PHIL TAYLOR eased past Wayne Mardle 9-2 to open his bid for a fourth Rileys Darts Zones UK Open title at the Reebok Stadium.
Taylor, fresh from hitting two nine-darters in winning the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts 11 days ago, wasted little time in progressing to the last 32 of the UK Open.
He won the opening eight legs against Mardle without reply before the Essex star kept the game alive, albeit briefly, with back-to-back legs before Taylor completed the rout with an average of just over 100.
"I'm flying at the moment and enjoying my darts," admitted Taylor. "I've got to really push for this over the next two days because I want to keep this title."
Mardle has dropped to the edge of the world's top 32 in the past six months and Taylor added: "It was a bit of a mismatch. Wayne was a bit flat at the beginning and didn't play as well as he can do.
"I'd love to see him get back on track and I've invited him to come and practice with me. If he listens to that and does what I tell him he might do that."
Taylor has drawn long-term rival Kevin Painter for Saturday afternoon's fourth round, with the 2004 World Championship finalist defeating Surrey's Mark Harris - the only BDO County qualifier to reach the last 64 - 9-5 in his opener in Bolton.
Another tasty tie will see Gary Anderson and Paul Nicholson meet at the Reebok Stadium for the second successive year, with the latter taking a 6-4 win when they met in round two in 2009.
Scotland's Anderson produced the best display of the tournament so far with a 106 average in powering past Holland's Michael van Gerwen 9-4.
Anderson hit eight 180s in the game, and said: "My scoring was great but I only hit a third of my doubles and if I improve that I could go a long way in this event.
"The only person who scares me in darts is myself and I'm looking forward to the weekend."
Nicholson, meanwhile, was a 9-6 winner against Kirk Shepherd to progress to the last 32.
World number four Mervyn King safely progressed into round four with a 9-5 defeat of young star Joe Cullen - but 23-year-old Irish prospect William O'Connor won a spot in the last 32 in his first-ever televised event by defeating Peter Wright 9-7.
O'Connor drew 2008 UK Open champion James Wade in round four, with the left-hander holding off a Steve Hine comeback before taking a 9-7 victory in their Friday night battle.
Teenager Reece Robinson, one of the 32 Rileys Amateur Qualifiers, gave World Championship runner-up Simon Whitlock a scare in their clash, taking out finishes of 127, 120 and 116 before the Australian - who hit a 170 checkout himself - took a 9-5 win.
Wes Newton sent world number five Terry Jenkins crashing from the event with a superb 9-1 win, a result which was bettered by Kevin McDine's whitewash of Tony Broughton.
The father-and-son combination of Colin and Arron Monk both exited the tournament, losing to Dennis Smith and Denis Ovens respectively, while 2009 runner-up Colin Osborne opened up his challenge with a 9-3 win over Gibraltar's Dylan Duo.
Osborne now takes on Adrian Lewis in the fourth round, while Whitlock drew Robert Thornton, who was a narrow 9-8 winner against Swindon's Mark Cox.
Paul Warwick (pictured, right) is the sole survivor from the Rileys Amateur Qualifiers in the last 32, with the Milton Keynes qualifier having defeated Holland's Co Stompe 9-3.
Broughton and Robinson were joined in defeat by Oxford-based Pete Fisher, a former European powerlifting champion, who lost out 9-3 to Tony Ayres.
Saturday afternoon's fourth round will be followed in the evening session by round five, featuring the last 16, before the eight remaining players return on Sunday to battle for the £40,000 title.
Rileys Darts Zones UK Open
Third Round
Main Stage
Mervyn King 9-5 Joe Cullen
Michael van Gerwen 4-9 Gary Anderson
Wayne Mardle 2-9 Phil Taylor
Reece Robinson 5-9 Simon Whitlock
Steve Hine 7-9 James Wade
Board Two
John Part 6-9 Mark Walsh
Kirk Shepherd 6-9 Paul Nicholson
Wes Newton 9-1 Terry Jenkins
Ronnie Baxter 9-4 Chris Thompson
Board Three
Steve Maish 9-8 Dennis Priestley
Andy Smith 9-5 Colin Lloyd
Vincent van der Voort 7-9 Wayne Atwood
Barrie Bates 8-9 Alex Roy
Board Four
Mark Webster 6-9 Tony Eccles
Kevin Painter 9-5 Mark Harris
Dylan Duo 3-9 Colin Osborne
Roland Scholten 9-3 Simon Cunningham
Board Five
Denis Ovens 9-5 Arron Monk
Matt Clark 3-9 Michael Smith
Stephen Hardy 8-9 Alan Tabern
Andy Hamilton 9-1 Brendan Dolan
Board Six
Robert Thornton 9-8 Mark Cox
Steve Beaton 3-9 Jamie Caven
Mark Dudbridge 7-9 Nigel Heydon
Tony Broughton 0-9 Kevin McDine
Board Seven
Peter Wright 7-9 William O'Connor
Adrian Lewis 9-3 Michael Barnard
Paul Warwick 9-3 Co Stompe
Board Eight
Tony Ayres 9-3 Pete Fisher
Steve Evans 6-9 Jelle Klaasen
Dennis Smith 9-5 Colin Monk
Wayne Jones 9-2 Matt Padgett
Fourth Round Draw
Main Stage
Simon Whitlock v Robert Thornton
William O'Connor v James Wade
Kevin Painter v Phil Taylor
Gary Anderson v Paul Nicholson
Board Two
Kevin McDine v Paul Warwick
Alex Roy v Andy Hamilton
Adrian Lewis v Colin Osborne
Roland Scholten v Alan Tabern
Board Three
Denis Ovens v Dennis Smith
Ronnie Baxter v Tony Eccles
Andy Smith v Jamie Caven
Steve Maish v Wes Newton
Board Four
Mark Walsh v Tony Ayres
Wayne Jones v Jelle Klaasen
Michael Smith v Mervyn King
Wayne Atwood v Nigel Heydon