The day on which Frenchman Pierre Soumagne shone in the Dutch premier league also put other top players in the spotlight on the first day of play. Raymund Swertz and Thorsten Frings, but also Ruben Legazpi, Eddy Merckx, Jean van Erp, Frank Martens, Murat Naci Coklu and Peter Ceulemans launched the highest league series with remarkable matches. The best Dutch winners were Raymund Swertz, Frank Martens and Jean van Erp. The first frontrunners in the DKM Tools league are SIS Schoonmaak, Bousema Lochem, the two finalists of last year, Dallinga, Dekker/AP and Burgmans Biljarts.
Pierre Soumagne, with Cues&Darts, made it clear to Erwin Kivits in an almost flawless exhibition, that a long performance in this week's Dutch Grand Prix is far from a guarantee for a high class start in the premier league. The Dutchman was beaten hard by Soumagne in a match that actually could have been finished in 11 innings. Soumagne's start was impressive with 1-5-8-2 and then after two misses 1-10-6-2-4, for a 39-8 score in 11 innings. The four misses for the match ball slightly diminished the lustre of the victory, but still Pierre Soumagne was the best winner of the day: 40-14 in 16.
The match was a compensation for the poor day opening for the Cues boys, as was the win of Ruben Legazpi against Carlos Crespo (40-27 in 20). Harrie van de Ven demolished Huub Wilkowski in a quick start that led to 40-28 in 27. And Frank Martens made it a 4-0 score at the break in the Tilburg arena for Woonwonder. Therefore, it certainly was not the start that Cues&Darts had hoped for against its regional rival from Oosterhout.
The crackers of this opening day were played in Bousema, the match against Zundert and in Zeeland between Dallinga and J&F Auto's. The mission in these two encounters was clear: compete for the best positions from the start, or miss the first jump to the leading group. Bousema Lochem is straight in the game after the 6-2 vs Zundert, Dallinga stepped on the podium of the first teams with ambitions after the 6-2 against J&F Auto's. Murat Naci Coklu was the main match winner for Bousema with the 40-27 (24) against Roland Forthomme. Peter De Backer was the important winner for Dallinga with a stubborn pursuit of Therese Klompenhouwer and eventually winning 40-38 in 26.
Furthermore, some players had to get used to the circumstances and the rhythm. Raymund Swertz, for instance, ran unrelentingly to 27-1 and 32-3 against Wilco van Wijk. Harrie van de Ven flashed to 27-4 in the opening against Huub Wilkowski. Frans van Schaik went to 22-1 against Rik van Beers and Berry Dallinga to 15-2 against Joey de Kok. For Frans van Schaik it still ended well, but after 20-1 in 13 the Amsterdammer needed 42 innings to win.
Thorsten Frings (Zundert), Peter Ceulemans (Eekhoorn), Jeffrey Jorissen (J&F) and Kay de Zwart (A1) were the only winners in the teams that were beaten 6-2. Burgmans Biljarts was the most striking starter with victories of Anno de Kleine, Marco Janssen and Bart Ceulemans.
Raymund Swertz, best Dutch player in the league
The results in the 6 matches:
Dallinga.com-J&F Auto's/New Jorissen 6-2
Jean Paul de Bruijn-Jeffrey Jorissen 35-40 in 26
Peter De Backer-Therese
Klompenhouwer 40-38 in 26
Steven van Acker-Paul Bruijstens 40-27 in 31
Berry Dallinga-Joey de Kok 40-28 in 37
Cues&Darts/Xtreme-Woonwonder Oosterhout/'t Hartje 4-4
Ruben Legazpi-Carlos Crespo 40-27 in 20
Pierre Soumagne-Erwin Kivits 40-14 in 16
Huub Wilkowski-Harrie van de Ven 28-40 in 27
Wesley de Jaeger-Frank Martens 28-40 in 21
Bousema Lochem/JBS Cues.nl-Stichting Topbiljart Zundert 6-2
Murat Naci Coklu-Roland Forthomme 40-27 in 24
Johan Loncelle-Thorsten Frings 33-40 in 18
Stefan Galla-Sam van Etten 40-35 in 36
Frans van Schaik-Rik van Beers 40-23 in 42
Burgmans Biljarts-A1 Biljarts/DPC
Anno de Kleine-Ronny Lindemann 40-28 in 33
Marco Janssen-Cengiz Karaka 40-39 in 38
Bart Ceulemans-Richard Bitalis 40-36 in 40
Johan Roijers-Kay de Zwart 38-40 in 43
Team Eekhoorn-Dekker/AP
Peter Ceulemans-Dave Christiani 40-36 in 22
Frans van Kuyk-Barry van Beers 38-40 in 27
Kurt Ceulemans-Gerwin Valentijn 27-40 in 38
Jerry Hermans-Henk Blauwblomme 35-40 in 45
SIS Schoonmaak-Post Luchtkanalen/De Hazelaar
Eddy Merckx-Leslie van Neyen 40-16 in 21
Jean van Erp-Marc Celen 40-28 in 22
Martien van der Spoel-Erwin Hens 40-37 in 32
Raymund Swertz-Wilco van Wijk 40-17 in 18