PDC World Matchplay champions that now concludes with Luke Littler as the newest name and 14th player to lift the trophy...
LARRY Butler's inaugural triumph in 1994 started a chain of PDC World Matchplay champions that now concludes with Luke Littler as the newest name and 14th player to lift the trophy.
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 their sport and who had already lifted, or would go on to collect, World and/or major titles.
While there is little doubt that Phil Taylor is the King of Blackpool many regard Colin Lloyd's 170 to win the title as the single greatest moment.
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There have now been a trio debut winners since 2023: Nathan Aspinall, Luke Humphries and now the teenage sensation known as The Nuke. Master Littler lifted the Phil Taylor trophy at the second attempt and completed the PDC's triple crown at the same time.
To add the icing to the cake reigning world champion littler also added his name to the 9-Darter honor roll
Blackpool 9-Darters (8 Players):
- 2002 Phil Taylor v Chris Mason
- 2010 Raymond van Barneveld v Denis Ovens
- 2011 John Part v Mark Webster
- 2012 Michael van Gerwen v Steve Beaton
- 2012 Wes Newton v Justin Pipe
- 2014 Phil Taylor v Michael Smith
- 2018 Gary Anderson v Joe Cullen
- 2022 Gerwyn Price v Danny Noppert
- 2024 Dimitri Van Den Bergh v
- 2025 Luke Littler v Josh Rock
READ FULL HALL OF FAME: Darts World’s World Matchplay story
Women's World Matchplay:
Launched in 2022 to, compliment the PDC's tier tour known as the Women’s Series, and provide the first fully TV covered women's PDC major.
The one- day event in held during the same time period, and in the same venue, as the World Matchplay and proved an immediate success with 'Queen of the Palace' Fallon Sherrock claiming the inaugural title.
PDC/Taylor Lanning
The Women's games' very own teenage superstar, Beau Greaves, took the next two titles but was denied a hattrick, in 2025, by 4-time Women's World Champion Lisa Ashton who claimed a remarkable multicode career grand slam aged 54!
Roll of Honour (4 winners)
- 2022 Fallon Sherrock (def Aileen de Graaf 6-3)
- 2023 Beau Greaves (def Mikuru Suzuki 6-1)
- 2024 Beau Greaves (def Fallon Sherrock 6-3)
- 2025 Lisa Ashton (def Fallon Sherrock 6-5)
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Category: General Sports
