Darts Players Championship: Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith among big-name casualties in Minehead | Darts News

Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Nathan Aspinall and Damon Heta all suffered early exits; Watch the draw for the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship live on Sky Sports News and the Sky Sports Darts YouTube channel on Monday

Gerwyn Price missed three match darts in a dramatic last-leg finish. (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Nathan Aspinall and Damon Heta were among the big-name players to exit on a stunning day of upsets at the Cazoo Players Championship Finals in Minehead on Friday.

World number one Price was sent packing by Ryan Joyce after squandering three match darts in a dramatic last-leg affair on the Main Stage.

Joyce – who led 3-0 at one stage – missed three match darts of his own before returning to prevail via double eight, and he now takes on a resurgent Jermaine Wattimena, who eased past Brendan Dolan in his opener.

Elsewhere, newly-crowned Grand Slam of Darts champion Michael Smith suffered a shock opening-round exit against Ritchie Edhouse, who defied a 12-point disparity in the averages to secure one of the biggest wins of his career.

Michael Smith could not continue his Grand Slam of Darts form in the first round of the Players Championship. (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Smith – who averaged 98 – led 5-3 before Edhouse reeled off three consecutive legs to triumph, and the Enfield ace will face Dimitri Van den Bergh for a place in round three after the Belgian came through a gruelling tussle against Martin Lukeman.

German youngster Ricardo Pietreczko caused a major upset on his TV debut, edging out top seed Damon Heta in a deciding-leg tie to set up a showdown against Callan Rydz, who overcame Madars Razma in a similar fashion.

Elsewhere, third seed Aspinall paid the price for a profligate display as he succumbed 6-4 to Martijn Kleermaker, and the Dutchman will play Matt Campbell for a place in the last 16 after the clinical Canadian accounted for Steve Beaton.

However, six-time champion Michael van Gerwen avoided the same fate as his main rivals, reeling off three straight legs to come through a high-quality tussle against Suffolk’s Ryan Meikle.

Van Gerwen closed out a 6-3 victory to stay in the competition. (Kieran Cleeves/PDC)

Van Gerwen – chasing a record-extending seventh title at this event – closed out a 6-3 victory to create a tie against Cameron Menzies, who impressed in defeating Josh Rock by the same scoreline.

“It’s only a short format so you have to play your best if you want to win games,” reflected Van Gerwen, who averaged 102 and converted six of his 11 attempts at a double.

“Cameron Menzies is a good player and when he’s on it, he can do some real damage, but I don’t care who I play, you have to beat them all to win this tournament.”

Second seed Luke Humphries also avoided an early exit, producing a professional display in his 6-3 success against Nathan Rafferty, and Mike De Decker now awaits, after the Belgian toppled Jim Williams in a contest featuring nine 180s.

Danny Noppert produced the performance of the opening day in Minehead, converting stunning 140 and 164 finishes in consecutive legs to complete a 6-1 demolition of Simon Whitlock.

Noppert – making his first Minehead appearance since a UK Open triumph in March – averaged 106 and defied five 180s from Whitlock to book a meeting with ten-time TV title winner James Wade, who swept aside a below-par Mensur Suljovic.

European Champion Ross Smith produced a flawless display of finishing to dispatch debutant Gian van Veen, converting all six of his attempts at double to set up a mouth-watering showdown against Jonny Clayton – a whitewash winner against John O’Shea.

Former World Champions Rob Cross and Gary Anderson will collide in another tasty tussle after both men produced battling displays in wins over Kevin Doets and Gabriel Clemens respectively.

Fourth seed Dirk van Duijvenbode recovered from 4-2 down to defeat Mickey Mansell in a last-leg decider, and his reward is a second-round clash against 2018 winner Daryl Gurney, who ran out a comfortable 6-3 winner against Keegan Brown.

Masters champion Joe Cullen reeled off four straight legs to ease past Rowby-John Rodriguez and set up a second-round tussle against Kim Huybrechts, who posted a 101 average in his 6-4 success against Grand Slam semi-finalist Raymond van Barneveld.

The battle to claim the last piece of silverware before the World Championship continues on Saturday, with 16 second-round ties played across the Main Stage and Stage Two in the afternoon.