These are the top 10 best Dutch darters of all time

The sport of darts is originally a British sport, but over the past four decades the Netherlands has become one of the most leading countries in darts.

The Netherlands has produced many famous darters and successful ones over the years, including several world champions and major winners. In this article, DartsNews.com names the top 10 best Dutch darters of all time.

10. Bert Vlaardingerbroek

This man can be called one of the pioneers of Dutch darts. In 1988 Bert Vlaardingerbroek was the first Dutchman allowed to travel to Frimley Green to participate in the BDO World Championship at Lakeside.

On his debut, Vlaardingerbroek lost 3-1 in sets to darts legend Bob Anderson, who would eventually become world champion that year. In 1989, 1990 and 1992, the born Hagenaar also participated in the Embassy, but not once did Vlaardingerbroek make it past the first round.

Also on Vlaardingerbroek's record are a quarterfinal place at the World Masters in 1986, and two semifinal places in the singles tournament of the Dutch Open. He became Dutch champion six times and also won the Dortmund Open (1987), Spring Cup (1993) and Amsterdam Open (1999).

9. Benito van de Pas

A high-flyer was certainly not Benito van de Pas in his BDO years (2009 to 2014), but at the PDC, 'Big Ben' quickly manifested himself as an excellent sub-topper.

On the first day of the 2014 Q-School, Van de Pas won a Tour Card and in his first season he already achieved a number of appealing results. For example, he beat Michael van Gerwen (6-5) in impressive fashion at the Gibraltar Darts Trophy by throwing a 10-darter in the deciding leg. In his first season, he reached three quarterfinals and one semifinal on the Pro Tour.

He qualified for the World Darts Championship and immediately made it to the last sixteen there, something Van de Pas would do a total of four times (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019). Good results on the Pro Tour also allowed Van de Pas to make his debut at the World Matchplay in 2015. The year 2016 eventually proved to be "Big Ben's" best season. That year, Van de Pas won three Pro Tour titles and reached the quarter-finals at the World Grand Prix and the second round at the Grand Slam of Darts. At the peak of his career, Van de Pas was ranked 13th on the PDC Order of Merit.

8. Co Stompé

The former tram driver is considered one of the icons of Dutch darts. His record includes 12 participations at the BDO World Championship and five participations at the PDC World Championship. In 2000, 'The Matchstick' reached the semifinals at Lakeside, while Co Stompé was a quarterfinalist at Alexandra Palace in 2009 and 2010.

Stompé also has quite a few titles to his name. He became the 1998 WDF European champion in singles, while the Amsterdam native won the 2010 World Cup of Darts with Raymond van Barneveld.

Another great Stompé title was the German Darts Championship in 2008. At that tournament, Stompé won in the final 4-2 in sets from darts legend Phil Taylor with an average of 107.28. Furthermore, 'The Matchstick' captured another Players Championship title in Las Vegas and became world champion with the Dutch men's team in 2007.

7. Dirk van Duijvenbode

'Aubergenius' was best known for his energetic walk-on early in his career, but gradually Dirk van Duijvenbode began to impress more and more with his performance as well.

In 2020, he experienced his definitive breakthrough by making the final at the World Grand Prix out of nowhere. That year, Van Duijvenbode would also reach the quarterfinals at the European Darts Championship and the Players Championship Finals, followed by a quarterfinal spot at the World Darts Championship.

In recent years, Van Duijvenbode has competed in all majors, with a semifinal spot at the 2022 European Darts Championship being his best result at a ranking major. He was also in the final of the 2022 World Series Finals, but lost 11-10 after a thriller to Gerwyn Price, who also previously thwarted him at the World Grand Prix.

Van Duijvenbode managed to win six Players Championship tournaments from 2021 through 2023. In 2023, a Euro Tour title almost came as well. In the final of the European Darts Open he got two match darts, but in the end Van Duijvenbode also lost that final to Price. Later that year 'Aubergenius' also reached the final of the European Darts Matchplay, but then five missed matchdarts prevented a first Euro Tour title. At that tournament, he lost in the final to Luke Humphries.

6. Jelle Klaasen

In 2006, Jelle Klaasen established his name in the history books of darts by becoming the youngest darter ever to win a world championship. He defeated Raymond van Barneveld in the BDO World Championship final at the age of 21.

A year later, Klaasen made the move to the PDC. At the PDC World Darts Championship, a quarterfinal place in 2009 and a semifinal place in 2016 were his highlights. Furthermore, 'The Cobra' made it to the last four at the European Darts Championship (2009) and the UK Open (2016). In 2009 and 2017, Klaasen was also allowed to compete in the Premier League Darts.

Television titles Klaasen did not achieve at the PDC, but he did win three ranking tournaments. In 2022 and 2023, Klaasen briefly lost his PDC Tour Card, but during this period 'The Cobra' booked another great title by winning the Dutch Open in Assen.

5. Vincent van der Voort

Formerly known as the fastest dart player in the world, Vincent van der Voort is also one of the most successful Dutch dart players ever. 'The Dutch Destroyer' made his debut at Lakeside in 2002 and would play there a total of six times. His best result at the BDO World Championship was a quarterfinal place in 2005, when he eventually lost to the later world champion Raymond van Barneveld.

In 2007, Van der Voort made the switch from the PDC, where the darter from Purmerend competed at the World Darts Championship every year until 2023. At Alexandra Palace, Van der Voort reached the quarterfinals at the 2011 and 2015 editions.

Van der Voort made it to the final of the UK Open in his debut year on the PDC circuit, but again Van Barneveld was a stumbling block. A year later, Van der Voort was again in the last four at the UK Open, while he was also a semifinalist at the Players Championship Finals in 2014.

At the PDC, 'Fast Vinnie' won a total of five PDC titles, sealing the Austrian Darts Open in 2014. This makes Van der Voort just one of three Dutch players with a Euro Tour title to his name.

4. Danny Noppert

Danny Noppert began his professional career with the BDO and managed to achieve some impressive performances there as well. He reached the final of Lakeside in 2017, which he lost to Glen Durrant. Later that year, the darter from Joure did take the title at the Zuiderduin Masters.

In 2018, Noppert ventured over to the PDC and there 'The Freeze' has slowly developed into a stable world number one. In his first year, Noppert already won a Players Championship title and made it to the semifinals at the Players Championship FInals. A year later, the Friesian was a finalist at the World Series Finals, while Noppert regularly made it to the final stage of Pro Tour tournaments. That allowed Noppert to debut at the World Matchplay in 2019.

After a semifinal finish at the World Grand Prix and a quarterfinal spot at the European Darts Championship in 2021, 2022 became the best of his career. Noppert surprised by winning the UK Open, his first major title at the PDC. That year, "The Freeze" also made it to the final four at the World Matchplay and World Cup of Darts, as well as the quarterfinals at the European Darts Championship and the Players Championship Finals. Furthermore, Noppert also won his second Players Championship title in 2022.

In 2023, Noppert added two more Players Championship titles to his career, while the Fries also won a Players Championship tournament in 2024. Meanwhile, Noppert has been a regular in the top-16 of the world rankings for several years, while his best ranking was seventh on the PDC Order of Merit.

3. Roland Scholten

Roland Scholten is the first Dutch professional dart player to seek his fortune with the PDC. Before 'The Tripod' made the move to the PDC in 2000, he became cup world champion with Raymond van Barneveld in 1997. He also reached the semifinals at Lakeside in 1998.

At the PDC, Scholten went up against such darts legends as John Part, Peter Manley and Phil Taylor. In the first decades of this century Scholten became one of the best darters at the PDC, only the Hagenaar was unlucky that Taylor was supreme during this period. Scholten faced Taylor no less than 27 times in his career, but Scholten did not manage to win a single encounter. From 2001 to 2012 Scholten participated in the PDC World Darts Championship twelve times in a row, where he reached the quarterfinals in 2001 and 2003.

Nevertheless, Scholten managed to reach three major finals at the PDC. In 2001, "The Tripod" lost in the final of the World Grand Prix to Alan Warriner-Little. A year later, Scholten did capture the title at the UK Open by defeating John Part.

In 2006, Scholten reached the final of Premier League Darts by winning in the semifinals over Van Barneveld. Taylor proved far too strong in the final, however, preventing a second major title for the Dutchman. Scholten did win five other ranking tournaments at the PDC.

2. Raymond van Barneveld

Raymond van Barneveld has won five world championships, four with the British Darts Organization (BDO) and one with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). His fifth title in 2007 at the PDC, after a historic comeback in the final against Phil Taylor, is considered one of the most epic moments in the history of the sport.

The five-time world champion's trophy cabinet is further well-stocked with numerous other awards. He won the World Masters twice, the World Darts Trophy twice, was the best three times at the International Darts League, won the Zuiderduin Masters four times, captured three Dutch Open titles and, after his move to the PDC, also won the UK Open twice and the Desert Classic, Grand Slam of Darts and Premier League Darts once.

As a Dutchman, Van Barneveld helped the sport gain popularity outside the United Kingdom. His successes have contributed to the growth of darts around the world, particularly in the Netherlands and other European countries.

Raymond van Barneveld enjoyed immense popularity among fans around the world. Everywhere the Dutchman goes, he can count on the support of the well-known "Barney Army.

1. Michael van Gerwen

At an early age, Van Gerwen experienced a major breakthrough by winning the World Masters in 2006 at the age of just 17. At the same age, Van Gerwen also became the youngest player ever to throw a nine-darter at a televised tournament at the Masters of Darts in 2007.

It took a while after that before Van Gerwen also reached maturity at the PDC, but as of 2012, the Van Gerwen era at the PDC finally began. He won the World Grand Prix that year.

In 2014, 'Mighty Mike' became world champion for the first time, and world titles later followed in 2017 and 2019. Meanwhile, the tally stands at more than 60 televised titles, including seven times the Premier League Darts, six times the World Grand Prix, four times the European Championship and three titles at tournaments such as the UK Open, World Matchplay and the Grand Slam of Darts. In addition, Van Gerwen led the world rankings continuously from January 2014 to January 2021.

Van Gerwen has broken numerous records and achieved milestones during his career. He was the youngest player ever to win a PDC ranking tournament and holds the record for the highest average in a televised match (123.40 points per throw).