PDC World Championship: Deta Hedman loses on debut to Andy Boulton
- Published
Deta Hedman is the is the first black woman to compete at the tournament
Deta Hedman's PDC World Darts Championship debut ended in a 3-1 defeat by Andy Boulton in the first round.
Hedman, 61, started nervously and missed six darts to win the opening leg before Boulton, 47, took control of the first set.
Boulton then won the second set but a resurgent Hedman took the third.
It set up for a tense fourth set but Boulton was back to his ruthless best, as Hedman's challenge faded.
Hedman, who has won 215 titles, is the first black woman to compete at the tournament and qualified at the expense of Fallon Sherrock.
World number one Michael van Gerwen of the Netherlands beat Scotland's Ryan Murray 3-1 in the last contest of the day, as Australia's Damon Heta lost to 3-2 American Daniel Baggish in the other late match.
In Saturday's earlier ties, Ireland's Steve Lennon beat Daniel Larrson of Sweden 3-1 and England's Scott Waites beat Canada's Matthew Campbell 3-2, while there were also wins for England's Mervyn King and Belgium's Kim Huybrechts.
England's Andy Hamilton - runner-up in 2012 - lost 3-1 to Germany's Nico Kurz.