THROWBACK VIDEO: Taylor's four UK Open nine-dart finishes

Nine-darters are a rare and magical part of darts - if you ignore the Players Championship floor events, that is.

There have been 52 perfect legs in televised games, with John Lowe claiming the first in 1984. Phil Taylor is streets ahead when it comes to nine-dart finishes shown live, having completed 11. Four of those came at the UK Open within the space of five years. In 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, the Power lit up Bolton's Reebok Arena with nine-dart displays of brilliance.
His first was a milestone in itself. In striking a televised nine-darter at the 2004 UK Open, Taylor became the first person to achieve the feat multiple times. It came in an 8-2 fourth round win over Matt Chapman, in which Taylor averaged 111. Even Chapman himself joined in the celebrations as the PDC titan found double 12 to make history.
He wouldn't claim the title - Roland Scholten beat John Part in the final. But Taylor did take home 501 bottles of Budweiser, presented to him by the tournament sponsors.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2A6sBb2tBs&fbclid=IwAR1LYDAcmRzCIc3-r4-LRNT2XmZZUGzeEIQIrfF7xrLtbZrPqbc1-cUiru4
Perhaps it was because Taylor was running low on beer a year later that he repeated the trick at the 2005 tournament. This time it was in the semi-finals, with the nine-darter helping him to victory over defending champion Scholten. The Power would go on to win his second title, beating Mark Walsh in the final.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2MUjPrLTxE&fbclid=IwAR0xg0rMOKGYsKdUFpJRn9ckTmZJYDupV76sY66uFe35tK44GKV0lchb2-s

Taylor does it again...and again

Taylor took a break from the nine-dart action in 2006, and was beaten in the quarter-finals by Raymond van Barneveld. Then at the 2007 UK Open, he resumed his remarkable run. Exactly one month before playing Wes Newton in the fifth round in Bolton, Taylor had achieved 'the nine' against van Barneveld in the International Darts League - he was presented with a brand new car to mark that success.
He'd have to settle for £20,000 for his perfect leg against the Warrior. Ultimately, he would be left trophyless again. And again it was Barney who stepped in to deny him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmbz2y0QiLc&fbclid=IwAR2lJmTuHhesDH84eLYYfnv6lkwq1WgNZ4ZIT9I_S0aWQ5dmSSvpeva_Uhs
Number four came in the fourth round of the 2008 UK Open. Scot Jamie Harvey was the unwitting victim this time, unable to prevent Taylor from romping to a dazzling 9-1 victory. The route differed from his previous three nine-darter; a 180 was followed by 177, before a 144 checkout sealed a sixth televised nine-darter. It brought a muted reaction from the Power - perhaps he'd got bored of them by then.
Taylor's UK Open run was halted in the quarter-finals by - you guessed it - Raymond van Barneveld. But Taylor did pocket £25,000, and would be back to claim the 'FA Cup of Darts' in 2009, 2010 and 2013.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vui31uxLQmc

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