Nick Kenny produced the biggest shock on the opening day of the Sports Direct World Trophy with a 6-3 win over fifth seed Wesley Harms, while top seeds Glen Durrant and Martin Adams also enjoyed victories on the Lakeside stage.
Welsh qualifier Kenny rattled off five legs in a row, coming back from 2-0 down to see off the two-time World Championship semi-finalist, as 12 players advanced to the second round of the men’s draw.
“I’m over the moon,” Kenny said. “Wesley is a much better player than that. He’s got to the Lakeside semi-finals twice so I knew I was in for a big game.
“But I played alright and after the break I kicked on a little bit and he missed a couple of doubles. I got over the line and I’m really happy with that.”
Number one seed Durrant kicked off the £150,000 tournament with a fairly routine 6-2 win against former world champion Andy Fordham, and will play Darius Labanauskas in the last 16 after the Lithuanian checked out 109 and 120 in a 6-2 triumph over qualifier Barry Lynn.
Second seed Martin Adams eased into the second round with a 6-1 win over Latvia’s Madars Razma, which included a 121 checkout for a 12 darter in the fourth leg.
Reigning BDO world champion Scott Waites took out checkouts of 155 and 170 to get the better of Poland’s Krzystof Ratajski and set up a last 16 meeting with Brian Dawson, who came back from 3-1 down to beat American Jim Widmayer 6-3.
“It was a great game,” Waites said. “Krzystof played absolutely amazing and I’ve come off a 6-4 winner and I don’t know how.
“Brian’s a great lad, no matter what we’ll have a really good game. We’re really good mates so I can’t wait for that tomorrow.”
Former world champion Scott Mitchell dug deep to beat Ross Montgomery in a deciding leg 6-5 in the game of the day, while fourth seed Jamie Hughes posted a 150 checkout on route to a 6-3 win over qualifier Ryan Joyce to advance to the second round.
Sixth seed Jim Williams took out three 100 plus checkouts but could not avoid an early exit from this year’s World Trophy, as Australian qualifier Peter Machin held his nerve to sneak through 6-4.
Eighth seed Darryl Fitton showed good form as he battled back from 3-2 down to edge past New Zealand’s Craig Caldwell 6-4, and will next face Martin Phillips who knocked out two-time world champion Ted Hankey 6-3.
“I’m really happy with that,” Fitton said. “Craig is a fantastic player. When the draw came out I wasn’t really happy with the draw because one he’s a great lad, and two he’s a great player.
“I wasn’t really holding my nerve, I was shaking inside. I knew I had to pull something out the bag and I think the 107 checkout turned the game.”
Mark McGeeney set up a second round clash with Kenny after beating this year’s World Championship runner-up Jeff Smith 6-2, with the final four places in the men’s last 16 set to be contested for tomorrow.
In the ladies draw, former world champions Lisa Ashton and Anastasia Dobromyslova both got their World Trophy campaigns off to a winning start, while Aileen de Graaf, Lorraine Winstanley and Corrine Hammond also booked their places in tomorrow’s quarter-finals.
Fallon Sherrock was the only seed to fall at the first hurdle after qualifier Rhian Griffiths edged a deciding leg to win 4-3.
BDO Sports Direct World Trophy
Saturday May 28
First Round
Glen Durrant 6-2 Andy Fordham (M)
Darryl Fitton 6-4 Craig Caldwell (M)
Aileen de Graaf 4-2 Laura Turner (L)
Brian Dawson 6-3 Jim Widmayer (M)
Darius Labanauskas 6-2 Barry Lynn (M)
Corrine Hammond 4-1 Anc Zijlstra (L)
Wesley Harms 3-6 Nick Kenny (M)
Mark McGeeney 6-2 Jeff Smith (M)
Fallon Sherrock 3-4 Rhian Griffiths (L)
Jim Williams 4-6 Peter Machin (M)
Jamie Hughes 6-3 Ryan Joyce (M)
Lorraine Winstanley 4-2 Zoe Jones (L)
Scott Waites 6-4 Krzystof Ratajski (M)
Anastasia Dobromyslova 4-3 Sharon Prins (L)
Martin Phillips 6-3 Ted Hankey (M)
Lisa Ashton 4-1 Casey Gallagher (L)
Scott Mitchell 6-5 Ross Montgomery (M)
Martin Adams 6-1 Madars Razma (M)
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