SIMON WHITLOCK knocked defending champion Gary Robson out of the Bavaria World Darts Trophy with a 3-1 victory in Monday's opening game.
Whitlock, a semi-finalist at the Topic IDL back in May, looked in trouble when Robson took the first set 3-0, including a 121 finish in the third leg.
Robson also took out another 121 checkout to level the second set at 2-2, but Whitlock hit double eight with his last dart to level the match.
Whitlock moved ahead by taking the third set without reply, hitting two maximums and a 13-dart leg.
Robson won the opener in the fourth set in 11 darts, but back-to-back 13-darters from Whitlock put him within touching distance of the win before he dived past the winning post with double eight.
The night's second game saw the eagerly-anticipated clash between Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen, with the Dutch wonderkid emerging successful in a deciding set.
The 17-year-old stormed out of the blocks to win the first set 3-1, with van Barneveld taking the second set in a deciding leg after levelling matters at 2-2 with a 127 finish.
Van Gerwen hit back with two ton-plus finishes in the next as he moved 2-1 up in the game with a 12-dart leg to take the set 3-1.
He also checked out 112 in the fourth set, but it was van Barneveld who kept his hopes alive by winning the set 3-1 and taking the game into a decider.
Another 12-darter - against the throw after van Barneveld missed the bullseye for an 81 finish - put van Gerwen ahead and he took out double ten to move 2-0 up.
He also had darts to win the game in the third leg before van Barneveld scrambled home double one to stay in the contest.
Van Gerwen, though, took the fourth leg comfortably to avenge his quarter-final loss at the Topic IDL and move into the last 16.
His average of 98.71 - opposed to 95.86 from van Barneveld - was the second highest of the tournament so far.
"When the draw was made I knew it would be one heck of a match," admitted van Barneveld. "He is so fluent, his tempo and the way he plays is awesome and you know you have to finish every leg in 12 or 15 darts.
"He is a handful, 17-years-old and he played superb. Every time I missed one or two darts he went out - and he never let me in.
"I didn't have the hunger in my eyes like Mike did. I wasn't looking forward to the match and I don't know why but it's something I have to work on.
"I will talk to my coach and focus on the next tournaments like the SkyBet World Grand Prix, which I will try to qualify for later this month."
Englishman Darryl Fitton continued the trend of ending the hopes of Dutch players with a 3-0 win over Co Stompe.
Fitton took all three sets 3-1 to move into the second round, where he will face Mervyn King.
King came from a set down to win 3-2 in a tie break against Tony Martin in the night's final game.
Martin won the opening set 3-1 before King won the next two by the same scoreline - including a 170 checkout - to move ahead.
Martin came back from 2-1 down in the fourth to take the game into a decider, and twice hit back to level matters in the final set and force a tie break at 2-2.
King, though, landed legs of 14 and 15 darts to progress in the tightest match of the first round.
Bavaria World Darts Trophy
First Round
Monday 4 September
Simon Whitlock 3-1 Gary Robson
Michael van Gerwen 3-2 Raymond van Barneveld
Darryl Fitton 3-0 Co Stompe
Mervyn King 3-2 Tony Martin
Click here for the Schedule of Play and results
Photos courtesy Robert Lusing/Bavaria World Darts Trophy