Jonny Clayton overcame a major obstacle on the opening day of the Boylesports World Grand Prix at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, beating recent World Series finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode 2-1 coming from a set down to win.
The Aubergenius entertained in the first set of the match, checking out a 156 finish to claim a 3-1 victory and a 1-0 lead in sets hitting double eighteen after two trebles.
However, the reigning champion bounced back well including a crucial break of throw in the third leg after hitting double five to complete a 130 finish and his first ton plus checkout of the match.
The Red Dragon star will face Dimitri van den Bergh in the next round after wrapping up victory over the Dutchman on double sixteen with his second dart, redeeming himself well with a win after what happened in Blackpool two months ago.
Michael van Gerwen included three maximums in his 2-0 win over former back-to-back World Champion Gary Anderson, punishing numerous missed darts from the Scotsman to take the opening set and breaking his opponent in the first and third leg.
The Flying Scotsman came back after the break and looked certain to level up the match in sets after breaking with an 84 finish on double eleven for a 2-1 lead in the second set.
However, after being broken in the fourth leg it was all but over for Anderson, as MVG found a maximum and then a 106 checkout on double sixteen to win, going through to face Stephen Bunting after he beat Brendan Dolan 2-0 in the second match of the night.
Reigning World Champion Peter Wright secured a 2-0 victory over Kim Huybrechts to reach the Second Round, averaging 94.36 over the course of the two sets. Snakebite missed just five darts at double recording a checkout rate of 54.55% and included one maximum throughout the tungsten tussle.
The World Number 2 closed out victory on double nine after his opponent missed darts at double to force a deciding set, with a Second-Round clash against Krzysztof Ratajski next for the Red Dragon star.
Elsewhere, four-time Euro Tour champion Luke Humphries was beaten 2-0 at the hands of Chris Dobey through some magnificent finishing from Hollywood, who included a 94 finish with two double nineteens for the deciding leg of the first set.
The Englishman then hit back-to-back ton plus checkouts in the second set, finding double eight for a 136 before a break in the second leg through a 138-finish put the game beyond reach for Cool Hand. The Bedlington thrower goes through to face Adrian Lewis in the Second Round after Jackpot beat tournament number 6 Jose de Sousa 2-0 in the last match of the session.
World Number 1 Gerwyn Price enters Leicester tomorrow as he faces a rematch with Martin Schindler, whilst Joe Cullen the reigning Masters and Hungarian Darts Trophy champion takes on Damon Heta with coverage set to start on Sky Sports from 7.
Boylesports World Grand Prix 2022: Round 1 Results
Krzysztof Ratajski 2-0 Callan Rydz
Stephen Bunting 2-0 Brendan Dolan
Chris Dobey 2-0 Luke Humphries
Dimitri van den Bergh 2-1 Dave Chisnall
Jonny Clayton (7) 2-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Peter Wright (2) 2-0 Kim Huybrechts
Michael van Gerwen (3) 2-0 Gary Anderson
Adrian Lewis 2-0 Jose de Sousa (6)
Tuesday Order of Play:
Madars Razma v Ryan Searle
Ross Smith v Andrew Gilding
Danny Noppert v Gabriel Clemens
Joe Cullen v Damon Heta
Rob Cross (8) v Daryl Gurney
James Wade (5) v Martin Lukeman
Gerwyn Price (1) v Martin Schindler
Michael Smith (4) v Nathan Aspinall
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
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