World Championship Day Four

REPORTS from the fourth day of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The preliminary round concludes at Alexandra Palace, while four more first round games are played at Alexandra Palace.

Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
First Round (Preliminary Round games denoted by (P))
John MaGowan 3-0 Chris Mason
Marko Kantele 5-2 Lourence Ilagan (P)
Adrian Lewis 3-1 Russell Stewart
Jelle Klaasen 3-0 Colin Lloyd
Mervyn King 3-0 Shi Yongsheng

Reaction
Audio interviews with selected players are available in PDCtv

Photo Gallery
Click here for a Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship Photo Gallery

Matchroom Bets Blog
A Matchroom Bets blog will be available from Alexandra Palace throughout the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
Click here to visit MatchroomBets.com

JOHN MAGOWAN 3-0 CHRIS MASON
(3-1, 3-1, 3-1)
PENSIONER John Magowan dispatched Chris Mason in straight sets in the first round of the 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The 67-year-old from Donaghadee came through the PDPA Qualifiers a fortnight ago to earn a spot at Alexandra Palace, and was never troubled in a comprehensive win.

MaGowan won the first leg against the darts, but Mason - a three-time finalist on the PDCPro Tour in 2008 - immediately broke back to level, landing double ten.

But the Northern Irishman, who hit a nine-darter in a Players Championship in August, won the third leg and took out two-dart 70 finish for a 1-0 lead.

MaGowan also started the second set in fine style with a 74 finish on the bullseye, and after Mason managed to win the second with a two-dart 64 finish he stepped up a gear to win the next two legs for a two-set cushion.

Both players held their throws at the start of the third set before MaGowan took out 156 with three superb darts to move to the brink of victory.

He stuttered at the finishing line with four missed doubles for victory, before double four gave him the win.

"It's unbelievable and I'm over the moon," said MaGowan. "It's my best win, certainly in a World Championship.

"I've been practising hard for this and I was ready to go. I've got a shed at home and have been in there ever since I qualified, and with plenty of local players too.

"It's sharpened me up and that showed."

Match Stats

Chris Mason

0-3

John MaGowan

14

100+

18

7

140+

11

1

180

2

27.70

Ave1

30.67

83.10

Ave3

92.01

64

High Finish

156


MARKO KANTELE 5-2 LOURENCE ILAGAN
FINNISH debutant Marko Kantele produced an impressive performance to end the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship hopes of Lourence Ilagan.

In the final preliminary round clash, between two players making their first appearance at Alexandra Palace, Kantele showed his experience to come out on top.

The Finnish number one settled quickly, landing a 120 checkout and then a 12- dart finish for a 2-0 lead.

Ilagan won the third leg, but Kantele won the fourth to re-establish a two leg lead.

Kantele hit his second maximum of the game in the next to go 4-1 up and a leg away from victory.

Ilagan reduced the deficit to 4-2, but Kantele hit a two-dart 60 finish to set up a last 64 clash against Ronnie Baxter on Tuesday.

Match Stats

Marko Kantele

5-2

Lourence Ilagan

8

100+

8

4

140+

5

2

180

0

29.98

Ave1

27.37

89.95

Ave3

82.11

120

High Finish

48


ADRIAN LEWIS 3-1 RUSSELL STEWART
(3-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-1)
ADRIAN LEWIS began his Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship challenge with a 3-1 win over Australian Russell Stewart at Alexandra Palace.

Lewis, whose best performance at the World Championship is two quarter-final appearances, hit eight maximums and three ton-plus checkouts in an impressive display - but blasted himself afterwards.

"I'm happy to win but should have shown Russell more respect," said the Stoke ace. "I lost my concentration at times and didn't treat the game right.

"I hit eight 180s but only averaged 86 and that's not good enough. Russell played ell and was never rattled by my 180s - he kept hitting his scores but I came through."

Lewis came out with all guns blazing, hitting a 13-darter and two 180s to lead 2-1 before landing another maximum and a 121 finish in a 12-darter for the set.

The Stoke star was also dominant at the start of the second set, taking a 2-0 courtesy of another maximum in the opening leg and a 111 finish in the second.

Stewart took the next leg, and punished misses from Lewis to level before taking the set on double two.

The 48-year-old won his fourth consecutive leg at the start of the third set to lead for the first time in the match, only for Lewis to take the next two and regain the advantage.

The number six seed then won the set in the next leg after Stewart wasted two darts at doubles.

The 23-year-old hit back back-to-back maximums in the fourth set's opener, and registered his eighth 180 in the next leg to go one away from victory before Stewart hit a maximum and double ten to stay in the game.

But the Australian's luck ran out in the next, before Lewis took out 105 to seal his last 32 spot.

Match Stats

Adrian Lewis

3-1

Russell Stewart

22

100+

25

4

140+

11

8

180

2

28.73

Ave1

28.19

86.19

Ave3

84.58

121,111,105

High Finish

47


JELLE KLAASEN 3-0 COLIN LLOYD
(3-1, 3-0, 3-0)
JELLE KLAASEN condemned Colin Lloyd to his third first round exit in four years at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a comfortable straight sets triumph.

Klaasen powered to an impressive victory by winning eight straight legs to romp to victory.

The Dutchman took the opening leg before Lloyd landed a maximum on his way to levelling - and hit another in the next only for Klaasen to reply in kind with a 180 of his own to edge in front.

Klaasen the took the fourth leg against the darts to grab the first set and a 1-0 lead.

Klaasen, who suffered a sudden-death first round defeat to fellow Dutchman Vincent van der Voort last year, won the opening leg of the second set against the darts with a 70 finish.

He then doubled his lead after Lloyd missed two darts at double top, and a 14-darter gave him set two and a commanding lead.

Klaasen - a victor against Lloyd in the recent European Championship - won the first two legs of set three in convincing fashion to punish Lloyd further, hitting a 13 darter in the second.

And the end was swift as Klaasen landed double eight to move into the last 32 and set up a clash against last year's runner-up Kirk Shepherd or another Dutch ace, Jan van der Rassel.

"I didn't expect it to be that easy but I am pleased because I played well," said Klaasen.

"Last year I lost in the first round and it was hard for me because I missed match darts then, but I'm glad I won this time."

Match Stats

Colin Lloyd

0-3

Jelle Klaasen

17

100+

13

1

140+

9

2

180

1

28.91

Ave1

31.93

86.73

Ave3

95.80

78

High Finish

70


MERVYN KING 3-0 SHI YONGSHENG
(3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
MERVYN KING began his 2009 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship campaign with a whitewash victory over Chinese number one Shi Yongsheng.

King, who is now of the brink of moving into the top ten of the Order of Merit after an impressive 2008, will now play Mark Walsh in the last 32 after a solid opener.

The Norfolk thrower took the first leg with a two-dart 70 finish, and won the next two legs comfortably to go ahead 1-0.

King hit a 105 checkout in the second leg of the second set to go 2-0 up despite a maximum from Yongsheng, and then landed double ten in the next to double his advantage.

Yongsheng - who defeated Austrian Hannes Schnier on Saturday - was unable to make any mark in the match and King strolled to victory in the third set.

He hit a maximum in the second leg in moving one away from the match, and then rounded off the win with a two-dart 90 finish.

"I didn't play brilliantly but I did enough," admitted King. "It'd not seen his preliminary round game but he beat a very good player in Hannes, so I didn't take him lightly.

"He was a little way off against me but I concentrated on my own game and got through."

Match Stats

Mervyn King

3-0

Shi Yongsheng

15

100+

8

7

140+

3

1

180

1

30.67

Ave1

25.06

92.02

Ave3

75.17

105

High Finish

-