Five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld started his bid for the 2024 PDC title with a assured win over Poland’s Radek Szaganski.
Van Barneveld, 56, gained 3-1 to arrange a third-round assembly with Wales’ Jim Williams, who knocked out two-time champion Peter Wright on Wednesday.
“I used to be actually happy with that final leg, my ending was actually good. I’m actually completely satisfied,” stated Van Barneveld.
England’s Chris Dobey and Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan additionally superior.
Masters champion Dobey, seeded seventeenth, edged previous Republic of Ireland’s William O’Connor in a high-quality contest, respiratory an enormous sigh of reduction after sealing a 3-2 win.
With the assistance of 10 180s, Dobey wanted a mean 103 – his highest on the event – to return through and arrange a last-32 assembly with fellow Englishman Ross Smith.
The event, held yearly at London’s Alexandra Palace, will take a break for Christmas after the second spherical is accomplished on Saturday.
The third spherical begins on 27 December and the champion might be topped on 3 January.
A discipline of 96 gamers, together with reigning champion Michael Smith, began out in London to compete for a primary prize of £500,000.
Van Barneveld, who gained BDO titles in 1998, 1999, 2003 and 2005 earlier than shifting to the PDC and beating Phil Taylor in the 2007 closing, held off Szaganski to make sure he’ll return.
After shifting two units forward, Van Barneveld sealed victory with a mean of 99.81 and moved into the final 32 for less than the second time in 5 years.
Seeded gamers Wright and James Wade have been eradicated from Van Barneveld’s part of the draw, though he may face 16-year-old sensation Luke Littler in the fourth spherical.
“It’s nonetheless not my A-game, I can do loads higher,” stated Van Barneveld, who briefly retired in 2019 earlier than returning to the game. “From 2-0 down [Szganski] performed very well and gave me a tough sport.
“Of course I take a look at [the draw] but it surely provides you extra stress. Peter Wright has gone, James Wade has gone, however there’s slightly man in there referred to as Luke Littler – he is incredible.”
Earlier, Dolan gained a sudden-death decider in opposition to fellow Northern Irishman and his former World Cup accomplice Mickey Mansell.
The pair landed 9 180s between them in a good contest that led to the primary tie-break of the event, the place Dolan stored his nerve with a double 16 to arrange a third-round match in opposition to 2021 champion Gerwyn Price.
Germany’s Florian Hempel fought again from two-sets down – and stored his hopes alive with a 151 checkout when he trailed 2-0 in the fourth set – to beat Belgium’s Dimitri van den Bergh 3-2.
