In a final lasting three hours and ten minutes, it went all the way and Barneveld, who’d missed five darts to take Taylor’s title, finally hit double top to deny the Unicorn star a 14th World crown.
It was all the more remarkable because Taylor had stormed to a three sets to nil lead, with Barney looking completely lost on the biggest stage of them all….but we should have known better. It mirrored his sensational comeback to beat Colin Lloyd in the 2nd Round.
What an unbelievable performance from both players….Barney takes a cheque for £100,000, with Taylor’s consolation £50,000….but Taylor will be hurting because he will know the final and the World Title were there for the taking.
Taylor said: “It is the best final I have ever played in and full credit to Ray, because he came back so well. Obviously I am so disappointed to lose but Phil Taylor will be back next year hungry to reclaim the World Championship.”
Barneveld was stunned: “I just can’t believe it. When I was 3-0 down, I though it was over…then it all clicked into place and that 170 check-out gave me the confidence I needed. When I came to the PDC in February, I said I wanted to beat Phil Taylor, hit a 9-dart leg and win a World Championship eventually….but to do all three in 10 months and to beat Phil in the final is just incredible.”
Set by set update – as it happened - Taylor wins the throw for the bull in the practice room and gives the darts to Barneveld. Taylor comes out in a shirt of Dutch orange, with ‘Power Army’ blazoned on the back! All week, the Barney Army has been in full voice…..Phil makes his point with the new shirt!
SET ONE: Taylor on fire….Barney nervous….’The Power’ on a surge, producing arguably his best first set of any final he’s played in. Barneveld’s first two throws net just 43 and 48. Taylor pounces to win the first leg against the throw. In the second, he wows the crowd with a brilliant 164 finish – equalling the best of the week – and then back-to-back 180s help to clinch a wonderful 1st set by 3 legs to 0…..Barney is shell-shocked. Taylor’s average is 112.73. It took seven magical minutes.
TAYLOR 1-0 BARNEVELD
SET TWO: The man is looking unstoppable. Taylor takes the first leg with a 111 finish, when Barneveld is sitting on 36. The Dutchman just misses a 167 check-out and double eight from Taylor takes the second leg…..and a neat double four from Unicorn’s darting genius makes it six consecutive legs….Taylor averaging 109.98 and Barney 98.80.
TAYLOR 2-0 BARNEVELD
SET THREE: A quite amazing first leg. Barney just misses double seven for a 122 and his first leg. Taylor then blows four darts at double five but more drama, as Barneveld needing to hit single three to leave double two, incredibly hits treble three and looks distraught. Taylor finally takes the double five and it is seven consecutive legs…..make that eight as the darting legend hits double two. Finally, an out-of-sorts Barneveld stops the rot – hitting double top to take his first leg of the final but it counts for nothing. Taylor takes out double eight and it’s another set in the bag…..Taylor averaging 102.29 and Barneveld, who hasn’t yet hit a maximum, is on 95.39 but Barney looks totally bewildered.
TAYLOR 3-0 BARNEVELD
SET FOUR: Barney comes alive! He takes the first leg against the throw, hits his first 180 of the match in taking the second and then conjures up something extra special. With Taylor sitting on 80, Barneveld takes out 170! Under pressure, it was brilliant and the crowd goes ballistic! He wins his first set in stunning style.
TAYLOR 3-1 BARNEVELD
SET FIVE: Barneveld takes the first leg – that’s four on the spin….Taylor hits back and in the crucial third leg, the Dutch ace misses three darts at double 16, 8 and 4 to win it. Taylor steps in and then missed 81 on the bull for a 4 sets to 1 lead. Barneveld comes up with a fantastic 129 to level the set and then nails double 12 to make Taylor shake his head. It looks like Game On again! Taylor averaging 99.08 and Barney 99.33
TAYLOR 3-2 BARNEVELD
SET SIX: Taylor ditches the orange shirt and comes back on stage in a white one! It changes his luck, as he steam-rollers his way through the 6th set. ‘The Power’ wins three consecutive legs to stamp his authority on this spellbinding World Championship Final. Taylor’s average is now 100.24 and he has hit six 180s to just two from Barney, whose average has dropped slightly to 98.84
TAYLOR 4-2 BARNEVELD
SET SEVEN: Barney gives Taylor a taste of his own medicine, with a whitewash to win the set. He is looking more relaxed. A classy 96 took the second leg against the throw and he won the set with a 12-darter…..it is a brilliant final…..Taylor averaging 99.67 and Barney 99.61…..magic darts!
TAYLOR 4-3 BARNEVELD
SET EIGHT: A corker! Taylor takes it in the deciding leg but it was nip and tuck all the way. Barney took the opening leg with a cracking 81 finish on the bull and then he missed three darts to break the Taylor throw in the next. It went all the way and Taylor was breathing easier as he saw his dart at double two hit the target. At this stage, both men were now averaging over 100….sensational stuff….Taylor 100.43 and Barney 100.77.
TAYLOR 5-3 BARNEVELD
SET NINE: What a final! It really is living up to all the hype and is turning into one of the best ever. Barneveld storms back to win the set 3-0. Taylor just misses 142 and 146 finishes. Barney produces a 101 in the second leg and double four keep him in the hunt. These are two darting geniuses at the very top of their game and excitement levels are reaching fever pitch! Taylor now with a 100.57 average and Barney 100.26….on we go!
TAYLOR 5-4 BARNEVELD
SET TEN: This is just getting better and better…..dynamite darts! Barney draws level in a cracker against the throw. In the first leg, Barneveld hit six perfect darts and breaks the Taylor throw….back comes ‘The Power’ with a fantastic 121 on the bull, then Barney takes out 58 to break again and finally hits double four. The celebration was animated and it was a brilliant set…..all of a sudden it’s too close to call and those averages are still over the 100 mark.
TAYLOR 5-5 BARNEVELD
SET ELEVEN: Quite simply one of the most amazing sets witnessed in a Circus Tavern Final. Taylor went two legs up and looked odds-on but Barneveld produced some staggering darts to reel off three consecutive legs. He hit double 12 in the decider and Taylor simply couldn’t believe it as Barney took the lead for the first time in this epic final. The averages are still terrific….Taylor 100.74 and Barney 101.40
TAYLOR 5-6 BARNEVELD
SET TWELVE: UNBELIEVABLE! The tension is unbearable….Barney win the first leg against the throw but back comes Taylor with double seven under huge pressure. The Dutch star nails a breathtaking 121 on the bull to go within one leg of the title. Taylor responds brilliantly and hits double 16 with Barney sitting on 24 for the championship and ‘The Power’ finds a surge to take us all the way to a deciding set. That double 16 was oh so sweet!
TAYLOR 6-6 BARNEVELD
SET THIRTEEN: BARNEY’S TITLE! It was amazing drama. Barney took the first leg, back came Taylor, before double four from Barney took him to the brink. It was just incredible and it was agony, agony, agony for the Dutchman as he missed double top on a 120 finish to win the title…..Taylor levelled and we were into the tie-break. Barney moved 3-2 in front and looked to closing in the World crown when he left 40… amazingly he missed three darts for the championship and Taylor levelled again…on we went and Barney made it 4-3 and was sitting on 36 when Taylor nailed double four with his last dart. 4-all became 5-4 to Barneveld and Taylor took us to a sudden death shoot-out by coolly hitting double 16. This was the stuff of darting folklore. The drama was out of this world as they threw for the bull. Taylor hit the 25 and Barneveld found the bull to earn the right to throw first.
Barney hit 100, then Taylor produced a magnificent 180 only to see the Dutch star reply in kind. Taylor showed true grit to stay in touch but Barneveld’s heavy scoring won the day. He just missed double top on a 116 finish…that was five chances gone begging. Taylor couldn’t hit a 140+ finish and Barneveld finally hit the most important double 20 of his life.
Taylor was not surprisingly distraught but he will be back of that you can be absolutely sure but full credit to Barneveld for that stunning fightback against all the odds.
Barney came over to the PDC to test himself against the greatest darts player ever…well, he has beaten him in the greatest game ever!
BY STUART PYKE
Photo : Lawrence Lustig/PDC
