King alive and well in Vegas

King: Slow start

Results:
M King 6-3 L Blundell
A Hamilton 6-1 C White
P Manley 6-4 M Walsh
C Stompe 6-4 C Osborne
R van Barneveld 6-2 B Davis
J Wade 6-3 P Hazel
A Lewis 6-5 V van der Voort
K Painter 6-2 D Young

Also see

• Order of Merit
• On Sky TV
• Darts Schedule/Results

Mervyn King kicked off the second night of action in the Las Vegas Desert Classic when getting his campaign off to a winning start against Louis Blundell.

The King overcame a slow start to win 6-3 after his opponent had gone into the break with a 3-2 lead.

The world championship semi-finalist missed a clutch of doubles but levelled after the return and then secured the first game against the darts when he nailed double 16.

He then followed up with an 11-dart leg before closing out the win on double four after Blundell had fluffed three out shots.

Stoke Andy Hamilton had little trouble in overcoming Chris White 6-1 after easing into a 4-0 lead early on.

Hamilton never looked back after storming ahead, nailing 180 in the third game, and although the California-based qualifier got on the scoresheet in the fifth, it was only after the Brit had missed three attempts at doubles.

White also had a chance to extend the match in the next, but was again found wanting on the checkout and Hamilton stepped in with double 10.

Maximum

Peter Manley was forced to qualify for the main event after dropping out of the world's top 16 but it did him no harm as he saw off Mark Walsh 6-4.

The 2003 champion took out 100 to win the opening leg although Walsh returned the favour with a 150 checkout against the darts to level it up.

Manley was forced to level with a 106 finish and then went ahead with a bull finish, and extended the lead to 4-2 on double 12.

A maximum set up the next leg for 'One Dart' as he reeled off four games in succession before Walsh finally hit back in the eighth with tops.

But it only delayed the inevitable and Manley hit 171 to set up a double 12 finish to book his place in the second round.

Co Stompe was a surprise winner against the in-form Colin Osborne, with the Players Championship winner never firing.

The Dutchman punished his opponent for missing with four darts at doubles to take a 3-1 lead, but Osborne hung in and brought the scores level at 4-4.

However, Stompe again edged ahead thanks mainly to a 171 in the ninth leg and Osborne appeared on the way to forcing a decider when hitting two successive maximums.

But he missed the seventh treble 20 and he let in Stompe, who sealed victory with a 13 dart finish on double eight.

Missed chance

Raymond van Barneveld set up an all-Dutch second round clash with Stompe when crushing American Bill Davis 6-2.

Barney took the first two sets before Davis responded with a 140 followed by a maximum to narrow the lead.

But he missed a chance to level on double 16 and van Barneveld extended the lead once more before going 4-1 up with a double 16 finish.

Davis pulled one back but the Dutchman began the seventh leg with a maximum and never looked back.