FORMER world and UK champion John Parrott said he had "got a monkey off his back" with his 9-5 first round win over James Wattana last night.

He admitted that the Thailander has been one of his bogeymen over the years.

"I've got my enthusiasm for snooker back," said Parrott, who said that the death of his father had knocked the stuffing out of him for a while.

"I've gone back to playing the way I used to with my stance and my cueing action."

Parrott completed his confident victory last night with a 124 break in the last frame.

Pontefract's Jimmy Michie earned a second round match against world number nine Stephen Lee thanks to a battling 9-7 win last night over Gerard Greene.

Chinese teenager Ding Junhui's form fell apart in his first round match against Welshman Dominic Dale, who won 9-3 after taking a 7-0 lead.

Robin Hull made the highest break so far of the final stages of this year's championship in York with 134 in the 14th frame of his 9-7 first round defeat to Mark King last night.

There was another early defeat for last month's Grand Prix runner-up Ian McCulloch. The world number 17 from Preston, beaten in the first round of last week's British Open in Brighton, went out 9-4 to Barry Hawkins.

Mark Selby was a 9-3 winner over Tony Drago, and Mark King recorded a 9-7 success over Robin Hull.

Tuesday's results and today's matches:

Tuesday's results

First round: Neil Robertson bt Joe Swail 9-7, Mark Selby bt Tony Drago 9-3, Barry Hawkins bt Ian McCulloch 9-4, Mark King bt Robin Hull 9-7, Ryan Day bt Drew Henry 9-8, John Parrott bt James Wattana 9-5, Ricky Walden bt Michael Holt 9-4, Robert Milkins bt Sean Storey 9-3, Jimmy Michie bt Gerard Greene 9-7, Dominic Dale bt Ding Junhui 9-3.

Tonight's matches

(7pm, second session of matches started this morning)

First round: Stephen Maguire v Mark Davis.

Second round: Chris Small v Joe Perry, Jimmy White v Allister Carter, Paul Hunter v Quinten Hann, Ken Doherty v Andy Hicks.

Tomorrow's matches

Second round (10am and 7pm): Peter Ebdon v Robert Milkins, Stephen Lee v Jimmy Michie, Steve Davis v Dominic Dale. (2.30pm, second session of matches started this afternoon): Graeme Dott v Neil Robertson, David Gray v Mark Selby, Alan McManus v Ryan Day, Marco Fu v John Parrott, John Higgins v Ricky Walden.

Updated: 10:47 Wednesday, November 17, 2004