OOSTERHOUT – The team that led the Kozoom league for the entire season last year, but ultimately failed to clinch the title, got off to the best start on the first day at the Dutch premier league. The Babbelz team beat debutants Harwig 8-0, with Frédéric Caudron producing the best day’s performance: winning by 40 points in just 14 innings. There were two 6-2 victories for teams that also have ambitions for this new challenge. Only Bousema/Lochem, last year's cup winner, and Team Eekhoorn, long in the race for the title, shared the points in the opening round on Sunday.
This was mainly the day for Jean Paul de Bruijn to take revenge against Dick Jaspers for the Grand Prix final in Sittard. In front of his home crowd’ in Sluiskil, De Bruijn was able to shine against the best Dutch billiard player all time: Dick Jaspers still had to score ten points to equalize after De Bruijn had finished. The Brabant player missed out on 8 caroms, so De Bruijn won 40-38 in 23. The match score was in Dallinga’s favor as well, the home team beat Paperclip 6-2, partly due to Peter De Backer's impressive 40-20 win over Anno de Kleine in 18.
Babbelz took the top spot with an 8-0 score, leaving Harwig without a chance at 8-0. The most close match was between Davy van Havere and Rob Lamboo: 40-36 in 27.
Cues&Darts and SIS/Vervoort fought exciting duels at the champions' home ground. Glenn Hofman and Huub Wilkowski turned the half-time score (2-2) in Tilburg's favor. Hofman beat Jean van Erp 40-29 in 21, Wilkowski beat Raymund Swertz 40-36 in 24. Jef Philipoom secured half the points for Cues&Darts by beating Raimond Burgman 40-36 in 24.
Bousema against Eekhoorn was the most exciting match of the day, ending in a 4-4 score. Nick Polychronopoulos won after a cool final sprint against Jeffrey Jorissen 40-28 in 22, Jerry Hermans secured the draw for his team against Frans van Schaik. Two Bousema players won: Johan Loncelle beat Peter Ceulemans 40-22 in 26 innings, and Stefan Galla beat Frans van Kuyk 40-33 in 27 innings.
The highlight at the Brabant derby between Aartsbouw and Zundert, the match between Eddy Merckx and Roland Forthomme, was decided by home player Merckx with a 40-29 score in 28. The leader led his team to an eventual 6-2 victory, as Barry van Beeers also beat Sam van Etten 40-35 in 31 and Ronny Brants defeated Francis Forton 40-31 in 37. The only winner for Zundert was Sergio Jimenez, who defeated Wesley de Jaeger 40-37 in 37.
Erwin Kivits and Johan Roijers made valiant attempts to help Burgmans achieve a favorable score in the away match against RCN Nieuwegein. However, the victory went to Dave Christiani, Gerwin Valntijn, and Henk Blauwblomme, so RCN Nieuwegein beat Burgmans 6-2.