Judd Trump made sure Stephen Lee endured a miserable Premier League debut with a 5-1 win on the opening night of this year's tournament.
Ding does just enough to see off Murphy in opening match
Judd Trump made sure Stephen Lee endured a miserable Premier League debut with a 5-1 victory over his fellow Englishman on the opening night of this year's tournament in Skegness.
The Bristol potter looked in fine form at the Embassy Theatre, managing two centuries to put himself top of Group B, which also includes John Higgins, Mark Allen and Peter Ebdon.
However, it could have been different had Lee taken his chances early on, the PTC Grand Final champion missing a pink to win the opening frame and then also a black to clinch the third.
Trump made him pay for his profligacy, sneaking 1-0 ahead by sinking the final two balls on the table and after a break of 95 doubled his lead, rolling in the black to make certain of at least a draw.
Any hopes Lee had of taking something from the contest disappeared, though, when his opponent managed 121 in the fourth, the first century of the night.
Avoided whitewash
Another ton followed for Trump in the next but Lee at least avoided a whitewash, a run of 68 meaning he picked up £1,000, the amount each player gets for winning a frame, in a losing cause.
"Stephen missed a few and I had a lot of chances, but I seemed to play alright," Trump, who also pocketed an extra £2,000 for his pair of centuries, told
Sky Sports.
"I felt quite confident out there - I should have made three centuries. £1,000 is a lot of money, so there's still quite a lot of pressure at the end of the frames.
"After that (third frame), I felt quite relaxed. Stephen was missing a few so I wasn't really under a lot of pressure at all, which made it easier for me."
Meanwhile in the opening match of the night, Ding Junhui battled his way to a 4-2 victory over Group A rival Shaun Murphy.
The duo had been locked together at two frames apiece before the man from China secured the points on offer, runs of 44 and 35 edging him ahead for a second time at 3-2 before he clinched the last by a 72-14 scoreline.
