Wayne Mardle, one of the game's most colourful characters, began his quest for a first major title with a routine victory over Brian Roach at the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in Purfleet tonight.
The man affectionately known as 'Hawaii 501' gave himself an early Christmas present with a 3-1 success over his Australian opponent at the world-famous Circus Tavern.
Mardle breezed through the first set 3-0 as Roach struggled to find his feet on the big stage, but the player from Down Under found his range in the second.
The first four legs - which included a superb 160 checkout by Mardle – were shared before Roach stepped in to level the match.
However, it proved to be Roach's only success as Mardle won six of the next seven legs to close out the match.
Stoke's Andy Hamilton gained revenge for last year's quarter-final defeat to Bob Anderson, inflicting a 3-2 defeat on 'The Limestone Cowboy'.
Hamilton produced a wonderful 11-dart leg to take the game into a tie-break situation - and he quickly reeled off the next two legs to clinch victory.
Terry Jenkins edged a memorable encounter with debutant Jimmy Mann to clinch a place in the second round.
The world number 15 was staring at defeat when Mann had two chances to close
out the match in the fourth leg of the fifth and deciding set.
But his 27-year-old opponent was unable to nail the winning double and Jenkins
stepped in before claiming the next two legs to progress.
Former world champion Dennis Priestley produced another vintage display to set up a second-round meeting with highly-rated youngster Adrian Lewis.
The 'Mexborough Menace' was involved in a titanic tussle with Phil Taylor - Lewis' practice partner - at the Stan James World Matchplay in Blackpool during the summer before reaching the semi-finals of the Skybet World Grand Prix back in October.
And he carried on where he left off in Dublin with an impressive 3-1 win over
Northern Ireland's John Magowan.
Kent thrower Matt Clark overcame Canadian Ken Woods 3-0 and will face defending champion Taylor in the next round after the Christmas break.
Clark had too much firepower for his rival from across the Atlantic, sealing victory with a successful attempt at double 10.
Denis Ovens was not at his best against qualifier Geoff Wylie in the first game of the day but still did enough to secure a 3-1 victory.
Dennis Priestly, Matt Clark and Denis Ovens also advanced on day two.
