymond van Barneveld v Mark Stephenson
11.00pm – Peter Manley v Mensur Suljovic

ALAN TABERN 3-0 STEVE BEATON
(3-0, 3-1, 3-2)
ALAN TABERN produced an impressive display to see off Steve Beaton in straight sets in the first round of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The St Helens man has reached four major quarter-finals during 2008 and only dropped three legs in seeing off the former World Champion at Alexandra Palace.

He started with a 91 finish on the bullseye to take the opening leg, and took the first set without reply with a 13 darter that included a maximum.
Tabern opened up a 2-0 lead in the second set, which included another 13-darter, before Beaton got off the mark by landing double nine.

But Tabern took out double six in the next leg to take the set and leave Beaton with an uphill battle.

Tabern built-up a 2-1 lead in the third set and had two darts for victory in the fourth leg, but was punished as Beaton landed double one to keep his slim hopes alive.

A maximum from Beaton was not enough in the set’s deciding leg, as Tabern stepped up to land double eight and book a last 32 clash against Dutchman Co Stompe.

“I didn’t think I played too well but Steve let me off,” said Tabern. “He’s a lot better than he showed but I got through it.

“It’s totally in your mind. You know how good you are but when you go up on stage form goes out of the window and it’s a level playing field.

“I’ve got the game to go all the way and win this tournament, but you have got to produce that on stage and hopefully I will in the rest of the competition.”

DAVID FATUM 6-4 SHANE O’CONNOR
DAVID FATUM edged out Shane O’Connor with a 6-4 victory to earn a first round clash with number eight seed Wayne Mardle at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The American led the match 4-2 but was pegged back to four apiece before coming through against the Irish newcomer.

O’Connor, who secured his place in this event by winning the Irish Matchplay, led 2-1 landing double top to take the lead in the third leg.

But the American, a semi-finalist in the PDC US Open back in May, put in a burst to take three legs on the spin and go one leg away from victory.

Fatum, though, then missed a total of seven match darts in the next two legs and O’Connor hit a two-dart 90 finish to level the match at four-all.

In the ninth leg Fatum missed more doubles, but his opponent unable to capitalise and the American regained the lead by landing double two.

And he made no mistake in the next and landed double top to end the challenge of the plucky Irishman.

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN 3-1 DARIN YOUNG
(2-3, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0)
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN came from a set down to end the American challenge of Darin Young in the first round of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Victory for van Gerwen has set up a potential second round clash against Phil Taylor, which would be a repeat of their classic first round encounter last year.

The first set proved to be tight affair as both players held their throw, with Young winning it by landing double eight in the deciding leg for a 1-0 lead.

The American started the second set well by breaking van Gerwen’s throw, but the Dutchman took the next two legs, hitting a 104 checkout for 2-1 lead.

He hit a maximum in the next and had two darts to take the set, but wasted those opportunities and Young capitalized on his opponent’s mistake to level the set.

The Dutch teenager missed four more darts doubles in the deciding leg, but had the breathing space to do so before leveling the match.

Perhaps feeling a wave of confidence, van Gerwen proved the dominant player from then on, winning six of the next seven legs to power through to the win.

He hit maximums in the second and third legs of set three to up a 2-1 advantage, and then converted a 64 finish to take lead for the first time in the match.

In the fourth set, van Gerwen took advantage of missed doubles by the American, who missed two darts at double ten to level at 1-1, allowing the youngster to lead on double four.

Young then missed three more darts at doubles in the next and van Gerwen hit double top to move into the last 32.

PHIL TAYLOR 3-0 STEVE GRUBB
(3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
PHIL TAYLOR whitewashed qualifier Steve Grubb to make a strong start to his Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship challenge.

Taylor failed to drop a single leg against the pub landlord from Somerset, ruthlessly powering to victory without his opponent reaching a double at Alexandra Palace.

The 13-time World Champion was dominant from the office, taking the opening leg on double 16, the second in 14 darts and the third once more on double 16 for the opening set.

Double top put the Stoke legend ahead in set two before another 14-darter gave him a 2-0 lead, which was extended once again on double 16 as he doubled the advantage.

An 11-darter saw Taylor lead in the third set, and though Grubb began to find his range he was unable to pressure the world number one.

He moved 2-0 up before landing a third maximum of the contest in the next as victory was secured.

“It’s a relief to get the win,” admitted Taylor. “It was a different game to what I’m used to because Steve was struggling and I felt for him.

“He was hitting too high in the 20 bed and it affected my game as well. Normally against a player, what they do motivates you but I had to try and motivate myself – you react to what they do.

“It was bright on stage and very warm too, so I had to get used to that. But I’ve got a week until I play Michael van Gerwen now I’ll go away and work hard in practice.

“I’ve probably been at about 75 percent so far and now I’ll push it to 90-95 percent. There will be plenty of practice and plenty of rest over Christmas – but practice every day!”

Grubb was making his debut in a televised tournament after winning through the PDPA Qualifiers a fortnight ago, and said: “I didn’t perform like I know I can.

“I missed so many darts at the start of a leg at treble 20, just above or a long way above. It felt like I couldn’t drop it in.

“I felt comfortable up there but I couldn’t hit enough big scores. Phil played really well and shut the door on me so many times, and I didn’t get the shots.”

He added: “The last two weeks have been absolutely mental, as regards what has happened in my life, and I will be back.

“This is a bad defeat for me because I can play better. People on the circuit have seen me play better and I will be back – starting with the events on the PDC Pro Tour in January.”

KEVIN McDINE 3-1 ALEX ROY
(3-2, 3-1, 0-3, 3-1)
KEVIN McDINE secured a debut victory in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 3-1 defeat of Alex Roy.

McDine, who has worked his way to the brink of the world’s top 32 inside two years as a professional, started the match in fine fashion to build up a 2-1 lead in the opening set.

Four missed doubles in leg four allowed Roy to cash in with a two-dart 56 finish, but the Irthlingborough-based thrower made no mistake in the deciding leg and hit double ten to take advantage.

Roy was struggling to find his rhythm and his throw was broken at the beginning of the second set, which was then compounded by a two-dart 100 checkout from his McDine.

The Watford man managed to hit a 103 finish in the third leg, but McDine wrapped up the set in the next, which included seven perfect darts before taking a 2-0 lead.

Roy started the third set well with a 116 checkout, and won it without reply, completing it with a 14 darter to reduce his arrears to 2-1.

But McDine regained his form of the opening two sets and quickly built up a 2-0 lead in the fourth to go one leg away from victory.

Roy won the next to keep his hopes alive but the 23-year-old won the match in superb style with a 108 finish to book a last 32 encounter against Dennis Smith, who upset fifth seed Terry Jenkins earlier in the day.

“I’m happy to get the win,” said McDine. “I’ve got that out of the way and can look to lift myself for the second round.

“I found it pretty good on stage at first but then I started to struggle. I’m feeling good overall though and that showed when I had the chance at a nine-darter.

“I felt my arm twitch a little bit on the treble 19s and it was a little bit disappointing, but the most important thing was winning and I did that.

“I’m going back home and I’ll have a proper Christmas dinner, which I will be cooking and I’ll have a practice on Christmas Day too.”

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