At the World Grand Prix a match can swing faster than at any other major. Even after a big high finish, a player must hit a double to start the next leg before any scoring begins. Then there’s the set format: A slow start or a handful of missed doubles can already spell exit.
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Across the tournament’s history, that blend has repeatedly produced results few saw coming. Phil Taylor fell at the first hurdle twice. An outsider reached the final, a six-time champion failed to win a leg – and in 2024 a Belgian landed the title at 100:1.
2004: Andy Callaby knocks out Phil Taylor with a 145 finish
In the early years Phil “The Power” Taylor ruled the World Grand Prix. He won the events from 1998 to 2000 as well as 2002 and 2003. Only in 2001 did he lose in round one to Kevin Painter. At the seventh staging in 2004 Taylor was aiming for title number six.
His opening opponent was Andy Callaby. The Englishman had earned his spot via the PDPA qualifier and was making his PDC big-stage debut. For the 10-time world champion Taylor, the clash with the largely unknown countryman looked a formality.
But Callaby took the first set and raced 2–0 ahead in the second. He was one leg from a shock. A 140 left him 145, while Taylor, after 81, sat on 120. Then Callaby hit treble 20, treble 19 and double 14.
The Citywest Hotel in Dublin erupted. “Taylor is gone, Taylor is out,” cried the commentators as Callaby buried double 14. They called it “the biggest shock in the history of darts.” Taylor was out before his title defence had really begun.
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For Callaby, the run remains the peak of his career. He never qualified for a World Championship. He did reach another quarter-final at the 2006 UK Open.
2007: Adrian Gray hands Taylor another opening shock
After his early exit in 2004, Taylor reclaimed the titles in 2005 and 2006. At the 2007 World Grand Prix, Adrian Gray awaited in round one. The debutant was ranked 44th, Taylor the undisputed world number one. Again, almost everything pointed to “The Power.”
At first, it went to script. Taylor led 2–0 in legs in set one and was on the brink of the set. But Gray levelled. In the decider, Taylor, on 126, missed bull for the set. Gray seized his chance on double 12 and stole it.
In set two, Gray opened with a 107 finish on double 16. Moments later the same double made it 2–0 in legs. Taylor pulled one back, but Gray kicked off his next leg on double 16 and then fired back-to-back 180s. Double 7 sealed the 2–0 sets win.
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For Taylor it was a third first-round exit at the Grand Prix – and a second shocker against a debutant. Gray later lost in the quarter-finals to John Part. Reaching the last eight remained the high point of his darts career.
2020: Dirk van Duijvenbode charges to the final ranked 72 in the world
Dirk van Duijvenbode had regained his Tour Card for 2020 and impressed early. He made a European Tour semi-final and another at a Players Championship. Ranked 72, the Dutchman qualified for his first World Grand Prix. Few foresaw a run to the final.
His opener against Mensur Suljović turned into a test of patience. Van Duijvenbode won 2–1 in sets, though both men averaged only just over 70. In round two, newly crowned World Matchplay champion Dimitri Van den Bergh awaited.
Van Duijvenbode raised his level against the Belgian. He took the first two sets in last-leg deciders, surviving set darts. Van den Bergh hit back, but the Dutchman closed it out 3–1. His 55% on doubles was pivotal in reaching his first major quarter-final.
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There, van Duijvenbode beat Gary Anderson 3–1. In the semi-finals he faced Simon Whitlock, who had dumped out Michael van Gerwen with a 100 average. Van Duijvenbode imposed himself with heavy scoring and a stack of 180s. A 4–1 sent him into the final.
Gerwyn Price finally halted the charge. The Welshman led 4–1 in sets before van Duijvenbode cut it to 2–4. In set seven the Dutchman went 2–0 up in legs. Price, however, reeled off three on the spin and sealed a 5–2 win with a 102 checkout. For van Duijvenbode, the final marked his breakthrough on the big stage.
Dirk van Duijvenbode sensationally finished runner-up at the 2020 World Grand Prix
2024: Michael van Gerwen loses every leg to Daryl Gurney
Daryl Gurney drew a brutal opener at the 2024 World Grand Prix. He faced Michael van Gerwen, the tournament’s most successful player after Phil Taylor. The Dutchman had already lifted the World Grand Prix title six times. Gurney, the 2017 champion, had meanwhile slipped to 25th in the world rankings.
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Van Gerwen’s recent form also pointed his way. He had reached the World Matchplay final and the World Series of Darts Finals semi-finals. Against Gurney, he aimed to mount another title charge. Instead, his start turned into one of his bitterest defeats at a major.
The first set went entirely against van Gerwen. Gurney twice broke throw and sealed the 1-0 with a dart at double 8. While the Northern Irishman was ruthless on his chances, van Gerwen could not land his doubles.
Anyone expecting a response from the six-time champion was left disappointed. Gurney swept all three legs in the second set as well. After only six legs the match was over: 2-0 in sets, 6-0 in legs to the Northern Irishman. Van Gerwen exited without winning a single leg and finished 0/8 on doubles.
The manner of defeat made the result so striking. Van Gerwen had defined this event for years and routinely forced opponents to master its demanding double-in format. This time, he never found a foothold. Gurney produced one of the tournament’s starkest shocks, but could not build on it: he lost to Joe Cullen in the last 16.
2024: Mike De Decker wins the title at 100/1
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In the same year, Mike De Decker authored the tournament’s biggest underdog story. The Belgian arrived in Leicester ranked 36th in the world. Before the start, the bookmakers had him at 100:1 to win the title.
De Decker opened with a tight tussle against Damon Heta. In the first set he checked 116 in the decider while the Australian was waiting on 56. Heta levelled the sets, but De Decker took the third and advanced 2-1.
| Round | Opponent | Result (sets) | Average by De Decker |
| Round 1 | Damon Heta | 2-1 | 92.01 |
| Last 16 | Gary Anderson | 3-0 | 95.74 |
| Quarter-finals | James Wade | 3-0 | 91.64 |
| Semi-finals | Dimitri van den Bergh | 5-2 | 86.32 |
| Final | Luke Humphries | 6-4 | 92.06 |
Against Gary Anderson, the Belgian again delivered in the key moments. A 120 checkout gave him the second set, and a 74 finish sealed the 3-0 win. The quarter-finals brought James Wade, renowned for timing. This time the deciding legs belonged to De Decker: he won all three sets in last-leg deciders and reached his first major semi-final.
There he met compatriot and friend Dimitri Van den Bergh. After a slow start, De Decker levelled at 1-1 and then raced 3-1 clear. Van den Bergh clawed one back, but De Decker won 5-2. The final set up Luke Humphries – world number one, reigning world champion and defending World Grand Prix winner.
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The greatest success of Mike De Decker’s career: the 2024 World Grand Prix title
Humphries took the first set. De Decker hit back and surged into a 4-1 lead. Then the favourite responded: checkouts of 149 and 152 sparked Humphries’ comeback. A 67 finish eventually made it 4-4.
De Decker did not flinch. He claimed the ninth set and, in the deciding leg of the tenth, left 55. Humphries piled on the pressure with a 180. But the Belgian coolly checked 55 in two darts to win the final 6-4.
Read also
With his first major title, De Decker climbed from 36th to 25th in the world rankings. Above all, his timing on the doubles turned a 100:1 shot into one of the most surprising title runs in World Grand Prix history. What upset will the next edition bring?
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Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
- Ultimately it is a bye for whoever draws Barney. It will be another stroppy and sulky performance once he goes behind. Barney was excellent but really must completely call it a day now.richieburnettrocks07-11-2026
- I'm disappointed he was not able to secure a spot at the Grand Slam. With Carl Sneyd taking care of Daryl Gurney, he would have had to beat Andy Boulton before facing the winner of Sneyd vs Mensur Suljović for a Grand Slam spot. Unfortunately, after beating Filip Bereza comfortably, he succumbed to Boulton, and the board would ultimately be won by the highly inconsistent Carl Sneyd. Since he could instead have been drawn against the likes of Cristo Reyes, Dirk van Duijvenbode and Stephen Bunting, I think once Gurney was out of the picture he would have been favourite to win his board, and it seems like a massive missed opportunity to put 5 grand on his ranking and seal another major TV appearance ahead of the Worlds. The highs and lows of following Raymond van Barneveld!Deduce635806-11-2026
- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026