The Canadian stars dominated the opening day of the CDC’s inaugural Cross-Border Darts Challenge in Jersey City on Friday.
The 16-player event – which is being held at the historic White Eagle Hall – pits eight American representatives against their Canadian counterparts across two days of competition.
Day One saw the Canadian contenders dominate proceedings, with former World Cup quarter-finalist Jeff Smith among the six hopefuls from north of the border to progress to Saturday’s final stages.
Smith overcame 1994 World Matchplay champion Larry Butler in his opener, while former World Championship qualifiers John Norman Jr and Jim Long also joined their compatriot Smith in the last eight.
Norman Jr closed out an emphatic 4-1 win over quick-fire American ace Danny Lauby, while Long edged out former World Cup representative Chuck Puleo in a gruelling decider.
Steve Warnock dumped out last year’s North American Champion Leonard Gates in convincing style, with Jacob Taylor accounting for 2008 UK Open runner-up Gary Mawson by the same 4-1 scoreline.
Keith Way will be the sixth Canadian in quarter-final action on Saturday, after kicking off the tournament with a deciding-leg win over Joey Lynaugh.
CDC Continental Cup winner Alex Spellman and Tour Card Holder Jules van Dongen were the two American representatives to advance, after also coming through dramatic last-leg shoot-outs.
Spellman edged out three-time World Champion John Part in a seven-leg affair, before Van Dongen fired in a 13-darter to deny David Cameron in another tense first-round tussle.
The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will take place on a bumper day of action on Saturday, with a place in the bet365 US Darts Masters and North American Championship on offer to the winner.
Tour Card Holders Smith and Van Dongen are already assured of their places in New York alongside CDC Continental Cup winner Spellman, although the remaining five players can still qualify for June’s showpiece.
Streaming coverage of Saturday’s final stages will be available on PDCTV for all subscribers worldwide, and through the CDC’s YouTube channel.
2023 CDC Cross-Border Challenge
White Eagle Hall, Jersey City
Friday April 21
First Round
Keith Way 4-3 Joey Lynaugh
Jim Long 4-3 Chuck Puleo
Jacob Taylor 4-1 Gary Mawson
Alex Spellman 4-3 John Part
Jules van Dongen 4-3 David Cameron
Jeff Smith 4-2 Larry Butler
Steve Warnock 4-1 Leonard Gates
John Norman Jnr 4-1 Danny Lauby
Saturday April 22
Quarter-Finals
Keith Way v Jim Long
Jacob Taylor v Alex Spellman
Jules van Dongen v Jeff Smith
Steve Warnock v John Norman Jnr
Semi-Finals
Way/Long v Taylor/Spellman
Van Dongen/Smith v Warnock/Norman Jnr
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