# 2007 International Darts League

The 2007 Tropicana International Darts League was the fifth and final edition of the International Darts League. It was held at the Triavium in Nijmegen, Netherlands from 4–12 May 2007. The tournament was sponsored by Tropicana — a Dutch-based soft drink manufacturer. Raymond van Barneveld entered the tournament as three-times and defending champion. As in 2006, it was a cross-code event featuring players from both the World Darts Federation and the Professional Darts Corporation.
Darts history was made when the tournament became the first televised event to witness two nine dart finishes. On 8 May Phil Taylor hit his fourth perfect game on television against Raymond van Barneveld and the following night Tony O'Shea matched the effort against Adrian Lewis.
Despite the presence of current BDO and PDC World Champions and four other former world champions in the field, none progressed beyond the quarter-finals. 36 year old Gary Anderson won his first major title with a 13–9 victory over fellow BDO/WDF player Mark Webster.

## Prize fund

The total prize fund is €135,000 (plus €26,000 for a nine-dart finish)
    Winner €30,000
    Runner-up €15,000
    Semi-finalists €7,500
    Quarter-finalists €4,500
    2nd Group stage losers €3,000
    1st Group stage losers €2,000
    Preliminary round losers €1,000
    Nine dart finish An Opel Tigra TwinTop valued at €26,000 – achieved by Phil Taylor on 8 May v Raymond van Barneveld. The sponsors presented Tony O'Shea with the same brand of car later in the tournament for his nine-darter on 9 May, although originally there was only one bonus prize on offer.
    Highest checkout €1,000 currently shared by Phil Taylor 170 & Adrian Lewis

## 2007 controversy

The staging of the 2007 IDL was filled with controversy. There were several format changes, disagreements and even court cases surrounding the event.
In 2006 the BDO secured an agreement for 28 of their players to participate in the event until 2010. However, as the popularity of the PDC circuit grew in the Netherlands, the organisers decided to renege on the deal and invite only 12 BDO players. The remaining 20 players would qualify from the PDC including their top 12 ranked players plus four wildcards and four from a PDC/PDPA qualifying event.
This led to a threat from the BDO to take court action against the organisers who wanted their agreement upholding. A compromise was reached and the organisers introduced a preliminary round. The original 16 BDO/WDF players who believed they had missed out were to be joined by a further four automatic qualifiers from the PDC Order of Merit and a further four players from an already confirmed qualifying event in April. This expanded the field from 32 to 56 players.
However the sponsors of the four wildcard players (Michael van Gerwen, Mervyn King, Jelle Klaasen and Vincent van der Voort) were upset that their players had been relegated to the preliminary round when they felt they had an agreement to be automatically into the televised stages. The BDO also felt that all 28 of their players should not have to face a preliminary round. The dispute was resolved on April 25 when a Dutch court rejected the claims of the four wildcard players. Three of the players managed to qualify from the preliminary round with only van der Voort missing out.

## Results
### Preliminary round

Played Friday 4 May 2007
Group One – Winner: Mervyn King
    Matt Clark 5–4 Albertino Essers
    Mervyn King 5–1 Steve Farmer
    Steve Farmer 5–4 Albertino Essers
    Mervyn King 5–3 Matt Clark
    Matt Clark 5–0 Steve Farmer
    Mervyn King 5–1 Albertino Essers
Group Two – Winner: Gary Robson
    Gary Robson 5–0 Alan Tabern
    Edwin Max 5–2 Kevin Painter
    Gary Robson 5–1 Edwin Max
    Kevin Painter 5–2 Alan Tabern
    Alan Tabern 5–3 Edwin Max
    Kevin Painter 5–3 Gary Robson
Group Three – Winner: Michael van Gerwen
    Brian Sorensen 5–0 Kevin McDine
    Michael van Gerwen 5–1 Steve West
    Steve West 5–4 Brian Sorensen
    Michael van Gerwen 5–3 Kevin McDine
    Michael van Gerwen 5–4 Brian Sorensen
    Kevin McDine 5–3 Steve West
Group Four – Winner: Ross Montgomery
    Ross Montgomery 5–4 Chris Mason
    Dirk Hespeels 5–2 Vincent van der Voort
    Ross Montgomery 5–4 Dirk Hespeels
    Vincent van der Voort 5–3 Chris Mason
    Dirk Hespeels 5–0 Chris Mason
    Ross Montgomery 5–2 Vincent van der Voort
Group Five – Winner: Barrie Bates
    Wayne Jones 5–2 Shane Tichowitsch
    Barrie Bates 5–1 Phill Nixon
    Phill Nixon 5–4 Shane Tichowitsch
    Barrie Bates 5–1 Wayne Jones
    Barrie Bates 5–3 Shane Tichowitsch
    Phill Nixon 5–4 Wayne Jones
Group Six – Winner: Mark Dudbridge
    Mark Dudbridge 5–4 Goran Klemme
    Andy Jenkins 5–1 Andy Murray
    Andy Jenkins 5–4 Mark Dudbridge
    Goran Klemme 5–1 Andy Murray
    Goran Klemme 5–4 Andy Jenkins
    Mark Dudbridge 5–0 Andy Murray
Group Seven – Winner: Jelle Klaasen
    Robbie Green 5–2 Robert Hughes
    Jelle Klaasen 5–1 Mark Barilli
    Mark Barilli 5–0 Robert Hughes
    Jelle Klaasen 5–2 Robbie Green
    Jelle Klaasen 5–1 Robert Hughes
    Robbie Green 5–2 Mark Barilli
Group Eight – Winner: Ronnie Baxter
    Ron Meulenkamp 5–3 Richie Burnett
    Ronnie Baxter 5–1 Paul Hogan
    Ron Meulenkamp 5–2 Paul Hogan
    Richie Burnett 5–4 Ronnie Baxter
    Ronnie Baxter 5–2 Ron Meulenkamp
    Richie Burnett 5–1 Paul Hogan

### First round

Played Saturday 5 May to Monday 7 May
| Group A Gary Anderson 6–3 Wayne Mardle Roland Scholten 6–5 Mervyn King Gary Anderson 6–2 Roland Scholten Wayne Mardle 6–5 Mervyn King Gary Anderson 6–1 Mervyn King Wayne Mardle 6–2 Roland Scholten | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Gary Anderson3186 2 Wayne Mardle21513 3 Roland Scholten11017 4 Mervyn King01118 |
| Group B Gary Robson 6–3 Simon Whitlock Peter Manley 6–4 John Part Simon Whitlock 6–3 Peter Manley John Part 6-4 Gary Robson Gary Robson 6–4 Peter Manley Simon Whitlock 6–5 John Part | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Gary Robson21613 2 Simon Whitlock21514 3 John Part11516 4 Peter Manley11316 |
| Group C Tony Eccles 6–3 Andy Hamilton Michael van Gerwen 6–4 Terry Jenkins Tony Eccles 6–4 Terry Jenkins Michael van Gerwen 6–0 Andy Hamilton Michael van Gerwen 6–5 Tony Eccles Andy Hamilton 6–4 Terry Jenkins | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Michael van Gerwen3189 2 Tony Eccles21713 3 Andy Hamilton1916 4 Terry Jenkins01218 |
| Group D Martin Atkins 6–3 Ross Montgomery Raymond van Barneveld 6–2 Scott Waites Scott Waites 6–3 Ross Montgomery Raymond van Barneveld 6–1 Martin Atkins Raymond van Barneveld 6–2 Ross Montgomery Scott Waites 6–3 Martin Atkins | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Raymond van Barneveld3185 2 Scott Waites21412 3 Martin Atkins11015 4 Ross Montgomery0818 |
| Group E Adrian Lewis 6–5 Barrie Bates Martin Adams 6–5 Mario Robbe Mario Robbe 6–4 Barrie Bates Adrian Lewis 6–2 Martin Adams Martin Adams 6–5 Barrie Bates Adrian Lewis 6–2 Mario Robbe | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Adrian Lewis3189 2 Martin Adams21416 3 Barrie Bates11616 4 Mario Robbe01118 |
| Group F Colin Lloyd 6–4 Tony O'Shea Mark Dudbridge 6–2 Co Stompé Tony O'Shea 6–4 Mark Dudbridge Colin Lloyd 6–5 Co Stompé Mark Dudbridge 6–5 Colin Lloyd Tony O'Shea 6–2 Co Stompé | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Tony O'Shea21612 2 Mark Dudbridge21613 3 Colin Lloyd21715 4 Co Stompé0918 |
| Group G James Wade 6–5 Darryl Fitton Jelle Klaasen 6–4 Dennis Priestley James Wade 6–3 Jelle Klaasen Darryl Fitton 6–1 Dennis Priestley Darryl Fitton 6–5 Jelle Klaasen James Wade 6–4 Dennis Priestley | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 James Wade31812 2 Darryl Fitton21712 3 Jelle Klaasen11416 4 Dennis Priestley0918 |
| Group H Mark Webster 6–4 Phil Taylor Ronnie Baxter 6–1 Niels de Ruiter Phil Taylor 6–3 Niels de Ruiter Mark Webster 6–3 Ronnie Baxter Phil Taylor 6–4 Ronnie Baxter Mark Webster 6–3 Niels de Ruiter | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Mark Webster31810 2 Phil Taylor21613 3 Ronnie Baxter11313 4 Niels de Ruiter0718 |

### Second round

Played Tuesday 8 May to Thursday 10 May
| Group I Gary Anderson 7–1 Martin Adams Mark Dudbridge 7–6 Gary Robson Gary Anderson 7–6 Gary Robson Martin Adams 7–2 Mark Dudbridge Gary Anderson 7–3 Mark Dudbridge Gary Robson 7–5 Martin Adams | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Gary Anderson32110 2 Gary Robson11919 3 Martin Adams11316 4 Mark Dudbridge11220 |
| Group J Phil Taylor 7–4 Raymond van Barneveld Darryl Fitton 7–2 Michael van Gerwen Raymond van Barneveld 7–5 Michael van Gerwen Darryl Fitton 7–6 Phil Taylor Michael van Gerwen 7–6 Phil Taylor Raymond van Barneveld 7–6 Darryl Fitton | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Darryl Fitton22015 2 Raymond van Barneveld21818 3 Phil Taylor11918 4 Michael van Gerwen11420 |
| Group K Adrian Lewis 7–4 Wayne Mardle Simon Whitlock 7–6 Tony O'Shea Tony O'Shea 7–4 Adrian Lewis Simon Whitlock 7–5 Wayne Mardle Tony O'Shea 7–5 Wayne Mardle Adrian Lewis 7–4 Simon Whitlock | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Tony O'Shea22016 2 Adrian Lewis21815 3 Simon Whitlock21818 4 Wayne Mardle01421 |
| Group L James Wade 7–2 Tony Eccles Mark Webster 7–6 Scott Waites Scott Waites 7–3 Tony Eccles Mark Webster 7–2 James Wade James Wade 7–4 Scott Waites Mark Webster 7–4 Tony Eccles | Pos Name Wins Legs won Legs lost 1 Mark Webster32112 2 James Wade21613 3 Scott Waites11717 4 Tony Eccles0921 |

### Knockout stages

| Quarter-finals Best of 11 sets best of three legs per set 10 May | Quarter-finals Best of 11 sets best of three legs per set 10 May | Quarter-finals Best of 11 sets best of three legs per set 10 May | Semi-finals Best of 17 sets best of three legs per set 11 May | Semi-finals Best of 17 sets best of three legs per set 11 May | Semi-finals Best of 17 sets best of three legs per set 11 May | Final Best of 25 sets best of three legs per set 12 May | Final Best of 25 sets best of three legs per set 12 May | Final Best of 25 sets best of three legs per set 12 May |
| WDF | Gary Anderson 107.97 | 6 | | | | | | |
| PDC | James Wade 106.05 | 3 | | | | | | |
| PDC | James Wade 106.05 | 3 | WDF | Gary Anderson 97.47 | 9 | | | |
| | | | PDC | Adrian Lewis 87.66 | 1 | | | |
| PDC | Adrian Lewis 94.23 | 6 | PDC | Adrian Lewis 87.66 | 1 | | | |
| WDF | Darryl Fitton 96.63 | 2 | | | | | | |
| WDF | Darryl Fitton 96.63 | 2 | | | | WDF | Gary Anderson 95.85 | 13 |
| | | | | | | WDF | Mark Webster 94.54 | 9 |
| WDF | Tony O'Shea 96.03 | 6 | | | | | | | WDF | Mark Webster 94.54 | 9 |
| PDC | Raymond van Barneveld 96.36 | 4 | | | | | | |
| PDC | Raymond van Barneveld 96.36 | 4 | WDF | Tony O'Shea 84.42 | 1 | | | |
| | | | WDF | Mark Webster 96.84 | 9 | | | |
| WDF | Mark Webster 90.60 | 6 | WDF | Mark Webster 96.84 | 9 | | | |
| WDF | Gary Robson 83.37 | 2 | | | | | | |

## 2007 format

The field was scheduled to contain 56 players with 12 automatically from each organisation going into the group stages. Some players from the BDO withdrew citing the uncertainty over the staging of the event as their reason.
| The WDF qualifiers are:- Gary Anderson Martin Adams Tony Eccles Darryl Fitton Simon Whitlock Co Stompé Martin Atkins Niels de Ruiter Mark Webster John Walton (withdrew) Tony O’Shea Ted Hankey (withdrew) | The PDC automatic qualifiers are:- Phil Taylor Raymond van Barneveld Colin Lloyd Peter Manley Dennis Priestley Terry Jenkins Adrian Lewis Roland Scholten Wayne Mardle James Wade John Part Andy Hamilton |
A preliminary round will now consist of:
* The BDO/WDF players ranked 13 to 28 at the cut-off date (Mario Robbe, Scott Waites, Gary Robson, Brian Sørensen, Albertino Essers, Ross Montgomery, Ron Meulenkamp, Shane Tichowitsch, Robert Hughes, Göran Klemme, Steve West, Mark Barilli, Phill Nixon, Steve Farmer, Paul Hogan, Edwin Max) Dirk Hespeels and Andy Murray were added to the field to replace the withdrawn players
* The PDC players ranked 13 to 16 at the cut-off date (Ronnie Baxter, Andy Jenkins, Barrie Bates, Kevin Painter)
* Eight qualifiers from a PDPA qualifying tournament at Villa Park, Birmingham on April 21 (Chris Mason, Wayne Jones, Richie Burnett, Alan Tabern, Mark Dudbridge, Matt Clark, Kevin McDine and Robbie Green)
* Wildcards Michael van Gerwen, Jelle Klaasen, Mervyn King and Vincent van der Voort.
Eight players from the preliminary round will go through to join the 24 automatic qualifiers in the group stages.