Lewis is very much a player for the big tournaments especially the World Championship. Even more so than Taylor which is surprising. He did not even bother trying to qualify for the European Championship as only played a handful of Euro and Pro Tour this year.

In one respect you could consider him as lazy, in a similar mouldy to Barnie who does have the excuse he's Dutch and for the Pro Tour at least he would have to spend more time in UK. Both though do seem to save their best for the big tournaments.

Poor match - particularly doubling-wise - between Suljovic and Webster starting off the post-Christmas section of the tournament.

The most notable occurrence was something I don't think I've ever seen in a professional darts match before, namely Suljovic having one of his scoring darts disallowed by Russ Bray because he was walking over the oche when he threw it.

Webster's got form for losing matches like this.
Expect lots of grimacing and agonizing in the next 30 minutes or so.

If it goes 3-3 I fancy Suljovic

Suljovic forces the decider!

Full credit to the way he's picked up his game over the last couple of sets, he looked absolutely down and out at 1-3.

Good start from Webster in this final set though...

...and he's won!

Credit to Webster, he held it together really well in that final set.

This is fantastic stuff from Daryl Gurney.

Two sets, all legs won, 104.86 average and 75% on the doubles.

Thornton has not been able to compete and then some.

Thornton getting a whopping here, no shot at a double for someone like Thornton's status in 6 legs is rare.

Thornton 8-3 down in legs and only 2-1 in sets, set play is brutal.

But absolutely compelling for the turnarounds it produces.

For as much as he was being outplayed in the first two sets, Thornton has now drawn level.

Leg play is about accumulation, set play is about winning the legs that matter.

I agree like Pike said it gives you a chance, this game is a perfect example.

Gurney's going to lose this.

What we've seen from the third set onwards is surely the best darts Thornton's produced in a very long time.

And then he blows an 18 finish by hitting double 1 instead of single and gives the leg away.

And Gurney takes out 161 in the next leg!

My prediction might have been slightly too hasty, thinking about it now

And lo and behold, Gurney has taken it

Serves me right.

Seriously though, Thornton worked so hard to get back into that match and blew it on that 18 finish; the match was decided then because he never recomposed himself.

Both of today's matches have featured a player coming from behind to draw level but lacking the necessary guile to actually win it.

Well we both predicted the final legs wrong, darts is like that

Has Dudbridge been booted out then? he didn't seem comfortable or have the voice for it.

If he has taken Eric's job then maybe he is spotting like Bristow did

Ah yes, forgot about the spotter.

Barney, Taylor, MvG.

The reason you follow the PDC is to enjoy nights like this one.

Norris acting like the Neanderthal thug he is.

Looking like Barney's going to run up all 12 legs here

Norris's lack of temperament has really been exposed in this match.

Still, he's won a leg now.

Barney wins and does so looking in ominously good form.

No disrespect to POD here but looking like an early night tonight! 4-0 Barney, 4-0 Phil and 4-0 MVG must be a good bet.

Phils barely out of neutral here let alone first gear and still cruising to a 4-0 win! Kev is going to need to raise his game about 100% to be seen on TV again in 2017.

Philip won didn't really need to try to be honest

That match reminded me of the games Taylor had in his prime against the likes of Scholten and Warriner and Manley when they went up onto the oche knowing they were beaten before a single dart had been thrown.

I find it hard to believe that Taylor will be able to give all those chances to Huybrechts in the next round and not be punished in rather greater fashion.

Very disappointing from Kev he had chances.

Could be another 4-0 full house.