WHITWELL-ON-THE-HILL’S Terry Temple has been handed a great chance to reach the prestigious third round of the UK Darts Open at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium next month, writes Dave Flett.

Temple, whose form this year has seen him rise to number 72 in the world rankings, has been drawn in the preliminary round against Matt Clark, who is six places below him on the PDC Order of Merit.

Should he negotiate that test, Temple will then tackle the unranked Mark Kelly in the first round.

If succesful again, he will face either world number 58 Steve Hine, the unranked Thomas Sandwell or a Rileys Qualifier to contest a place in the third round, where the top 32 players in the UK Open’s Order of Merit enter the competition, including the likes of Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis.

The preliminary, first and second round games will all be played on Thursday, June 7.

Acomb’s Chris Thompson’s chances of joining Temple at Bolton, though, were ended by two former World Championship finalists at the Birmingham NIA.

Former UK Open quarter-finalist Thompson lost to 2002 and 2004 BDO runner-up Mervyn King in the first qualifier having earlier edged out top-50 player Dennis Smith 6-5.

On the following day, the Hitman, now ranked 62 in the world, went down to Lakeside’s 1999 and 2000 finalist Ronnie Baxter at the first round stage.

Fellow Minsterman Martyn Turner, now down to 143 in the PDC Order of Merit, also lost 6-1 to a former World Championship finalist in Simon Whitlock having earlier overcome Steve Barrow 6-5.

In the second tournament, Turner was defeated 6-1 by Alex Roy and will not compete at Bolton either.