Britain in July, Wimbledon, Lords, Henley and Blackpool! The World Matchplay darts at the beautiful, iconic Winter Gardens has become a major part of our sporting summer.
The above are the words of legendary sports lensman Lawrence Lustig who covered sixteen World Matchplay events as the official PDC photographer. The Betfred World Matchplay captures the imagination of tens of thousands of live fans and millions on TV each year. Like everything to do with darts you can get some wonderful insights through the simple numbers of an event. Here are a few illustrations:
1
Larry Butler defied the odds and history to claim the inaugural World Matchplay title in 1995! No USA player has won a PDC major before or since. Butler’s ranking (equivalent of 26 by today’s methods) would have him as the lowest ranked winner as well.
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3
Players to have won back-to-back World Matchplay titles: Rod Harrington, Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen
5
Nations represented by winners: USA, England, Netherlands,Scotland and Belgium.
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7
Title sponsors of the PDC World Matchplay: Proton Cars, Webster’s, Stan James, Skybet, Betfair, BetVictor and Betfred.
8
Matches Phil Taylor lost in the history of the World Matchplay: Bob Anderson (1994), Peter Evison (1996), Ronnie Baxter (1998), Peter Manley (1999), John Part (2005), Terry Jenkins (2007), James Wade (2015) and once in the final, against Michael van Gerwen (2016).
10
9-dart finishes at the Winter Gardens: Phil Taylor (2), Raymond van Barneveld, John Part, Michael van Gerwen, Wes Newton,Gary Anderson, Gerwyn Price, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Luke Littler. Only Part and Newton went on to lose their matches. There is yet to be the perfect leg in a final.
14
Biggest margin in a final: In 2009, Taylor defeated Terry Jenkins 18-4 (also number of champions up to 2025)
29
Number of different players to appear in the final.
38
Longest unbeaten run of matches: Not surprisingly Phil Taylor from 2008-2015
40
Most legs in a final: 2018 Gary Anderson defeated Mensur Suljovic (21-19).
Which records will be extended this year, can Luke Littler be only the fourth player to defend the title, Might Luke Humphries keep up the dominance of the Lukes and the recent pattern at the Matchplay, or might the Dutch add the name of Wessel Nijman to Michael van Gerwen to become the only nation other than England to produce more than one winner?
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Images: PDC
Originally published in Darts World 585 with additional editing for context.
Magazine Pages/Graphics: Darts World Ltd
