PHIL TAYLOR began his bid for a third successive Speedy Hire UK Open title with a 9-3 win over Mark Frost at the Reebok Stadium on Friday night, but World Champion Adrian Lewis crashed out to Terry Jenkins in Bolton.
Taylor, who has won the title in the Premier Suite at the Reebok Stadium for the past two years, bounced back from his recent semi-final loss in the 888.com Premier League Darts with a strong showing in his all-Stoke battle.
Frost matched Taylor for the first four legs, but the world number one pulled clear with five in a row - including a key 140 finish - before securing a 9-3 triumph with a 98 average.
"I'm not the player I was a year ago when I won this event but it's coming back and I will get there," said Taylor. "This is an exciting tournament and I love coming to Bolton.
"It's one of the toughest tournaments to win too, and the important thing is I'm into the fourth round on Saturday now and can prepare for that."
Taylor will face long-time foe Dennis Priestley in the fourth round, after the 60-year-old ground out a narrow 9-7 win over Alan Tabern earlier on Friday.
There was disappointment, though, for World Champion Adrian Lewis, who went down 9-7 to a fine Terry Jenkins performance.
Jenkins led 4-1 and 7-4 - hitting a ten-darter along the way - before Lewis missed three darts to win a key 12th leg, with Jenkins moving 8-4 up and although the Stoke ace took the next three it was the Ledbury man who prevailed.
"Adrian gave me a few chances and I took them, but I kept my nerve when he came back strongly," said Jenkins. "It's always great to defeat Adrian and especially as he is World Champion, but I've got to move on and focus on my next game now."
Jenkins' next game will see him face 2008 winner James Wade, who had to win two games on Thursday just to win through to the last 64 before seeing off fellow left-hander Michael Mansell 9-2.
Two-time winner Raymond van Barneveld, the 2006 and 2007 UK Open champion, suffered a scare early on against Bristol's Steve Brown when he trailed 3-2, but eventually came through to win 9-5 in his bid for a third Bolton victory.
Gary Anderson, the recent Premier League champion who also reached last year's UK Open, began his challenge with a confident win over Stoke's Ian White.
Anderson led 5-0 early on and although White pulled back four legs the Scot had too much in progressing to the last 32, where he meets Paul Nicholson for the second successive year, with the latter defeating Graham Hollis 9-3 in his opener.
Australian Simon Whitlock was knocked out with a 9-7 loss to Co Stompe, who now plays Welsh star Mark Webster in the fourth round.
Stompe is joined by another Dutchman in the last 32, after Michael van Gerwen defeated Richie Howson 9-2 before being drawn with in-form Wes Newton, who was a 9-3 winner against John Henderson.
Four of the ten Rileys Qualifiers who had reached the last 64 will compete in Saturday's fourth round.
Andrew Gilding defeated Andy Hamilton and local favourite Joe Murnan saw off Mark Dudbridge 9-8, while John Bowles and Andy Boulton produced stirring comebacks to defeat Justin Pipe and Vincent van der Voort respectively.
Murnan will now meet Welshman Richie Burnett, who avoided a strong fightback from Colin Lloyd to progress 9-7, after the Essex ace hit back from 8-3 to 8-7 before missing a dart to force a deciding leg in their contest.
Widnes' Bowles has drawn former World Champion Steve Beaton, Boulton plays Daventry newcomer Matthew Edgar and Suffolk's Gilding faces Mark Hylton.
Mark Walsh, who knocked out Mervyn King, will play last year's semi-finalist Denis Ovens, resurgent pair Robert Thornton and John Part clash and Ronnie Baxter faces Dave Chisnall, who defeated Richard North 9-2 on his Bolton debut.
Hull youngster Reece Robinson followed up Thursday's wins over Barrie Bates and Wayne Mardle with a defeat of Wayne Jones, and now plays Andy Smith in the last 32.
Colin Osborne, the 2009 UK Open runner-up, will take on former World Championship finalist Kirk Shepherd in another tasty contest and Peter Wright plays Joe Cullen, who edged an all-Yorkshire affair with Rileys Qualifier Stuart Monaghan 9-8.
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Speedy Hire UK Open
Third Round
Friday June 3
All games the best of 17 legs
Main Stage
Co Stompe 9-7 Simon Whitlock
Raymond van Barneveld 9-5 Steve Brown
Phil Taylor 9-3 Mark Frost
Terry Jenkins 9-7 Adrian Lewis
Richie Burnett 9-7 Colin Lloyd
Board Two
Mark Walsh 9-5 Mervyn King
Gary Anderson 9-4 Ian White
John Part 9-2 Roland Scholten
Board Three
Kirk Shepherd 9-6 Darren Johnson
Dave Chisnall 9-2 Richard North
John Bowles 9-7 Justin Pipe
Robert Thornton 9-6 Wayne Atwood
Board Four
Andrew Gilding 9-6 Andy Hamilton
Mark Hylton 9-0 Andy Jenkins
Wes Newton 9-3 John Henderson
Colin Osborne 9-4 Mark Jones
Board Five
Michael Smith 9-2 Sam Hill
Denis Ovens 9-4 Kevin Painter
Andy Boulton 9-7 Vincent van der Voort
Joe Murnan 9-8 Mark Dudbridge
Board Six
Reece Robinson 9-8 Wayne Jones
Joe Cullen 9-8 Stuart Monaghan
Dennis Priestley 9-7 Alan Tabern
Matthew Edgar 9-6 Martyn Turner
Board Seven
Mark Webster 9-5 Tony Eccles
James Wade 9-2 Michael Mansell
Michael van Gerwen 9-2 Richie Howson
Steve Beaton 9-2 Jamie Caven
Board Eight
Ronnie Baxter 9-6 Steve Maish
Peter Wright 9-1 Peter Hudson
Paul Nicholson 9-3 Graham Hollis
Andy Smith 9-4 Paul Harvey
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Fourth Round Draw & Order of Play
Main Stage
Paul Nicholson v Gary Anderson
Dennis Priestley v Phil Taylor
Terry Jenkins v James Wade
Dave Chisnall v Ronnie Baxter
Board Two
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
Andy Smith v Reece Robinson
Michael Smith v Raymond van Barneveld
Mark Webster v Co Stompe
Board Three
Richie Burnett v Joe Murnan
Denis Ovens v Mark Walsh
Robert Thornton v John Part
Colin Osborne v Kirk Shepherd
Board Four
Matthew Edgar v Andy Boulton
Mark Hylton v Andrew Gilding
Steve Beaton v John Bowles
Joe Cullen v Peter Wright
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First Group of Matches
Co Stompe stuns Simon Whitlock with a dramatic 9-7 victory. The Australian had opportunties to take the match to a deciding leg but missed six darts at doubles allowing the Dutchman to step in for the win.
2005 Runner-Up Mark Walsh defeats Mervyn King with a 9-5 triumph and the 2008 World Championship Runner-Up Kirk Shepherd wins the last four legs of his match against Darren Johnson to win 9-6.
20-year-old Michael Smith from St.Helens records an impressive 9-2 win over 18-year-old Riley's Qualifier, Sam Hill.
Rileys Qualifier Andrew Gilding sends Andy Hamilton crashing out of the competition with a 9-6 victory. The match was finely balanced at 6-6 before the Suffolk man reeled off three consecutive legs to record a superb victory.
Reece Robinson continues his superb run at the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open with a nail-biting final-leg victory over Wayne Jones. The 19-year-old had led the game 8-5 before Jones fought back to force a decider where the youngster held his nerve by hitting the bullseye to move into the last 32.
Mark Webster records a 9-5 victory over Tony Eccles and Ronnie Baxter ends the hopes of Steve Maish to put himself in the draw for the Fourth Round.
Second Group of Matches
Five-time World Champion, Raymond van Barneveld returns to Bolton with a tough 9-5 victory over Steve Brown to put himself into the draw for the last 32.
Newly crowned Premier League Champion, Gary Anderson, opens up his challenge for the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open title with a 9-4 victory over Ian White having led the game 6-0 in the early stages.
Mark Hylton, who impressed at last year's World Championships records a 9-0 whitewash victory over 2007 World Championship semi-finalist, Andy Jenkins.
Denis Ovens, a semi-finalist in last year's competition overcomes the challenge of Kevin Painter with a 9-4 triumph.
Bradford youngster Joe Cullen comes through over Rileys Qualifier Stuart Monaghan in a final-leg thriller having led 6-3 in the earlier stages of the contest.
2008 Champion James Wade ends the hopes of Michael Mansell with a 9-2 victory and Dave Chisnall enjoys a debut victory in Bolton by the same scoreline with a win over Richard North, a 21-year-old Rileys Qualifier from Swindon.
The colourful Peter Wright opens his campaign successfully with a 9-1 thrasing of local man Peter Hudson to put himself into the Fourth Round of the tournament.
Third Group of Matches
Phil Taylor defeats Mark Frost 9-3 to seal his place in the Fourth Round of the UK Open. Frost held his own by sharing the opening four legs of the match before Taylor streaked away to record a routine victory.
Canadian John Part continues his impressive form in 2011 with a 9-2 triumph over Dutchman Roland Scholten, gaining revenge for defeat in the final of this competition in 2004.
John Bowles continues his giant-killing feats at the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open with a 9-7 victory over Justin Pipe. The 44-year-old qualifier from Widnes, who had defeated Peter Manley and Devon Petersen on the opening night of tournament came back from 7-3 down to take his place in the next round.
World number eight Wes Newton, ends the hopes of Scotland's John Henderson with a 9-3 victory. Paul Nicholson also wins by the same margin over Graham Hollis to reach the Fourth Round.
Andy Boulton, the 38-year-old qualifier from Ayrshire, knocks out Dutchman Vincent van der Voort by a 9-7 scoreline. The Dutchman had led the match 6-3 and 7-4 but could not get over the finishing line allowing Boulton to become the second Qualifier to put his into the hat for the last 32 draw.
Yorkshire's Dennis Priestley outlasts Alan Tabern to reach the Fourth Round with a 9-6 triumph. The two-time World Champion was 6-5 down to the man from St.Helens but put together a run of four successive legs to come through.
Michael van Gerwen, confirms his place in the Fourth Round of the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open by defeating Rileys Qualifier Richie Howson 9-2.
Final Group of Matches
Terry Jenkins survives a storming comeback from World Champion Adrian Lewis out of the competition. The man from Ledbury had led the match 7-3 before Lewis produced superb darts to reduce the deficit to 8-7 before Jenkins produced a fantastic 11-darter in the 16th leg to send the World Champion packing.
Robert Thornton ends the hopes of Wales' Wayne Atwood with a 9-6 victory. The Scot was the better of the two players in the early stages and led 6-2. Atwood pulled back to level at six all before Thornton moved away again to win three legs on the spin to book his place in the last 32.
Joe Murnan becomes the fourth Rileys Qualifier to book a place in the last 32 of the competition with a dramatic deciding-leg victory over former World Championship finalist, Mark Dudbridge. The 21-year-old from Greater Manchester had led the match 8-4 before the Bristolian fought back to win the next four legs and force a decider. But the youngster held his nerve to win the final-leg and record a famous win.
24-year-old Daventry thrower, Matthew Edgar, defeats York's Martyn Turner by an 8-6 scoreline and put his name in the draw for the Fourth Round.
Former World Champion, Steve Beaton, records a superb victory over Derby's highly-rated Jamie Caven by a 9-2 margin.
Colin Osborne, who reached the final of this competition in 2009 before losing to Phil Taylor, wins his last 64 contest against Mark Jones by a 9-4 scoreline. Andy Smith overcomes the challenge of qualifier Paul Harvey by the same margin.
Additional Main Stage Game
Former World Champion Richie Burnett survived an incredible comeback from Colin Lloyd to reach the last 32 stage of the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open. The Welshman had opened up a 7-3 advantage but missed a total of four darts at doubles to win the match over the course of the next three legs to allow Essex man back in at 8-6. Lloyd won the next and had a chance to level at eight all but a missed a dart at double top and Burnett stepped in to hit the same bed with his last dart and record victory.
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