2007 PDC World Darts Championship

2007 PDC World Darts Championship

The 2007 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship was the 14th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. The tournament began on Monday 18 December 2006 and the final was played on Monday 1 January 2007. The championship was once again held at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex, where it has been staged since the first PDC World Championship in 1994. However it would turn out to be the last time the tournament would be held at the Tavern - in April 2007, the PDC announced that the event would be moving to the Alexandra Palace from 2008.

Ladbrokes were in the 5th year of their sponsorship deal, with the tournament prize fund now at a record £500,000. The organisers, the PDC introduced a bonus for a nine dart finish at the World Matchplay of £5,000 and it rolls over to the next Premier tour event if not won. Having not been achieved at the Matchplay or the World Grand Prix, the bonus had reached £15,000. Having not been won, it goes up to £20,000 for the 2007 UK Open in June.

Raymond van Barneveld became the first player in the history of the sport to play in the BDO World final and the PDC World final in consecutive years after deciding to switch organisations after the 2006 Lakeside event.

Barneveld was close to defeat against Colin Lloyd in the second round, but then never dropped another set on the way to final - which was much anticipated between the best players of the current era. Barneveld and Phil Taylor had 17 World Championships between them and in one of the greatest matches in darts history, Barneveld battled from 3 sets to 0 down to win his first PDC Title and fifth world title overall 7-6 in the sudden-death leg.

Phil Taylor maintained his record of reaching every single PDC World Championship final to date, but his 21-match unbeaten run at the Circus Tavern came to an end as did his reign as World Champion, which went back to 2004.