# 2011 World Matchplay

The 2011 Skybet World Matchplay was the 18th annual staging of the World Matchplay, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation. The tournament took place from 16–24 July 2011. It was sponsored by Skybet (who had previously sponsored the UK Open and the World Grand Prix) who took over from Stan James after 10 years.
Phil Taylor successfully defended his title, defeating James Wade 18–8 in the final to win his twelfth World Matchplay crown and his fourth in successive years.
In the quarter-final, Andy Hamilton produced a remarkable comeback. Trailing 8–15 to Simon Whitlock and only one leg from defeat, Hamilton won nine consecutive legs to advance to the semi-finals.
John Part recorded his first and only televised nine-dart finish, and the third in Matchplay history, in his first-round defeat to Mark Webster.
The 2011 World Matchplay is notable for being the last darts tournament on Sky Sports where long-time commentator, Sid Waddell, commentated full-time. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in September 2011, underwent treatment, and made a brief return to the commentary box during the 2012 Premier League Darts. Waddell died from the bowel cancer on the 11 August 2012, the day after his 72nd birthday.

## Prize money

For the third consecutive World Matchplay, the prize fund was £400,000.
| Position (no. of players) | Position (no. of players) | Prize money (Total: £400,000) |
| Winner | (1) | £100,000 |
| Runner-Up | (1) | £50,000 |
| Semi-finalists | (2) | £25,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | (4) | £15,000 |
| Second round | (8) | £7,500 |
| First round | (16) | £5,000 |
| Nine-dart finish | (1) | £10,000 |

## Qualification

The top 16 in the PDC Order of Merit qualified automatically and were also seeded players. The other 16 places went to the top 16 non-qualified players from the Players Championships Order of Merit.
These were the participants:

## Draw

| First round (best of 19 legs) 16–19 July | First round (best of 19 legs) 16–19 July | First round (best of 19 legs) 16–19 July | Second round (best of 25 legs) 20–21 July | Second round (best of 25 legs) 20–21 July | Second round (best of 25 legs) 20–21 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 22 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 22 July | Quarter-finals (best of 31 legs) 22 July | | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 23 July | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 23 July | Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 23 July | | Final (best of 35 legs) 24 July | Final (best of 35 legs) 24 July | Final (best of 35 legs) 24 July |
| 1 | Phil Taylor 101.66 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Hylton 99.56 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Hylton 99.56 | 8 | 1 | Phil Taylor 108.01 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | Wayne Jones 97.89 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Wayne Jones 90.83 | 10 | 16 | Wayne Jones 97.89 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Scott Rand 88.99 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Scott Rand 88.99 | 6 | | | | 1 | Phil Taylor 108.39 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 8 | Wes Newton 95.80 | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Wes Newton 90.80 | 10 | | | | | | | 8 | Wes Newton 95.80 | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | Andy Smith 84.12 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andy Smith 84.12 | 2 | 8 | Wes Newton 99.41 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Justin Pipe 96.24 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Mervyn King 84.22 | 6 | | Justin Pipe 96.24 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Justin Pipe 93.46 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Justin Pipe 93.46 | 10 | | | | | | | | 1 | Phil Taylor 105.59 | 17 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Andy Hamilton 99.43 | 9 | | | | |
| 5 | Simon Whitlock 93.91 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | Andy Hamilton 99.43 | 9 | | | | |
| | Peter Wright 92.28 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Peter Wright 92.28 | 7 | 5 | Simon Whitlock 96.93 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Denis Ovens 88.06 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Ronnie Baxter 84.88 | 8 | | Denis Ovens 88.06 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Denis Ovens 87.59 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Denis Ovens 87.59 | 10 | | | | 5 | Simon Whitlock 96.14 | 15 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Andy Hamilton 96.49 | 17 | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Gary Anderson 98.04 | 6 | | | | | | | | Andy Hamilton 96.49 | 17 | | | | | | | | |
| | Andy Hamilton 95.97 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Andy Hamilton 95.97 | 10 | | Andy Hamilton 90.45 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | John Henderson 86.11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Colin Lloyd 84.92 | 7 | | John Henderson 86.11 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Henderson 91.11 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Henderson 91.11 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Phil Taylor 103.84 | 18 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 98.84 | 8 |
| 2 | Adrian Lewis 98.07 | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 98.84 | 8 |
| | Kevin Painter 92.91 | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kevin Painter 92.91 | 12 | 2 | Adrian Lewis 100.30 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 15 | Vincent van der Voort 93.00 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Vincent van der Voort 86.45 | 10 | 15 | Vincent van der Voort 93.00 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alan Tabern 87.38 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Alan Tabern 87.38 | 7 | | | | 2 | Adrian Lewis 94.76 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 10 | Mark Webster 92.05 | 12 | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Terry Jenkins 86.10 | 3 | | | | | | | 10 | Mark Webster 92.05 | 12 | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Beaton 100.97 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Beaton 100.97 | 10 | | Steve Beaton 90.40 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 10 | Mark Webster 93.70 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Mark Webster 88.95 | 10 | 10 | Mark Webster 93.70 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Part 90.75 | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Part 90.75 | 8 | | | | | | | | 2 | Adrian Lewis 91.54 | 10 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 95.37 | 17 | | | | |
| 6 | Raymond van Barneveld 95.56 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 95.37 | 17 | | | | |
| | Steve Brown 91.02 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Brown 91.02 | 3 | 6 | Raymond van Barneveld 95.67 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 11 | Paul Nicholson 92.35 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Paul Nicholson 95.89 | 12 | 11 | Paul Nicholson 92.35 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Colin Osborne 95.86 | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Colin Osborne 95.86 | 10 | | | | 6 | Raymond van Barneveld 95.17 | 11 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 94.50 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | James Wade 87.38 | 10 | | | | | | | 3 | James Wade 94.50 | 16 | | | | | | | | |
| | Jamie Caven 82.00 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Jamie Caven 82.00 | 0 | 3 | James Wade 98.08 | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 14 | Mark Walsh 95.41 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Mark Walsh 94.44 | 10 | 14 | Mark Walsh 95.41 | 11 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dave Chisnall 93.73 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Scores after player's names are three-dart averages (total points scored divided by darts thrown and multiplied by 3)

## Statistics

| Player | Eliminated | Played | Legs Won | Legs Lost | LWAT | 100+ | 140+ | 180s | High checkout | 3-dart average |
| Phil Taylor | Winner | 5 | 74 | 37 | 30 | 164 | 80 | 22 | 150 | 105.49 |
| Adrian Lewis | Semi-finals | 4 | 53 | 46 | 19 | 118 | 66 | 28 | 170 | 96.16 |
| James Wade | Final | 5 | 64 | 50 | 23 | 162 | 91 | 23 | 170 | 94.83 |
| Gary Anderson | First round | 1 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 27 | 7 | 10 | 104 | 98.04 |
| Raymond van Barneveld | Quarter-finals | 3 | 34 | 28 | 13 | 79 | 48 | 16 | 126 | 95.46 |
| Simon Whitlock | Quarter-finals | 3 | 38 | 25 | 12 | 66 | 48 | 15 | 154 | 95.66 |
| Terry Jenkins | First round | 1 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 118 | 90.06 |
| Wes Newton | Quarter-finals | 3 | 28 | 26 | 12 | 62 | 43 | 12 | 170 | 95.33 |
| Mervyn King | First round | 1 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 1 | 120 | 84.33 |
| Mark Webster | Quarter-finals | 3 | 35 | 31 | 13 | 96 | 36 | 7 | 158 | 91.56 |
| Paul Nicholson | Second round | 2 | 21 | 23 | 8 | 55 | 24 | 12 | 164 | 94.12 |
| Ronnie Baxter | First round | 1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 146 | 84.88 |
| Colin Lloyd | First round | 1 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 128 | 84.92 |
| Mark Walsh | Second round | 2 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 46 | 22 | 12 | 121 | 94.92 |
| Vincent van der Voort | Second round | 2 | 15 | 20 | 6 | 44 | 21 | 6 | 90 | 89.72 |
| Wayne Jones | Second round | 2 | 17 | 19 | 6 | 43 | 32 | 9 | 161 | 94.36 |
| John Part* | First round | 1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 141 | 90.75 |
| Andy Smith | First round | 1 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 121 | 84.12 |
| Jamie Caven | First round | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 1 | — | 82.00 |
| Justin Pipe | Second round | 2 | 18 | 19 | 8 | 46 | 28 | 9 | 116 | 94.84 |
| Dave Chisnall | First round | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 121 | 93.73 |
| Peter Wright | First round | 1 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 27 | 8 | 6 | 123 | 92.28 |
| Alan Tabern | First round | 1 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 31 | 9 | 3 | 81 | 87.38 |
| Mark Hylton | First round | 1 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 15 | 7 | 119 | 99.57 |
| Steve Brown | First round | 1 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 121 | 91.02 |
| Denis Ovens | Second round | 2 | 11 | 21 | 4 | 45 | 20 | 5 | 132 | 87.82 |
| John Henderson | Second round | 2 | 21 | 20 | 7 | 46 | 30 | 11 | 120 | 88.61 |
| Kevin Painter | First round | 1 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 39 | 15 | 5 | 102 | 92.91 |
| Scott Rand | First round | 1 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 69 | 88.99 |
| Colin Osborne | First round | 1 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 126 | 95.86 |
| Steve Beaton | Second round | 2 | 17 | 16 | 8 | 49 | 24 | 3 | 140 | 95.68 |
| Andy Hamilton | Semi-finals | 4 | 49 | 49 | 13 | 111 | 60 | 25 | 147 | 95.58 |

## Broadcasters

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the tournament was broadcast by Sky Sports for the 18th consecutive time. In the Netherlands, RTL7 broadcast the tournament for the very first time through an internet livestream, and in highlights on Friday, Saturday and Sunday on television. The tournament was broadcast in Australia for the first time with Fox Sports.