PHIL TAYLOR grabbed two victories to open the 2006 Holsten Premier League Darts in style - but Dutch superstar Raymond van Barneveld stole the show at Blackburn's King George's Hall.
Van Barneveld was unveiled as the seventh player for the Premier League on Wednesday, and enjoyed a dream debut 24 hours later with an 8-1 rout of Ronnie Baxter.
Taylor began the defence of his title with two victories, edging out Wayne Mardle in a deciding final leg before trouncing world number one Colin Lloyd 8-1.
The night's other game saw another Dutch star, Roland Scholten, begin his challenge in style with an 8-4 win over Peter Manley.
Holsten Premier League Darts
Wayne Mardle 6-8 Phil Taylor
Peter Manley 4-8 Roland Scholten
Raymond van Barneveld 8-1 Ronnie Baxter
Phil Taylor 8-1 Colin Lloyd
WAYNE MARDLE 6-8 PHIL TAYLOR
PHIL TAYLOR made a winning start to the defence of his Holsten Premier League Darts crown with a narrow victory over Wayne Mardle.
In the tournament's opening game, Taylor took a two-leg advantage three times only to see a resilient Mardle hang onto his coat-tails.
The Essex thrower could well have found himself 3-1 up after missing doubles in two of the opening four legs.
After Mardle took the opener with double 12, Taylor then hit back with a 12-darter, and then broke his opponent's throw to move ahead.
He stayed in front to lead 4-2 at the break only for Mardle to pull back with a 106 checkout.
The world number four, though, missed four darts to level matters in the next, with Taylor landing a tricky double 13 at the seventh attempt.
Mardle won the next two legs to draw level, but Taylor then landed double four before taking out 130 to ensure at least a point at 7-5.
Mardle landed a pressure 120 'Shanghai' finish to take the game into a deciding final leg, but a brilliant 148 from Taylor saw him wrap up the victory.
"This is one of the best venues we've been to and we both felt the nerves up there, but we also hit the darts," said Taylor.
"Wayne is getting better and we will see a lot more from him because he's learning all the time."
PETER MANLEY 4-8 ROLAND SCHOLTEN
ROLAND SCHOLTEN produced an assured display to begin his challenge in the 2006 Holsten Premier League Darts with a comfortable victory over Peter Manley.
The Dutchman, a beaten semi-finalist in last year's event, dominated throughout his clash with World Championship runner-up Manley.
He took a 3-0 lead in double-quick time before Manley finally lived up to his 'One Dart' nickname by landing double top.
But he missed six darts to win the next leg as Scholten moved 4-1 up, although Manley did manage to take the next two to reduce the arrears.
Scholten found another gear to win the next three legs and earn himself a point at 7-3.
Manley took the 11th leg to keep alive his hopes of a comeback, but Scholten landed a fourth maximum 180 of the game in the next before hitting double four to seal the win.
"I'm very pleased," said Scholten. "I wanted to get off to a good start and I've done that.
"I play twice next week in Sunderland so this is a good confidence boost for me."
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 8-1 RONNIE BAXTER
DUTCH superstar Raymond van Barneveld made a brilliant start to his career with the PDC, destroying Ronnie Baxter 8-1 to win his first match in the Holsten Premier League.
The four-time World Champion was unveiled as the seventh and final player for the Premier League just 24 hours before his opening game in Blackburn.
But he showed no nerves with a scintillating display to silence the partisan Lancastrian crowd - who greeted locally-born Baxter as a hero.
The world number three, though, could do nothing as van Barneveld stormed into a 5-0 lead with some brilliant darts.
He opened the contest with a 13-dart leg, and then stepped in to take the second with a 127 finish.
He moved 5-0 up with a 116 checkout before Baxter registered his first leg by landing double top.
Baxter paid the price in the next leg, when he missed the same double to pull back another before van Barneveld finally landed double five.
He then recorded the next two legs to seal a sensational win and begin his tilt at the title in style.
"This is unbelievable, what a debut," said van Barneveld.
"I was very focused but when I was waiting for my walk-on, I had goosebumps and felt like a proud man.
"Ronnie is a fantastic player but he missed a few doubles and let me in for the second leg, but I was 5-0 up before I had a bad leg.
"It was a good display and I'm happy."
PHIL TAYLOR 8-1 COLIN LLOYD
PHIL TAYLOR completed a faultless opening night to the 2006 Holsten Premier League Darts with an 8-1 win over Colin Lloyd.
In a repeat of the inaugural final of last May, Taylor dropped just one leg in seeing off the world number one with comparative ease.
He took out a 122 finish on the bull in the second leg to move 2-0 up, and landed six perfect darts on his way to winning the third.
Lloyd landed double one to pull back the fourth leg, but a 126 finish helped Taylor to enter the break 5-1 up.
Essex star Lloyd was unable to take out a 160 finish in the seventh - missing double top - as Taylor extended his advantage.
And he lifted his average to almost 107 by winning the game with an 11-dart leg.
That sees Taylor top the table after week one, having defeated Wayne Mardle 8-6 in the night's opening game.
"To play Wayne first up was very exciting and nerve-wracking and Colin has shown what he can do in the past, so to beat them both is great," said Taylor.
"I've got four points in the bag, so I'm very happy."