# 1998 World Matchplay

The 1998 World Matchplay was a darts tournament held in the Empress Ballroom at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool. The tournament ran from 27 July–1 August 1998, and was won by Rod Harrington.
A classic final between Harrington and Ronnie Baxter was characterised with deadly finishing from Baxter, who led the final for most of the way, and Harrington's stubbornness in clinging on and keeping the match neck-and-neck. However, Harrington eventually trailed 14–17 and was only 1 leg from defeat. Baxter had a championship dart at double 20 in the 33rd leg but missed. At 17-17, a moment of significant darting history occurred when Harrington took out 125 via treble 15 and two consecutive double 20s. The standard check out route on 80 with two darts in hand had been, up to this point, almost invariably treble 20 and double ten. From then on, it would become more common to see players attempt the Harrington route. With Baxter (who had looked likely to regain the lead) demoralised, Harrington maintained a clear lead throughout the next leg, and sealed the title on double five.
Phil Taylor was the reigning champion going into the tournament, but lost 10-13 to Baxter in the quarter finals. Taylor had led 9-5 and 10-8.

## Prize money

The prize fund was £58,000.
| Position (no. of players) | Position (no. of players) | Prize money (Total: £58,000) |
| Winner | (1) | £14,000 |
| Runner-Up | (1) | £7,000 |
| Semi-finalists | (2) | £3,500 |
| Quarter-finalists | (4) | £2,000 |
| Second round | (8) | £1,250 |
| First round | (16) | £750 |

## Seeds

There were eight seeds for the competition.
* Rod Harrington
* Alan Warriner
* Phil Taylor
* Peter Manley
* Peter Evison
* Dennis Priestley
* John Part
* Steve Brown

## Results

Players in bold denote match winners.
| First round (best of 15 legs) 26–27 July | First round (best of 15 legs) 26–27 July | First round (best of 15 legs) 26–27 July | Second round (best of 15 legs) 28 July | Second round (best of 15 legs) 28 July | Second round (best of 15 legs) 28 July | Quarter-finals (best of 25 legs) 29–30 July | Quarter-finals (best of 25 legs) 29–30 July | Quarter-finals (best of 25 legs) 29–30 July | | Semi-finals (best of 25 legs) 31 July | Semi-finals (best of 25 legs) 31 July | Semi-finals (best of 25 legs) 31 July | Final (best of 35 legs) 1 August | Final (best of 35 legs) 1 August | Final (best of 35 legs) 1 August |
| 1 | Rod Harrington 92.04 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kevin Spiolek 86.79 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kevin Spiolek 86.79 | 4 | 1 | Rod Harrington 91.32 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Gary Mawson 86.73 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gary Mawson 89.82 | 9 | | Gary Mawson 86.73 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paul Lim 88.32 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Paul Lim 88.32 | 7 | | | | 1 | Rod Harrington 92.04 | 14 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Bob Anderson 89.88 | 12 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Steve Brown 87.09 | 8 | | | | | | | | Bob Anderson 89.88 | 12 | | | | | | |
| | Dennis Smith 83.55 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dennis Smith 83.55 | 4 | 8 | Steve Brown 93.96 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Bob Anderson 92.13 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bob Anderson 85.62 | 8 | | Bob Anderson 92.13 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cliff Lazarenko 81.75 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cliff Lazarenko 81.75 | 2 | | | | | | | | 1 | Rod Harrington 92.82 | 13 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Keith Deller 82.65 | 10 | | | |
| 5 | Peter Evison 95.64 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | Keith Deller 82.65 | 10 | | | |
| | Keith Deller 94.80 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Keith Deller 94.80 | 8 | | Keith Deller 81.12 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mick Manning 90.21 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mick Manning 91.32 | 9 | | Mick Manning 90.21 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Reg Harding 89.70 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Reg Harding 89.70 | 7 | | | | | Keith Deller 84.36 | 13 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Peter Manley 89.07 | 9 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Peter Manley 91.02 | 8 | | | | | | | 4 | Peter Manley 89.07 | 9 | | | | | | |
| | Ritchie Gardner 83.73 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ritchie Gardner 83.73 | 5 | 4 | Peter Manley 90.99 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Jamie Harvey 92.16 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jamie Harvey 87.15 | 8 | | Jamie Harvey 92.16 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Raw 91.08 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Raw 91.08 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Rod Harrington 95.04 | 19 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ronnie Baxter 94.08 | 17 |
| 2 | Alan Warriner 92.46 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ronnie Baxter 94.08 | 17 |
| | Harry Robinson 78.00 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Harry Robinson 78.00 | 2 | 2 | Alan Warriner 93.69 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Steve Beaton 88.95 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Beaton 87.30 | 8 | | Steve Beaton 88.95 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Shayne Burgess 87.06 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Shayne Burgess 87.06 | 4 | | | | | Steve Beaton 89.07 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Chris Mason 94.20 | 13 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | John Part 87.18 | 5 | | | | | | | | Chris Mason 94.20 | 13 | | | | | | |
| | Chris Mason 90.78 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Chris Mason 90.78 | 8 | | Chris Mason 77.61 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Gerald Verrier 68.19 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Gerald Verrier 76.14 | 8 | | Gerald Verrier 68.19 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eric Bristow 73.44 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Eric Bristow 73.44 | 5 | | | | | | | | | Chris Mason 97.74 | 11 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Ronnie Baxter 97.38 | 13 | | | |
| 6 | Dennis Priestley 90.45 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | Ronnie Baxter 97.38 | 13 | | | |
| | John Ferrell 83.34 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Ferrell 83.34 | 9 | | John Ferrell 87.72 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Ronnie Baxter 93.81 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ronnie Baxter 89.34 | 14 | | Ronnie Baxter 93.81 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andy Jenkins 81.75 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andy Jenkins 81.75 | 12 | | | | | Ronnie Baxter 97.05 | 13 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 99.48 | 10 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Phil Taylor 96.18 | 8 | | | | | | | 3 | Phil Taylor 99.48 | 10 | | | | | | |
| | Graeme Stoddart 80.10 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Graeme Stoddart 80.10 | 1 | 3 | Phil Taylor | 8 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Robbie Widdows | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Robbie Widdows | 8 | | Robbie Widdows | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Lowe | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |