Barry Hawkins won three out of his opening four round-robin fixtures to top Group 2 of the Championship League after the opening day of action on Thursday in Coventry.

The Englishman, who has struggled for form for the majority of this campaign, edged Mark Selby and Kyren Wilson in deciders before inflicting a 3-0 whitewash on Stephen Maguire late in the evening.

Hawkins’ only blip was a 3-2 reverse to Neil Robertson in a match that saw the pair trade century breaks.

Robertson, Selby, and 2017 Championship League runner-up Ryan Day represent a trio of players in the chasing pack with two wins and two points from their initial exchanges.

Wilson, Maguire, and Anthony Hamilton, who lost in the final of Group 1 on Wednesday, have plenty of work to do after only recording one victory each so far.

Group 2 will reach its climax on Friday with the conclusion of the league phase before the top four advance to the knockout stages when a champion will ultimately qualify for the Winners’ Group in March.

Robertson currently stands to win the high break prize for the event courtesy of his 134 knock during his 3-2 triumph against Wilson.