Dennis Smith produced a stunning comeback to dump Dennis Priestley from the Las Vegas Desert Classic with a 6-5 win.
Smith, who fought through the qualifiers to win a place in the main field, looked set to lose in the first round to Priestley for a second successive year when he fell behind 4-0 early on.
However, he fought back to 4-3 and then sent the game into a deciding leg before prevailing to put himself into the last 16.
Priestley began superbly, averaging over 100 in taking the first four legs without reply, including a 134 finish in leg three.
Smith got off the mark in leg five with a 13-darter, and then took the next two to reduce the deficit to one leg.
He looked set to level the match by setting up a possible ten-darter in the next with scores of 180, 140 and 165 - but then missed six darts at the double to allow Priestley to steal in and move to within a leg of victory.
The double World Champion, though, missed doubles in the next two legs to allow Smith to level at five-all and send the game into the final leg.
Smith landed two 140s to put himself in command, and closed out the win with double top.
