On a Lakeside afternoon dipped in pure darting romance, Dutchman Jimmy Van Schie was determined to not become the victim of another tungsten teenage rampage. The sporting gods may finally delivered the ending the entire tungsten world had been begging for for Deta Hedman, but the favourite in the Open category had different ideas.
The final delivered a plot twist so dramatic even Lakeside’s walls needed a moment to process it. From three sets down, top seed Jimmy van Schie staged an almighty comeback to crush the dreams of Scotland’s teenage phenomenon Mitchell Lawrie and claim the 2025 Open World Championship.For a glorious half-hour, it looked like the Lakeside might witness the oldest and youngest champions crowned on the same night.
Lawrie, just 15, came flying out of the traps, blitzing his way to a 3–0 lead and threatening to rewrite the record books in permanent marker. Then the Dutchman woke up. With all the icy steel of a seasoned campaigner, van Schie rattled off six consecutive sets, turning the match on its head and crushing Scottish hopes with a tidal wave of scoring and composure. Heartbreak for Wee Sox. Elation for the Netherlands. And a comeback that will echo through Lakeside folklore for years.
Earlier in the afternoon, Lawrie had at least pocketed one world title, producing another fearless display to take the Open Youth crown with a 4–2 win over Germany’s Florian Preis. The Scot raced into a two-set lead, survived a strong pushback from Preis, and eventually overpowered his rival in a battle of teenage artillery.
It wasn’t the trophy he truly wanted — and it wasn’t the double he’d dreamed of — but at 15 years old, time is very much on his side. You don’t watch Mitchell Lawrie and think if he becomes world champion. You think how soon.
WDF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS
Open Youth Final – Mitchell Lawrie 4-2 Florian Preis
Girls Final – Rebecca Allen 0-3 Zehra Gemi
Women’s Final – Lerena Rietbergen 1-4 Deta Hedman
Open Final – Jimmy van Schie 6-3 Mitchell Lawrie
—–ENDS—–
Images: Chris Sargeant / WDF
