Phil Taylor may be darts’ greatest ever player – but he was left completely bamboozled by Michael van Gerwen’s unique checkout during an epic final.
The duo faced were bidding to lift the World Matchplay in 2014 – which brought up a hilarious moment on stage between the two legends.
Taylor went into the tournament looking to win his seventh World Matchplay title in a row.
Standing in his way was Van Gerwen, who went into the Triple Crown event as the world number one having won his first PDC World Championship six months earlier.
You’d have thought that in Taylor’s 27th year as a professional that no checkout attempt from an opponent would have surprised Taylor.
Just weeks earlier, he was left shocked after he badly miscounted during a Premier League encounter against Gary Anderson.
But he wasn’t as stunned as when Van Gerwen hit the biggest checkout of the 2014 World Matchplay final.
Taylor was threatening to run away with the contest in the first-to-18-leg match as he led 11-3.
But Van Gerwen reduced the gap to seven legs after winning a leg against throw with a 127 checkout that not only left Taylor gobsmacked, but also silenced the crowd and puzzled referee Paul Hinks.
With 127 on the board, the conventional method would be for a darts star to hit treble 20, treble 17 and then finish on double eight.
Van Gerwen looked to be going for that route after hitting T20, but then opted for single 17.
He then proceeded by hitting the bullseye – but it was only him that immediately knew the leg was over.
Van Gerwen completed an unorthodox 127 checkout in the 2014 World Matchplay final The Dutchman conferred with Hinks amid confusion that he won the leg Taylor looked baffled by Van Gerwen’s checkout, as he closed the gap to 11-4The fans failed to roar in delight at the massive checkout, with Van Gerwen seemingly confused that Hinks failed to call him out as the winner of the leg.
Upon conclusion at the end of a leg, darts referees typically announce ‘game shot’, the score, before naming the winner.
But that isn’t what Hinks did, as he bellowed out ‘127,’ before quickly following up with, ‘and game’ as he realised that the checkout had been secured.
Van Gerwen appeared puzzled by the delay, gesturing if he had indeed hit 127.
But his reaction was nothing compared to Taylor, as the camera panned around to him, who was left stony-faced.
With an open mouth, he then looked over towards Van Gerwen in bewilderment as the Dutchman walked back to the oche.
Van Gerwen left everyone at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool in shock Taylor’s expression was one of the highlights of the tournamentVan Gerwen locked eyes with him by pulling a cheeky smirk, before Taylor glanced back towards the board and the referee.
The two darts icons then finally cracked a smile together, before Taylor approached Hinks for some words during the break-in-play.
But unfortunately for Van Gerwen, he wasn’t smiling at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool later in the evening as Taylor steamrolled to a 18-9 victory.
Taylor banked £100,000 after the one-sided display as he brought up his 25th win over the PSV fan on what was their 36th encounter.
An emotional Van Gerwen was gracious in defeat, as he remarked: “Phil was the better player.
“I wanted to give him a great game but I couldn’t do that, for some reason. I’m disappointed in myself.
Taylor was still left baffled as Van Gerwen walked back to the oche ‘The Power’ couldn’t get his head around the conclusion of the leg“He was the better one today – simple. He was the better player all tournament and he deserved to win.”
As for Taylor, who finished with an average of over 107, he declared his 15th World Matchplay crown meant the most to him.
He said: “It’s my best ever. The last six months has been an absolute nightmare for me. I’ve been coming up here, trying so hard.
“(I wanted) to go up there and give him a game, everything was trying to put him off his normal game because he’s a marvellous player.
“He’s got years left – I haven’t. He’s world no 1 – the best darts player in the world. I’m trying to get my ranking back.”
Van Gerwen would go on to avenge his defeat by beating Taylor in 2016 final as he defended his title, before Taylor won it back in 2017 in what was his last Major trophy.
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