1997 WDC World Darts Championship

Red Band World Darts Championship
Tournament information
Dates	29 December 1996–5 January 1997
Venue	Circus Tavern
Location	Purfleet, Essex
Country	England, United Kingdom
Organisation(s)	PDC (WDC)
Format	Sets Final – best of 11
Prize fund	£98,000
Winners share	£45,000
Champion(s)
Phil Taylor
«1996 1998»

The 1997 Red Band World Darts Championship was held between 29 December 1996–5 January 1997 at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex. It was the fourth World Championship organised by the World Darts Council, which had acrimoniously split from the British Darts Organisation in 1992/93. As a result of an on-going legal battle, this would be the last time that the WDC name would be used - an out-of-court settlement (Tomlin Order) in the summer of 1997 meant that the organisation had to change its name to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

Paul Lim, who famously hit a nine-dart finish at the 1990 Embassy Championship appeared at his first WDC World Championship - he had only managed to qualify once for the Embassy since the split, losing a second round match to John Part in 1994.

The Championship saw two tight semi-finals, the most memorable of which was the clash between mentor and protégé - Eric Bristow and Phil Taylor. Taylor emerged victorious 5-4 in sets to reach the final. Ironically, he managed to equal his mentor's feat of five World Championship titles when he beat Dennis Priestley in the final. They were now level as the most successful players of all-time.

Seeds

Prize money

The prize fund was £98,000.

Champion: £45,000

Runner-Up: £10,000

3rd Place: £1,000

Semi-Finalists (2): £4,000

Quarter-Finalists (4): £3,000

Group RU (8): £1,500

Group 3rd (8): £1,250

Results

1st Round - Group Stages

• Group 1
  • Eric Bristow (Eng) - Bob Anderson (Eng,3) 3 - 1
  • Bob Anderson (Eng,3) - Gary Mawson (Can) 3 - 1
  • Gary Mawson (Can) - Eric Bristow (Eng) 3 - 1

• Group 2
  • Alan Warriner (Eng,6) - Graeme Stoddart (Eng) 3 - 1
  • Graeme Stoddart (Eng) - Larry Butler (USA) 3 - 1
  • Alan Warriner (Eng,6) - Larry Butler (USA) 3 - 1

• Group 3
  • Keith Deller (Eng,7) - Dennis Smith (Eng) 3 - 2
  • Dennis Smith (Eng) - Kevin Spiolek (Eng) 3 - 0
  • Keith Deller (Eng,7) - Kevin Spiolek (Eng) 3 - 0

• Group 4
  • Phil Taylor (Eng,2) - Gerald Verrier (USA) 3 - 0
  • Gerald Verrier (USA) - Chris Mason (Eng) 3 - 1
  • Phil Taylor (Eng,2) - Chris Mason (Eng) 3 - 0

• Group 5
  • Peter Evison (Eng,4) - Cliff Lazarenko (Eng) 3 - 0
  • Cliff Lazarenko (Eng) - Steve Raw (Eng) 1 - 3
  • Peter Evison (Eng,4) - Steve Raw (Eng) 3 - 1

• Group 6
  • Jamie Harvey (Scot,5) - John Lowe (Eng) 3 - 2
  • John Lowe (Eng) - Paul Lim (USA) 3 - 1
  • Jamie Harvey (Scot,5) - Paul Lim (USA) 3 - 2

• Group 7
  • Rod Harrington (Eng,8) - Shayne Burgess (Eng) 2 - 3
  • Rod Harrington (Eng,8) - Sean Downs (USA) 3 - 1
  • Sean Downs (USA) - Shayne Burgess (Eng) 3 - 1

• Group 8
  • Dennis Priestley (Eng,1) - Steve Brown (USA) 3 - 0
  • Steve Brown (USA) - Richie Gardner (Eng) 3 - 2
  • Dennis Priestley (Eng,1) - Richie Gardner (Eng) 3 - 1

Knockout Stages

	Quarter Finals					Semi Finals					Final
	Group 1 Winner	Eric Bristow 83.39	5
	Group 2 winner	Alan Warriner (6) 88.67	3
							Eric Bristow 89.62	4
						2	Phil Taylor 94.38	5
	Group 3 winner	Keith Deller (7) 91.23	1
	Group 4 winner	Phil Taylor (2) 98.51	5
											2	Phil Taylor 100.92	6
											1	Dennis Priestley 96.78	3
	Group 5 winner	Peter Evison (4) 96.55	5
	Group 6 winner	Jamie Harvey (5) 86.54	3
						4	Peter Evison 92.46	4
						1	Dennis Priestley 97.28	5
	Group 7 winner	Rod Harrington (8) 90.89	2
	Group 8 winner	Dennis Priestley (1) 97.78	5

Third Place Match

Peter Evison beat Eric Bristow 4 - 2