Simon Whitlock will face Benito van de Pas in the quarter-finals of the Unibet World Grand Prix after the Australian beat debutant Richard North 3-0 in the second round.
Whitlock and North play local league darts together in Hampshire and were facing each other for the third time in the PDC, with North having won their two previous encounters on the Pro Tour.
Former major winner Whitlock opened the match by taking the first set 3-1, finding double eight to claim his first leg followed by tops to break in the third before pinning double nine to take a 1-0 lead.
North produced a fightback of sorts in the second set, taking the set to a deciding leg but, as in the opener, Whitlock found double nine to double his advantage.
With the score at 2-0, Whitlock stepped up his level and took out 98 to break throw in the opening leg of the third set.
Finishes of 20 and 45 followed to wrap up a comprehensive victory against a man Whitlock rates highly.
“Richard and I know each other very well from back home and he’s a great player,” he said. “I was a little bit nervous as he’s beaten me the last two times we’ve played.
“I probably practice more than anyone else on the planet so I don’t see why I can’t win this. I’m playing well and I’m feeling good.”
Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC
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