The World Matchplay is a remarkable darts event and very unusual in elite sport. The Professional Darts Corporation’s summer showcase is both a purists delight - with long format matches and only the very best 32 in the rankings qualifying to take part - but it is also a huge fan favourite as well.
Inaugurated in 1994, The Matchplay, as it is known to fans, has been played in the same town, same venue, and almost exactly the same time, every year since (exempting the Covid-19 2020 hosting behind closed door in Milton Keynes). For many fans it forms part of a summer break by the seaside and is often blessed with fine weather.
Although the World Matchplay is probably the PDC’s second most prestigious and valued title it has had few winners and can be argued to be more difficult to win than even the World Championship itself.
The USA’s Larry Butler triumphed in 1994 and started a chain of World Matchplay champions that currently concludes with Luke Humphries (2024) as the newest name and thirteenth player to lift the trophy.
Belgian Dimitri Van den Bergh is the only winner to win away from the Winter Gardens and came very close to a unique pair of winning it in Blackpool as well.
With the notable exception of Butler, who by today’s system would have been ranked around 26 in the world, the World Matchplay crown has only been won by those ranked at the very top of the sport and who had already, or would go on to, collected World and/or major titles.
DARTS HALLS OF FAME: All-time winners by event
PDC/ Lawrence Lustig
While there is little doubt that Phil Taylor is the King of Blackpool - 16 titles, when the next best is 2, - explains why the trophy is now named after ‘The Power’, many regard Colin Lloyd’s 170 to win the title as the single greatest moment.
JR Lott has written eloquently about the remarkable achievement that was Butler’s triumph as well as Dennis Priestley reaching three consecutive finals and never picking up the trophy.
For sheer drama and against-the-odds spirit surely Andy Hamilton’s comeback against Simon Whitlock (in 2011) and Joe Cullen’s run in 2018 merit a mention, but neither went on to claim the title.
If your looking for a single champion’s performance perhaps Peter Evison’s 8-1 demolition of Taylor in 1996 takes some beating?
In more recent years the efforts of The Power in pulling off a final triumph in 2017 will live long in the memory, especially the peerless removal of MVG at the quarter-final stage.
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Two new names were engraved in 2023 as Nathan Aspinall added to his impressive list and Luke Humphries moved closer to a career slam of every major title available to him. New sensation Luke Littler fell victim to one of Blackpool’s quirks as he was not high enough in the ranking for a seeded position last year and drew MVG in the first round. The Dutchman is one of only three multiple winners and so proved too strong for the teenager on that occasion.
The Nuke will be out to reverse his luck in 2025’s edition where he will qualify as one of the top seeds.
These questions, and quite a few more, delight and surprise us as we see whose name gets added to the Phil Taylor trophy on that legendary stage each year:
The World Matchplay
Roll of Honour (Winners x 13):
1994 Larry Butler def Dennis Priestley (16-12)
1995 Phil Taylor (def Dennis Priestley 16-11)
1996 Peter Evison (def Dennis Priestley 16-14)
1997 Phil Taylor (def Alan Warriner 16-11)
1998 Rod Harrington (def Ronnie Baxter 19-17)
1999 Rod Harrington (def Peter Manley 19-17)
2000 Phil Taylor (def Alan Warriner 18-12)
2001 Phil Taylor (def Richie Burnett 18-10)
2002 Phil Taylor (def John Part 18-16)
2003 Phil Taylor (def Wayne Mardle 18-12)
2004 Phil Taylor (def Mark Dudbridge 18-8)
2005 Colin Lloyd (def John Part 18-12)
2006 Phil Taylor def (James Wade 18-11)
2007 James Wade (def Terry Jenkins 18-7)
2008 Phil Taylor (def James Wade 18-9)
2009 Phil Taylor (def Terry Jenkins 18-4)
2010 Phil Taylor (def Raymond van Barneveld 18-12)
2011 Phil Taylor (def James Wade 18-8)
2012 Phil Taylor (def James Wade 18-15)
2013 Phil Taylor (def Adrian Lewis 18-13)
2014 Phil Taylor (def Michael van Gerwen 18-9)
2015 Michael van Gerwen (def James Wade 18-12)
2016 Michael van Gerwen (def Phil Taylor 18-10)
2017 Phil Taylor (def Peter Wright 18-8)
2018 Gary Anderson (def Mensur Suljovic 21-19)
2019 Rob Cross (def Michael Smith 18-13)
2020 Dimitri Van den Bergh (def Gary Anderson 18-10)
2021 Peter Wright ( def Dimitri Van Den Bergh 18-9)
2022 Micheal Van Gerwen ( def Gerwen Price 18-14)
2023 Nathan Aspinall (def Jonny Clayton 18-6)
2024 Luke Humphries ( def Michael Van Gerwen 18-15)
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