The 1994 Skol World Darts Championship was held following 18 months of controversy within the sport of
darts
Darts or dart-throwing is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small projectile point, sharp-pointed projectile, missiles known as dart (missile), darts at a round shooting target, target known as a #Dartboard, dar ...
. After the
1993 Embassy World Championships, several players decided it was time to part company with the
British Darts Organisation
The British Darts Organisation (BDO) was a darts organisation founded on 7 January 1973 by Olly Croft. Made up of 66 member counties, it oversaw professional, semi-professional and amateur darts competitions in Britain. The BDO was a founder ...
(who had always organised the World Championship) and form their own organisation. The new organisation was known as the World Darts Council (WDC). The WDC would later become the
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) is a professional darts organisation in the United Kingdom, established in 1992 when a group of leading players split from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) to form what was initially called the World ...
(PDC).
The WDC decided to introduce their own separate World Championship, with the inaugural tournament being staged before the BDO version. The 1994 Championship started on Boxing Day 1993, and finished on 2 January 1994. This started a tradition for the WDC/PDC World Championship to kick off before the new calendar year begins. The tournament was staged at the
Circus Tavern
The Circus Tavern is an entertainment venue in Purfleet, Essex, England which hosts functions, cabaret acts and is also a nightclub venue. First opened in 1974, it is most famous as having been a long-time venue of the PDC World Darts Champion ...
,
Purfleet
Purfleet-on-Thames is a town in the Thurrock unitary authority, Essex, England. It is bordered by the A13 road to the north and the River Thames to the south and is within the easternmost part of the M25 motorway but just outside the Greater Lond ...
,
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
.
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley (born 16 July 1950) is an English former professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC (now PDC) world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He is ...
became the first WDC World Darts Champion, winning the final 6–1 against
Phil Taylor to add to his 6–0 whitewash victory over
Eric Bristow
Eric John Bristow, (25 April 1957 – 5 April 2018), nicknamed "The Crafty Cockney", was an English professional darts player.
He was ranked World No. 1 by the World Darts Federation a record five times, in 1980, 1981 and 1983–1985. He was ...
in the
1991 World Championship. 1994 was the last time that Phil Taylor would fail to win the World Championship until 2003.
The 16 Defectors
Originally 16 players "defected" from the BDO to form the WDC/PDC –
Phil Taylor,
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley (born 16 July 1950) is an English former professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC (now PDC) world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He is ...
,
Rod Harrington
Rodney Harrington (born 30 December 1957) is an English former professional darts player and former commentator. He used the nickname "The Prince of Style" for his matches, often wearing a suit and waistcoat for his games. Harrington enjoyed so ...
,
Alan Warriner
Alan Warriner-Little (born Warriner; 24 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed The Iceman, he is a former World Grand Prix champion and a former runner-up at the World Professional Darts Championship.
Darts care ...
,
Peter Evison
Peter Kenneth Evison (born 27 May 1964) is an English former professional darts player who competed in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. Nicknamed The Fen Tiger, his greatest achievements were th ...
,
Richie Gardner
Richard Gardner is an English former professional darts player who had some success during the 1980s, and was one of the 16 top players who formed a breakaway organisation during an acrimonious split in darts, split in the game during 1992–9 ...
,
Jocky Wilson
John Thomas "Jocky" Wilson (22 March 1950 – 24 March 2012) was a Scottish professional darts player. After turning pro in 1979, he quickly rose to the top of the game, winning the World Professional Darts Championship in 1982, then again ...
,
Eric Bristow
Eric John Bristow, (25 April 1957 – 5 April 2018), nicknamed "The Crafty Cockney", was an English professional darts player.
He was ranked World No. 1 by the World Darts Federation a record five times, in 1980, 1981 and 1983–1985. He was ...
,
Keith Deller
Keith Kelvin Deller (born 24 December 1959) is an English former professional darts player best known for winning the 1983 BDO World Darts Championship and Unipart British Professional Championship in 1987. He was the first qualifier ever to ...
,
John Lowe John Lowe may refer to:
Sports
* John Lowe (darts player) (born 1945), English darts player.
* John Lowe (footballer) (1912–1995), Scottish football player
* John Lowe (rugby league), English rugby league footballer
* John Lowe (cricketer) (18 ...
,
Bob Anderson,
Cliff Lazarenko
Cliff Lazarenko (born 16 March 1952) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed "Big Cliff" due to his height (193 cm / 6'4") and weight (over 127 kg at his peak), he is known for being a colourful character on and off the stage ...
,
Kevin Spiolek
Kevin Spiolek (born 5 May 1962 in Cambridge) is a retired English professional darts player who played during the 1980s and 1990s. He made a brief return to form in 2006, when qualifying to play in the PDC World Darts Championship.
Career
His ...
,
Jamie Harvey
Jamie Harvey (born 15 August 1955) is a Scottish former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) tournaments. He used the nickname Bravedart for his matches – a play on ...
,
Mike Gregory
Michael Keith Gregory (20 May 1964 – 19 November 2007) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1990s and 2000s. He played for Warrington from 1982 to 1994, and won 20 caps fo ...
and
Chris Johns.
However, Johns and Gregory returned to the BDO without ever competing at the PDC World Championship. They were replaced with
Graeme Stoddart
Graeme Stoddart (born 30 July 1959 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is a former English–Dutch professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation events. His nickname was Shark.
Career
Stoddart represented Holland in the 1984 Europ ...
and
Kevin Burrows
Kevin Burrows (born 25 November 1964 from Ipswich, Suffolk) is a former English professional darts player, who played in the Professional Darts Corporation events.
Career
From Ipswich, Suffolk, Burrows first was brought in to make up the number ...
and the field was brought up to 24 by adding eight players who are
Larry Butler,
Sean Downs
Sean Downs (born February 6 1967) is an American former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.
Career
Originally from Oregon, Downs first competed in the BDO World Darts Championship in 1993, where ...
,
Gerald Verrier
Gerald Verrier (born December 5, 1958) is an American former professional darts player who played in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).
Career
Verrier was brought in to make up the numbers in the inaugural 1994 WDC World Darts ...
,
Jerry Umberger
Jerry Umberger (born 21 January 1942) is a former American professional darts player, who played in Professional Darts Corporation events. He used the nickname Tucker.
Career
From Pennsylvania, Umberger first competed in the BDO World Darts Cha ...
,
Jim Watkins,
Dave Kelly and
Steve Brown from North America and
Tom Kirby of Ireland.
The Tournament and Format
There were 24 players involved and the tournament featured an unusual
round-robin format. The players were put into groups of three where the order of play was thus:
*Player A v Player B
*Loser of Match 1 v Player C
*Winner of Match 1 v Player C
This was done so that there would usually always be something to play for in the last group game.
The group winner would progress to the quarter-finals (best of seven sets) and the tournament then became a straight knock-out event. The semi-finals were the best of 9 sets and the final was best of 11 sets.
Seeds
#
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley (born 16 July 1950) is an English former professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC (now PDC) world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He is ...
#
Alan Warriner
Alan Warriner-Little (born Warriner; 24 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed The Iceman, he is a former World Grand Prix champion and a former runner-up at the World Professional Darts Championship.
Darts care ...
#
Bob Anderson
#
Peter Evison
Peter Kenneth Evison (born 27 May 1964) is an English former professional darts player who competed in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. Nicknamed The Fen Tiger, his greatest achievements were th ...
#
Rod Harrington
Rodney Harrington (born 30 December 1957) is an English former professional darts player and former commentator. He used the nickname "The Prince of Style" for his matches, often wearing a suit and waistcoat for his games. Harrington enjoyed so ...
#
Phil Taylor
#
Kevin Spiolek
Kevin Spiolek (born 5 May 1962 in Cambridge) is a retired English professional darts player who played during the 1980s and 1990s. He made a brief return to form in 2006, when qualifying to play in the PDC World Darts Championship.
Career
His ...
#
John Lowe John Lowe may refer to:
Sports
* John Lowe (darts player) (born 1945), English darts player.
* John Lowe (footballer) (1912–1995), Scottish football player
* John Lowe (rugby league), English rugby league footballer
* John Lowe (cricketer) (18 ...
Prize money
The prize money for the tournament was £64,000 – significantly less than the
1994 BDO World Championship which featured a £136,100 prize fund.
Tournament review
Group stage
The majority of the major players came through the group stage without trouble.
Phil Taylor eased past
Jamie Harvey
Jamie Harvey (born 15 August 1955) is a Scottish former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) tournaments. He used the nickname Bravedart for his matches – a play on ...
3–1, and
Jim Watkins 3–0 to win Group 1, while 1988 World Champion,
Bob Anderson, cruised into the quarter-finals for a showdown against Taylor, after a series of 3–0 wins against Americans
Gerald Verrier
Gerald Verrier (born December 5, 1958) is an American former professional darts player who played in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).
Career
Verrier was brought in to make up the numbers in the inaugural 1994 WDC World Darts ...
and
Dave Kelly. But there was room for an American to upset the odds, as
Steve Brown, surprisingly, took Group 3, with wins against 1983 champion
Keith Deller
Keith Kelvin Deller (born 24 December 1959) is an English former professional darts player best known for winning the 1983 BDO World Darts Championship and Unipart British Professional Championship in 1987. He was the first qualifier ever to ...
and
Kevin Spiolek
Kevin Spiolek (born 5 May 1962 in Cambridge) is a retired English professional darts player who played during the 1980s and 1990s. He made a brief return to form in 2006, when qualifying to play in the PDC World Darts Championship.
Career
His ...
.
Alan Warriner
Alan Warriner-Little (born Warriner; 24 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed The Iceman, he is a former World Grand Prix champion and a former runner-up at the World Professional Darts Championship.
Darts care ...
would go through to meet him after a couple of 3–1 wins against
Richie Gardner
Richard Gardner is an English former professional darts player who had some success during the 1980s, and was one of the 16 top players who formed a breakaway organisation during an acrimonious split in darts, split in the game during 1992–9 ...
and
Cliff Lazarenko
Cliff Lazarenko (born 16 March 1952) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed "Big Cliff" due to his height (193 cm / 6'4") and weight (over 127 kg at his peak), he is known for being a colourful character on and off the stage ...
.
Peter Evison
Peter Kenneth Evison (born 27 May 1964) is an English former professional darts player who competed in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. Nicknamed The Fen Tiger, his greatest achievements were th ...
showed no signs of discomfort, with consecutive 3–0 wins over
Jerry Umberger
Jerry Umberger (born 21 January 1942) is a former American professional darts player, who played in Professional Darts Corporation events. He used the nickname Tucker.
Career
From Pennsylvania, Umberger first competed in the BDO World Darts Cha ...
and
Kevin Burrows
Kevin Burrows (born 25 November 1964 from Ipswich, Suffolk) is a former English professional darts player, who played in the Professional Darts Corporation events.
Career
From Ipswich, Suffolk, Burrows first was brought in to make up the number ...
, and two 90-plus averages to go with it; the second of which, 97.56, would be the highest three-dart average in the tournament.
Rod Harrington
Rodney Harrington (born 30 December 1957) is an English former professional darts player and former commentator. He used the nickname "The Prince of Style" for his matches, often wearing a suit and waistcoat for his games. Harrington enjoyed so ...
also went through after winning group 6, though not without difficulty. After a 3–1 win over five time World Champion,
Eric Bristow
Eric John Bristow, (25 April 1957 – 5 April 2018), nicknamed "The Crafty Cockney", was an English professional darts player.
He was ranked World No. 1 by the World Darts Federation a record five times, in 1980, 1981 and 1983–1985. He was ...
, he narrowly defeated
Sean Downs
Sean Downs (born February 6 1967) is an American former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.
Career
Originally from Oregon, Downs first competed in the BDO World Darts Championship in 1993, where ...
by 3 sets to 2 to go through to the last 8. Group 7 would see three-time champion
John Lowe John Lowe may refer to:
Sports
* John Lowe (darts player) (born 1945), English darts player.
* John Lowe (footballer) (1912–1995), Scottish football player
* John Lowe (rugby league), English rugby league footballer
* John Lowe (cricketer) (18 ...
bow out, who narrowed missed out in a tight group, which saw
Tom Kirby from Ireland book a quarter-final place, despite suffering defeat in his opening match to Lowe. A 3–1 win over American
Larry Butler, and Lowe's 3–2 loss to Butler, ensured the Irishmen's advancement. He would be up against
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley (born 16 July 1950) is an English former professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC (now PDC) world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He is ...
, after the Yorkshireman saw off
Jocky Wilson
John Thomas "Jocky" Wilson (22 March 1950 – 24 March 2012) was a Scottish professional darts player. After turning pro in 1979, he quickly rose to the top of the game, winning the World Professional Darts Championship in 1982, then again ...
3–2 and
Graeme Stoddart
Graeme Stoddart (born 30 July 1959 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is a former English–Dutch professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation events. His nickname was Shark.
Career
Stoddart represented Holland in the 1984 Europ ...
3–0 to book a quarter-final place.
Quarter-finals
In a battle of two former world champions,
Phil Taylor defeated
Bob Anderson 4–2.
Steve Brown upset the odds again to defeat 1993 runner-up
Alan Warriner
Alan Warriner-Little (born Warriner; 24 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed The Iceman, he is a former World Grand Prix champion and a former runner-up at the World Professional Darts Championship.
Darts care ...
4–3 and book a meeting with Taylor in the semi-finals.
Peter Evison
Peter Kenneth Evison (born 27 May 1964) is an English former professional darts player who competed in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. Nicknamed The Fen Tiger, his greatest achievements were th ...
continued his good form, recording another 90-plus three-dart average while beating
Rod Harrington
Rodney Harrington (born 30 December 1957) is an English former professional darts player and former commentator. He used the nickname "The Prince of Style" for his matches, often wearing a suit and waistcoat for his games. Harrington enjoyed so ...
4–1, while
Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley (born 16 July 1950) is an English former professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC (now PDC) world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively. He is ...
ended the run of
Tom Kirby with a 4–2 win.
Semi-finals and third-place play-off
Brown's dream run finally ended in the semi-finals, as Taylor beat him 5–0 to reach his third world final. The scoreline seemed harsh on Brown, however, as both players finished with the same three-dart average (91.20). In the other semi-final, Priestley beat Evison 5–3, thus reaching his second world final. Brown capped off his impressive run in fine style, beating Evison 5–1 in the third-place play-off.
Final
The final turned out to be a one-sided affair, with Taylor rarely giving Priestley any trouble at all. Priestley raced into a 5–0 lead, and eventually won 6–1 to take his second world title.
Results
Group stage
Group A
26 December
27 December
28 December
Group B
26 December
27 December
28 December
Group C
26 December
27 December
28 December
Group D
26 December
27 December
28 December
Group E
26 December
27 December
28 December
Group F
26 December
27 December
28 December
Group G
26 December
27 December
28 December
Group H
26 December
27 December
28 December
Knockout stages
Third-place play-off: (4)
Peter Evison
Peter Kenneth Evison (born 27 May 1964) is an English former professional darts player who competed in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) events. Nicknamed The Fen Tiger, his greatest achievements were th ...
84.48 1 – 5
Steve Brown 89.04
Representation from different countries
This table shows the number of players by country in the 1st WDC World Championship.
References
{{World Darts Championship
PDC World Darts Championships
WDC World Darts Championship
WDC World Darts Championship
WDC World Darts Championship
WDC World Darts Championship
Purfleet
Sport in Essex