9:18am Friday 30th July 2010
By Tom Guest
TERRY Jenkins held off the spirited challenge of Germany's Andree Welge to pick up a 6-4 first round win in the PartyPoker.net European Championship.
The Ledbury arrowsmith had been a first round loser in the previous two European Championships, but ended that run with a strong finish after Welge hit back from 4-2 down to level as the world number five lost his range on the doubles.
Welge took the game's opening leg before Jenkins took out finishes of 121 and 78 to take the next two in edging in front, showing no signs of nerves following last week's first round loss to Steve Brown in the World Matchplay.
Four missed doubles in the next allowed Welge in to level, hitting double 10 with his third dart, only for finishes of double six and double eight in the next two to give Jenkins a 4-2 advantage.
However, his finishing deserted him in the next two legs as he missed 12 darts at the double and Welge, courtesy of double five and a two-dart 83 finish, saw the German level.
He also hit five successive treble 20s to kick off the ninth leg, but Jenkins piled on the pressure with a 180 to leave 81 and - after Welge missed darts at double 16 and eight - he landed the bull for a 5-4 lead.
Jenkins kicked off the next with hammer blows of 140 and 180 and went on to seal victory on double 16.
"Andree is a good player but I was pretty confident I could beat him and I managed to get over the finishing line," said Jenkins.
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