Skol World Darts Championship | |||
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Tournament information | |||
Dates | 28 December 2000–3 January 2001 | ||
Venue | Circus Tavern | ||
Location | Purfleet, Essex | ||
Country | England, United Kingdom | ||
Organisation(s) | PDC | ||
Format |
Sets Final – best of 13 |
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Prize fund | £124,000 | ||
Winners share | £33,000 | ||
High checkout | 167 Phil Taylor | ||
Champion(s) | |||
Phil Taylor | |||
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The 2001 Skol World Darts Championship was the eighth World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) since it separated from the British Darts Organisation (BDO). It was held between 28 December 2000 and 3 January 2001 at the Circus Tavern, Purfleet, Essex.
The tournament saw a notable first as Gayl King of Canada became the first woman to appear in the men's World Championship, having been given a wild card by the PDC. It was seen as a publicity stunt by the PDC to raise the profile of the game, and also came in the year that the BDO started a Women's World Championship to run alongside their men's championship at the Lakeside Country Club. King lost to Graeme Stoddart in the first round.
Another notable first was the absence of five-time World Champion, Eric Bristow, as he missed the World Championship for the first time since its inception in 1978. This left John Lowe as the only remaining player with a 100% appearance record.
Peter Manley was the number 1 seed, but became the first such player to go out in the first round since the PDC championship began in 1994, losing to Jamie Harvey.
The final was contested between Phil Taylor and John Part. Taylor defeated Nigel Justice, Les Fitton, Keith Deller and Dave Askew to reach the final, losing only two sets along the way. Part, the 1994 BDO World Champion, defeated Colin Lloyd, Dennis Smith, Alan Warriner and Rod Harrington, having won only two matches in his three previous attempts in the PDC championship.