- Ask Steven
Golden oldie
Is Gary Anderson, the new world darts champion, the oldest man to win it for the first time? asked Albert Sanders
Gary Anderson, who was born in Scotland in December 1970, was 44 when he beat Phil Taylor to take his first world title recently. At 44, Anderson was the oldest first-time winner of the PDC title, edging Dennis Priestley, who was 43 when he won the inaugural event in 1994. Taylor remains the oldest PDC champion he was 52 when he won it for the 14th time in 2013.
The rival BDO title in 2015 also saw a maiden win by a 44-year-old: Scott Mitchell, who is about six months older than Anderson, won his first title, beating 58-year-old Martin Adams in the final. Adams, though, had won his first title in 2007, when he was 50 - beating another 50-year-old, Phill Nixon, in the final. Adams is the oldest first-time winner of either title, and the oldest winner of either as well: he was 54 when he won his third BDO championship in 2011.
The youngest winner of the PDC title was Eric Bristow, 22 in 1980; Jelle Klaasen was 21 when he won the BDO championship in 2006.
