Richie Burnett stole the show on the opening night of the 2012 European Open, averaging a breath-taking 121 in a 6-2 win over Andy Jenkins in Dusseldorf.
Welshman Burnett looked on course for the non-televised world record average (128) at one stage, but sealing victory with a 17-dart leg denied the former Lakeside Champion that feat.
The victory sets up a second round clash with Scott Rand in the third European Tour event of the season, which also featured a number of notable results throughout the opening day.
Reigning World Youth Champion James Hubbard claimed another big scalp as he knocked out Andy Hamilton 6-5 to keep his hopes of snatching one of the final World Matchplay qualifying places alive.
After a nip and tuck ten legs in which the duo could not be separated, it was the young sensation who held his nerve in the decider to head into the next round where he will face Bristol's Steve Brown, who was a 6-2 winner against another young star, Arron Monk.
World Champion Adrian Lewis swept into the second round with a 6-0 whitewash of Karsten Kornath despite averaging just 84 against his nervy opponent, as Simon Whitlock produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Ross Smith in Dusseldorf.
Whitlock trailed the 23-year-old 5-2 and was staring defeat in the face, but produced his trademark battling quality to prevail 6-5 and avoid becoming another big named casualty.
Number two seed James Wade avoided a potential upset himself with a 6-3 win over Sweden's Magnus Caris, and will now play Jelle Klaasen on Saturday, following the Dutchman's 6-1 win over Mark Hylton.
Whitlock now plays Belgium's Ronny Huybrechts, whose European Tour debut began with a 6-5 win over Peter Wright as he joined brother Kim - who defeated Paul Nicholson 6-2 - in the second round.
Defeat for Snakebite jeopardises his chances of appearing at the Winter Gardens later this month, while Ronny's highly rated brother Kim now faces a second round showdown with Dave Chisnall, after the German Darts Championship runner-up defeated Germany's Kevin Munch 6-1.
Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld saw off Stoke's Ian White 6-2 and now plays Brendan Dolan, who edged out Dean Winstanley 6-5 in their first round contest.
Colin Osborne joined Lewis by inflicting a whitewash, against Jim Walker, and now plays Kevin Painter after the Premier League wildcard won 6-3 against young Dutchman Ryan De Vreede.
Rapid Dutchmen Vincent van der Voort and Michael van Gerwen progressed with wins over Jamie Lewis and Wayne Jones respectively, but there was disappointment for their fellow countryman Co Stompe, who lost 6-1 to Mark Dudbridge.
Ronnie Baxter and Mervyn King will clash in a high-profile second round tie after they saw off Devon Petersen and Stuart Kellett, while Brian Woods' narrow win over Jamie Caven sets up a clash with van Gerwen.
UK Open champion Robert Thornton defeated local qualifier Maik Langendorf to set up a clash with van der Voort and more importantly confirmed his attendance at the World Matchplay as a qualifier to avoid.
Young star Joe Cullen avenged two previous World Championship defeats from Terry Jenkins in style with a crushing 6-1 victory.
The man known as 'Rockstar' now plays Johnny Haines in the second round, with the Swindon man knocking out Alan Tabern 6-2 in the afternoon session.
Croatian Tonci Restovic sent home veteran Denis Ovens to set up a clash with Mark Walsh, who was a 6-5 winner against Wayne Jones, while Andy Smith's narrow defeat of Mick Todd - for the second successive European Tour event - sees him progress to a second round game with Michael Mansell.
Northern Irish left-hander Mansell put out the in-form Colin Lloyd by a convincing 6-2 score line in one of a scattering of shock results.
The upsets began immediately as Dutch young gun Gino Vos put out the well-fancied Justin Pipe 6-3 in the first match of the tournament.
German hopes will rest solely on Tomas Seyler, after he delighted the bumper home crowd by beating three-time world champion John Part 6-3.
Wes Newton and Scott Rand received Byes through to the second round, with their scheduled first round opponents Steve Maish and Gary Anderson withdrawing from the tournament.
Play continues from 12pm (1pm local time) on Saturday, with the second round games split across two sessions at the Maritim Hotel in Dusseldorf.
European Darts Open - European Tour Event Three Results
First Round
Friday July 6
Gino Vos 6-3 Justin Pipe
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Jamie Lewis
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Wayne Jones
Dave Chisnall 6-1 Kevin Munch
Mervyn King 6-3 Stuart Kellett
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Devon Petersen
Joe Cullen 6-1 Terry Jenkins
Tonci Restovic 6-3 Denis Ovens
Mark Walsh 6-5 Mark Jones
Andy Smith 6-5 Mick Todd
Johnny Haines 6-2 Alan Tabern
Steve Beaton 6-3 Tony Littleton
Michael Mansell 6-2 Colin Lloyd
Kevin Painter 6-3 Ryan de Vreede
Steve Brown 6-2 Arron Monk
James Hubbard 6-5 Andy Hamilton
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Ross Smith
Robert Thornton 6-1 Maik Langendorf
Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 Ian White
James Wade 6-3 Magnus Caris
Adrian Lewis 6-0 Karsten Kornath
Tomas Seyler 6-3 John Part
Kim Huybrechts 6-2 Paul Nicholson
Brendan Dolan 6-5 Dean Winstanley
Colin Osborne 6-0 Jim Walker
Ronny Huybrechts 6-5 Peter Wright
Mark Dudbridge 6-1 Co Stompe
Jelle Klaasen 6-1 Mark Hylton
Richie Burnett 6-2 Andy Jenkins
Brian Woods 6-5 Jamie Caven
Scott Rand Bye (Gary Anderson withdrew)
Wes Newton Bye (Steve Maish withdrew)
Saturday July 7
Second Round
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm)
Kevin Painter v Colin Osborne
Joe Cullen v Johnny Haines
Michael van Gerwen v Brian Woods
Mark Walsh v Tonci Restovic
Gino Vos v Tomas Seyler
Ronnie Baxter v Mervyn King
Michael Mansell v Andy Smith
Scott Rand v Richie Burnett
Evening Session (6pm-10pm)
Vincent van der Voort v Robert Thornton
Wes Newton v Mark Dudbridge
Kim Huybrechts v Dave Chisnall
James Wade v Jelle Klaasen
Simon Whitlock v Ronny Huybrechts
Adrian Lewis v Steve Beaton
Raymond van Barneveld v Brendan Dolan
James Hubbard v Steve Brown
