Prior to the Grand Slam being seeded, and the additional of various events, the European Championship was a highly valued event and perhaps the most significant of the so called ‘mini majors’.
The event early incarnations saw a some chopping and changing with regard to qualifying and format etc. Although the he early editions were not (fully) screened in the UK this was soon corrected and offered terrestrial broadcasters an opportunity to share in the PDC extravaganza.
You will not be shocked to notice that an event born in 2008 was dominated in its infancy by one Phil The Power Taylor. The Stoke legend won the first four hostings and produced what many consider to be the best overall tournament performance ever when taking the 2009 title with these figures:
Phil Taylor’s 2009 European Championship stats
Paul Nicholson’s Sporting Life piece gives the full story
- Round one: 6-2 v Toon Greebe (111.03 average, 4 180s)
- Round two: 9-0 v Robert Thornton (110.88, 6 180s)
- Quarter-finals: 10-3 v Gary Anderson (118.14, 10 180s)
- Semi-finals: 11-3 v Jelle Klaasen (109.36, 10 180s)
- Final: 11-3 v Steve Beaton (109.35 7 180s)
- Tournament Average: 111.54 – The highest tournament average in any PDC major in history
With the introduction, and then expansion, of the European Tour from 2012 onward the natural qualifying and seeding method was settled upon and the current iteration was born. The event has always been and remains one of those where the unheralded cam break through.
Twice in its short history its has been won by three or more new winners in consecutive years, a rare quality in any major event.
From Wayne Jones reaching the final in 2010, and thus qualifying for the Grand Slam of Darts in his home town, via Simon Whitlock claiming his long awaited major, to Ross Smith’s fairy-tale win in 2022:
Roll of Honour
2008 Phil Taylor def Adrian Lewis 11-5
2009 Phil Taylor def Steve Beaton 11-3
2010 Phil Taylor def Wayne Jones 11-1
2011 Phil Taylor def Adrian Lewis 11-8
2012 Simon Whitlock def Wes Newton 11-5
2013 Adrian Lewis def Simon Whitlock 11-6
2014 Michael van Gerwen def Terry Jenkins 11-4
2015 Michael van Gerwen def Gary Anderson 11-10
2016 Michael van Gerwen def Mensur Suljovic 11-1
2017 Michael van Gerwen def Rob Cross 11-7
2018 James Wade def Simon Whitlock 11-8
2019 Rob Cross def Gerwyn Price 11-6
2020 Peter Wright def James Wade 11-4
2021 Rob Cross def Michael van Gerwen 11-8
2022 Ross Smith def Michael Smith 11-8
2023 Peter Wright def James Wade 11-6
Nine-Darters
2001 Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
2014 Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
2017 Kyle Anderson v Michael van Gerwen
2020 Jose de Sousa v Jeffrey de Zwaan
—–ENDS——-
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