2008 UK Open Darts

The 2008 Blue Square UK Open was the sixth year of the PDC darts tournament where, following numerous regional qualifying heats throughout Britain, players competed in a single elimination tournament to be crowned champion. The tournament was held at Bolton Wanderers' Reebok Stadium between June 5 and June 8, 2008.

James Wade won the tournament; his first UK Open title, and his third major championship inside 12 months. He defeated American Gary Mawson in the final by 11 legs to 7.

Tournament review

The tournament has the nickname, the "FA Cup of darts" as a random draw is staged after each round. This provides no protection for the top players, who are usually seeded to avoid each other in early rounds. Raymond van Barneveld and Phil Taylor, the top two in the PDC rankings respectively, met at the quarter-final stage for the third successive year, with the Dutchman coming out on top each occasion, this time 10-9. In addition, Adrian Lewis and Wayne Mardle - two players who played in the 2008 Premier League - played as early as the third Round, the last 64 stage.

Van Barneveld, who had won the tournament for the previous two years went out in the semi-finals to Gary Mawson, which was the Dutchman's first loss at the Reebok Stadium in the event. It also meant that Phil Taylor now overtook him to regain the top spot in the PDC Order of Merit/world rankings, as van Barneveld had failed to defend the £30,000 from the UK Open two years ago.

Earlier in the tournament, Phil Taylor threw his fourth nine dart leg in six years in the UK Open, during a 9-1 victory over Jamie Harvey in the fourth Round. In his Fifth Round match against Wesley Newton, Taylor achieved the highest televised 3 dart average (to date) of 114.53 surpassing Darryl Fitton's record (114.15) in the International Darts League 2004 against Davy Richardson.

The semi-final line-up contained only one player from the United Kingdom for the first time it the tournament's six year history. That one player - James Wade, however went on to claim to the claim.

Gary Mawson was the first American player to reach the UK Open final, and the first American since Larry Butler in 1994 to reach a major PDC final.

Prize money

:Champion £35,000:Runner-up £15,000:Semi-finalists £10,000:Quarter-finalists £5,000:Last 16 £3,000:Last 32 £2,000:Last 64 £1,000:Nine dart finish £25,000 won by Phil Taylor

Results

Collated results from later stages:-

Third Round

Best of 17 legsMain Stage
*flagicon|NEDM van Gerwen 7-9 R Thorntonflagicon|SCO
*flagicon|NEDV van der Voort 9-4 C Lloydflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGJ Ferrell 3-9 P Taylorflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGA Lewis 9-8 W Mardleflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|CANJ Part 9-2 C Monkflagicon|ENG

Board Two
*flagicon|ENGM King 8-9 W Newtonflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGT Ayres 0-9 R van Barneveldflagicon|NED
*flagicon|ENGK Painter 3-9 C Osborneflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGJ Wade 9-3 J Pipeflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGA Smith 1-9 T Jenkinsflagicon|ENG

Board Three
*flagicon|ENGK Shepherd 8-9 W Jonesflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGP Cooper 7-9 A Tabernflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|NEDJ Klaasen 9-6 D Askewflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGM Turner 6-9 J Harveyflagicon|SCO

Board Four
*flagicon|ENGM Dudbridge 9-8 A Warriner-Littleflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|WALB Bates 9-4 J Clarkflagicon|SCO
*flagicon|ENGP Manley 9-3 D Honeyflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|WALS Evans 8-9 S Whatleyflagicon|ENG

Board Five
*flagicon|ENGN Birch 9-8 D Priestleyflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGM Walsh 9-4 R Scholtenflagicon|NED
*flagicon|ENGA Casey 2-9 J Barryflagicon|Ireland

Board Six
*flagicon|ENGS Brown 9-5 K McDineflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGM Clark 2-9 A Hamiltonflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGS Smith 9-7 A Jenkinsflagicon|ENG

Board Seven
*flagicon|ENGS Waites 9-4 W Atwoodflagicon|WAL
*flagicon|USG Mawson 9-7 A Royflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGD Platt 4-9 M Lawrenceflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGR Baxter 9-1 S Rooneyflagicon|ENG

Board Eight
*flagicon|NIRJ MaGowan 5-9 B Dolanflagicon|NIR
*flagicon|ENGS Maish 9-6 D Ovensflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGC Mason 9-5 J Cullenflagicon|ENG
*flagicon|ENGC Thompson 9-4 A Grayflagicon|ENG

Fourth Round

Best of 17 legs, Main Stage
* J Harvey 1-9 P Taylor flagicon|ENG *Phil Taylor hit nine-darter*
* R Baxter 9-6 S Waites flagicon|ENG
* J Barry 7-9 R van Barneveld flagicon|NED
* P Manley 7-9 M Dudbridge flagicon|ENG
* C Osborne 8-9 V van der Voort flagicon|NED

Board Two
* T Jenkins 6-9 J Part flagicon|CAN
* J Wade 9-5 S Brown flagicon|ENG
* A Hamilton 9-6 C Mason flagicon|ENG
* J Klaasen 9-3 N Birch flagicon|ENG Board Three
* A Tabern 9-6 R Thornton flagicon|SCO
* W Newton 9-7 M Walsh flagicon|ENG
* M Lawrence 4-9 G Mawson flagicon|US

Board Four
* W Jones 9-2 B Bates flagicon|WAL
* A Lewis 8-9 B Dolan flagicon|NIR
* S Maish 5-9 C Thompson flagicon|ENG
* S Smith 6-9 S Whatley flagicon|ENG

Final Stages

16TeamBracket-Compact-NoSeeds
RD1=5th Round
RD2=Quarter Finals
RD3=Semi Finals
RD4=Final

RD1-team01=flagicon|ENG

James Wade
RD1-score01=9
RD1-team02=flagicon|ENGRonnie Baxter
RD1-score02=2

RD1-team03=flagicon|ENG

Alan Tabern
RD1-score03=9
RD1-team04=flagicon|ENGSimon Whatley
RD1-score04=8

RD1-team05=flagicon|NED

V. v.d. Voort
RD1-score05=9
RD1-team06=flagicon|NEDJelle Klaasen
RD1-score06=6

RD1-team07=flagicon|ENG

Chris Thompson
RD1-score07=9
RD1-team08=flagicon|NIRBrendan Dolan
RD1-score08=2

RD1-team09=flagicon|ENGWes Newton
RD1-score09=3
RD1-team10=flagicon|ENG

Phil Taylor *114.53
RD1-score10=9

RD1-team11=flagicon|ENGAndy Hamilton
RD1-score11=4
RD1-team12=flagicon|NED

v.Barneveld
RD1-score12=9

RD1-team13=flagicon|CANJohn Part
RD1-score13=6
RD1-team14=flagicon|ENG

Wayne Jones
RD1-score14=9

RD1-team15=flagicon|ENGMark Dudbridge
RD1-score15=8
RD1-team16=flagicon|USA

Gary Mawson
RD1-score16=9

RD2-team01=Wade 91.72
RD2-score01=10
RD2-team02=Tabern 92.80
RD2-score02=6

RD2-team03=v d Voort 93.59
RD2-score03=10
RD2-team04=Thompson 91.00
RD2-score04=5

RD2-team05=Taylor 101.38
RD2-score05=9
RD2-team06=v Barneveld 97.72
RD2-score06=10

RD2-team07=Jones 87.93
RD2-score07=6
RD2-team08=Mawson 87.14
RD2-score08=10

RD3-team01=Wade 101.39
RD3-score01=10
RD3-team02=v d Voort 93.20
RD3-score02=4

RD3-team03=Barneveld 92.15
RD3-score03=8
RD3-team04=Mawson 90.66
RD3-score04=10

RD4-team01=flagicon|ENGJames Wade 94.65
RD4-score01=11
RD4-team02=flagicon|USAGary Mawson 87.33
RD4-score02=7* Phil Taylor hits highest televised 3 dart average to date (114.53)

Random draws were made after each round up to the quarter final stage. Draw bracket has been compiled retrospectively.

Format

As in previous years, eight regional UK Open events were staged across the UK where players winning were collated into the UK Order Of Merit. The top 128 players in the list, who played a minimum of three events (plus ties) won a place at the final stages. [ [http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/OrderofMerit/0,,10180~1119811,00.html UK Open Order of Merit table] planetdarts.tv]

The final UK Open Order of Merit qualifiers (146) were also joined by 32 Holsten qualifiers from pub tournaments throughout the UK. The Holsten qualifiers and the players outside the top 32 of the UK Open Order of Merit began the tournament on the Thursday night. They played down to 32 players, and they were joined by the top 32 of the UK Open Order of Merit the following night, to provide the competition's last 64. A random draw was made after each subsequent round

chedule

*Preliminary & First Round (Thursday, best of 11 legs): Holsten pub qualifiers and those lowest in the UK Open Order of Merit start the tournament here.
*Second Round (Thursday, best of 11 legs): The players just outside the top 32 in UK Open Order of Merit join Preliminary and First Round winners.
*Third Round (Last 64) (Friday, best of 17 legs): Top 32 in UK Open Order of Merit join the 32 survivors from the first night's play.
*Fourth Round (Last 32) (Saturday afternoon, best of 17 legs)
*Fifth Round (Last 16) (Saturday evening, best of 17 legs)
*Quarter Finals (Sunday afternoon, best of 19 legs)
*Semi Finals (Sunday evening, best of 19 legs)
*Final (Sunday evening, best of 21 legs)

2007-2008 UK Open Regional Finals

There were eight regional final events staged between September 2007 and March 2008 to determine the UK Open Order of Merit Table. The tournament winners were::September 23, 2007 (Wales): James Wade 8-7 Raymond van Barneveld:October 7 (Ireland): Raymond van Barneveld 8-2 Kevin McDine:October 21 (Scotland): James Wade 8-2 Ronnie Baxter:January 13, 2008 (North East): Colin Osborne 8-6 Denis Ovens:February 10 South-West: Colin Lloyd 8-6 Andy Hamilton:March 2, South: Colin Lloyd 8-6 Phil Taylor:March 16, North-West: Phil Taylor 8-7 Adrian Lewis:March 30, Midlands: Phil Taylor 8-0 Brendan Dolan

ee also

*UK Open history of event and previous winners
*2007 in darts and 2008 in darts includes extended results of Pro Tour events
*PDC Pro Tour history of PDC "floor events"

References

External links

* [http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/UKOpenDetail/0,,10180~1323737,00.html UK Open netzone (results & reports)] planetdarts.tv