# 2008 World Matchplay

The 2008 Stan James World Matchplay was the 15th annual staging of the World Matchplay darts tournament by the Professional Darts Corporation. The tournament took place at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, from 20–26 July 2008.
World number three James Wade went into the competition as the defending champion and managed to reach the final for the third year in a row, but was defeated by top seed Phil Taylor 18–9 who won his ninth World Matchplay championship.

## Prize fund

A total of £300,000 was available for the players, divided based on the following performances:
| Position (no. of players) | Position (no. of players) | Prize money (Total: £300,000) |
| Winner | (1) | £60,000 |
| Runner-Up | (1) | £30,000 |
| Semi-finalists | (2) | £17,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | (4) | £12,000 |
| Second round | (8) | £8,000 |
| First round | (16) | £4,000 |
| Nine-dart finish | (0) | £10,000 |

## Qualification

The qualification process for the World Matchplay differed this year. The top 16 in the PDC Order of the Merit after the 2008 UK Open qualified automatically as the 16 seeds. The other 16 places would be made up of the 16 highest ranked players (not already in the top 16) from the 2008 Players Championship Order of Merit - decided by the various Player Championship events taking place on the PDC Pro Tour from January 2008 - the cutoff point was the Las Vegas Players Championship just before the 2008 Las Vegas Desert Classic.
Thus, the participants were:

## Draw

| First round (best of 19 legs) 20–22 July | First round (best of 19 legs) 20–22 July | First round (best of 19 legs) 20–22 July | Second round (best of 25 legs) 22–23 July | Second round (best of 25 legs) 22–23 July | Second round (best of 25 legs) 22–23 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 24 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 24 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 24 July | | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 25 July | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 25 July | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 25 July | | Final (best of 35 legs) 26 July | Final (best of 35 legs) 26 July | Final (best of 35 legs) 26 July |
| 1 | Phil Taylor 103.53 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Beaton 97.91 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Beaton 97.91 | 6 | 1 | Phil Taylor 109.70 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | Colin Osborne 97.08 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Colin Osborne 96.78 | 10 | 16 | Colin Osborne 97.08 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mervyn King 91.48 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mervyn King 91.48 | 7 | | | | 1 | Phil Taylor 95.78 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Kevin McDine 89.76 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Adrian Lewis 88.75 | 8 | | | | | | | | Kevin McDine 89.76 | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | Kevin McDine 96.02 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kevin McDine 96.02 | 10 | | Kevin McDine 92.29 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mark Walsh 95.02 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Colin Lloyd 91.37 | 6 | | Mark Walsh 95.02 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Walsh 100.41 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Walsh 100.41 | 10 | | | | | | | | 1 | Phil Taylor 105.59 | 17 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Dennis Priestley 96.56 | 8 | | | | |
| 5 | Terry Jenkins 92.48 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | Dennis Priestley 96.56 | 8 | | | | |
| | Alex Roy 91.32 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alex Roy 91.32 | 6 | 5 | Terry Jenkins 93.10 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Dennis Priestley 94.60 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Dennis Priestley 91.13 | 10 | 12 | Dennis Priestley 94.60 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Adrian Gray 84.63 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Adrian Gray 84.63 | 8 | | | | 12 | Dennis Priestley 94.10 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 13 | Alan Tabern 90.65 | 14 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | John Part 85.24 | 10 | | | | | | | 13 | Alan Tabern 90.65 | 14 | | | | | | | | |
| | Chris Mason 81.97 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Chris Mason 81.97 | 3 | 4 | John Part 90.26 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 13 | Alan Tabern 93.53 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Alan Tabern 95.75 | 10 | 13 | Alan Tabern 93.53 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Vincent van der Voort 92.25 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Vincent van der Voort 92.25 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Phil Taylor 109.47 | 18 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 102.58 | 9 |
| 2 | Raymond van Barneveld 88.41 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 102.58 | 9 |
| | Mark Frost 82.17 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Frost 82.17 | 9 | 2 | Raymond van Barneveld 90.99 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Tony Eccles 84.83 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Kevin Painter 86.57 | 8 | | Tony Eccles 84.83 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tony Eccles 88.73 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Tony Eccles 88.73 | 10 | | | | 2 | Raymond van Barneveld 89.32 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 10 | Wayne Mardle 87.90 | 18 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Andy Hamilton 92.59 | 12 | | | | | | | 10 | Wayne Mardle 87.90 | 18 | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael van Gerwen 93.22 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael van Gerwen 93.22 | 14 | | Michael van Gerwen 88.13 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 10 | Wayne Mardle 91.70 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Wayne Mardle 88.29 | 11 | 10 | Wayne Mardle 91.70 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Dudbridge 88.28 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Dudbridge 88.28 | 9 | | | | | | | | 10 | Wayne Mardle 88.92 | 5 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 102.73 | 17 | | | | |
| 6 | Roland Scholten 90.56 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 102.73 | 17 | | | | |
| | Matt Clark 90.75 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Matt Clark 90.75 | 10 | | Matt Clark 88.39 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 11 | Peter Manley 88.91 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Peter Manley 91.14 | 10 | 11 | Peter Manley 88.91 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Denis Ovens 90.59 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Denis Ovens 90.59 | 4 | | | | | Matt Clark 93.27 | 12 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 96.58 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | James Wade 96.31 | 10 | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 96.58 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | Wayne Jones 91.04 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wayne Jones 91.04 | 4 | 3 | James Wade 97.99 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 14 | Ronnie Baxter 93.06 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Ronnie Baxter 93.33 | 10 | 14 | Ronnie Baxter 93.06 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andy Smith 84.45 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Statistics

| Player | Eliminated | Played | Legs Won | Legs Lost | LWAT | 100+ | 140+ | 180s | High Checkout | 3-dart Average |
| Phil Taylor | Winner | 5 | 74 | 34 | 30 | 143 | 92 | 36 | 160 | 104.81 |
| James Wade | Final | 5 | 65 | 46 | 28 | 120 | 95 | 42 | 157 | 99.49 |
| Wayne Mardle | Semi-finals | 4 | 47 | 51 | 16 | 133 | 65 | 12 | 155 | 89.20 |
| Dennis Priestley | Semi-finals | 4 | 47 | 50 | 18 | 131 | 62 | 13 | 155 | 94.10 |
| Raymond van Barneveld | Quarter-finals | 3 | 40 | 30 | 16 | 91 | 44 | 6 | 138 | 89.57 |
| Kevin McDine | Quarter-finals | 3 | 29 | 33 | 9 | 87 | 35 | 15 | 160 | 92.69 |
| Matt Clark | Quarter-finals | 3 | 35 | 26 | 11 | 75 | 34 | 9 | 161 | 90.80 |
| Alan Tabern | Quarter-finals | 3 | 37 | 31 | 14 | 98 | 52 | 14 | 120 | 93.31 |
| Mark Walsh | Second round | 2 | 19 | 19 | 7 | 60 | 26 | 12 | 96 | 97.72 |
| Colin Osborne | Second round | 2 | 15 | 20 | 5 | 44 | 19 | 10 | 110 | 96.93 |
| Ronnie Baxter | Second round | 2 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 44 | 23 | 4 | 102 | 93.20 |
| Terry Jenkins | Second round | 2 | 21 | 19 | 9 | 52 | 30 | 9 | 160 | 92.79 |
| Michael van Gerwen | Second round | 2 | 23 | 25 | 9 | 64 | 29 | 8 | 112 | 90.68 |
| Peter Manley | Second round | 2 | 16 | 17 | 5 | 48 | 20 | 8 | 156 | 90.03 |
| John Part | Second round | 2 | 17 | 16 | 6 | 26 | 24 | 7 | 120 | 87.75 |
| Tony Eccles | Second round | 2 | 13 | 21 | 4 | 54 | 11 | 4 | 157 | 86.78 |
| Kevin Painter | First round | 1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 76 | 86.57 |
| Adrian Gray | First round | 1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 81 | 84.63 |
| Andy Smith | First round | 1 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 80 | 84.45 |
| Mark Frost | First round | 1 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 29 | 13 | 2 | 102 | 82.17 |
| Steve Beaton | First round | 1 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 19 | 14 | 4 | 152 | 97.91 |
| Adrian Lewis | First round | 1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 4 | 116 | 88.75 |
| Mark Dudbridge | First round | 1 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 160 | 88.28 |
| Andy Hamilton | First round | 1 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 35 | 18 | 4 | 140 | 92.59 |
| Vincent van der Voort | First round | 1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 96 | 92.25 |
| Mervyn King | First round | 1 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 1 | 116 | 91.49 |
| Colin Lloyd | First round | 1 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 127 | 91.37 |
| Alex Roy | First round | 1 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 27 | 13 | 2 | 116 | 91.32 |
| Wayne Jones | First round | 1 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 116 | 91.04 |
| Denis Ovens | First round | 1 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 110 | 90.59 |
| Roland Scholten | First round | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 74 | 90.56 |
| Chris Mason | First round | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 115 | 81.97 |