Full name Edward Martin Phillips World Masters Winner: 2014 Current world ranking 8 Home town Dolgellau | BDO 1988– Role Darts player Laterality Left-handed Name Martin Phillips | |
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Born 30 April 1960 (age 63)
Dolgellau, Wales ( 1960-04-30 ) Walk-on music Tubthumping by Chumbawamba | ||
World Ch'ship Semi Final: 2010, 2011 | ||
Martin Phillips (born 30 April 1960 in Dolgellau) is a Welsh darts player who competes in the British Darts Organisation and is currently the captain of Wales and was the 2014 World Masters champion.
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1988 to 1994
Phillips made his first televised darts appearance at the 1988 British Professional Championship reaching the last 16. It wasn't until 1991 that he appeared at his first World Championship losing in the first round to the defending champion Phil Taylor. In 1992 he defeated the Dutchman Bert Vlaardingerbroek 3–0 in the first round and knocked out five-time world champion Eric Bristow 3–2 in the second round to reach the quarter final where he was defeated again by Taylor, who went on to clinch his second World title. He also played in 1993 and 1994, reaching the second round in both tournaments, losing both times to Bobby George. Phillips remained in the British Darts Organisation's events during the split in darts between 1993 and 1994 – but the first year after the split proved to be his last appearance at the Lakeside World Championship for nine years.
1994 to 2006
Although he failed to qualify for the World Championships for several years, he picked up two WDF Europe Cup pairs titles, in 1994 with Eric Burden and 1998 with Sean Palfrey – plus a WDF World Cup pairs title also with Palfrey in 1997. He had limited singles success for over a decade, with only three semi-final appearances at the Isle of Man Open (1996, 1997 and 2000)
He returned for the 2003 BDO World Darts Championship, but lost in the first round to John Walton and would then miss out on qualification for the event for the next three years, leaving him with just the one appearance at the Lakeside in 13 years.
2007 to 2011
In 2007, Phillips returned to the Lakeside but lost again in the first round, this time to Scotland's Paul Hanvidge. His form began to improve during 2007 with a tournament win at the Turunç Open in Turkey, and semi-final appearances at the Welsh Classic and Northern Ireland Open. Towards the end of 2007 he was on the receiving end of a defeat and a nine dart finish by John Walton in their last 16 match at the 2007 Winmau World Masters.
At the 2008 BDO World Championship, Phillips beat Shaun Greatbatch in the last 32 but lost in the second round to reigning champion Martin Adams. Another first round exit followed in the 2009 BDO World Championship, losing 3–1 to Ross Montgomery, but he picked up the 2009 Border Classic title and reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Open and Welsh Classic.
In the 2010 BDO World Championship, Phillips went on to reach the semi-finals for the first time in his career beating seventh seed Dave Prins 3–0 in the first round, qualifier Paul Carter 4–2 in the second round and second seed Scott Waites in the quarter-finals. Phillips had gone into a 4–0 lead before Waites brought the scores level at 4–4, before Phillips showed better consistency in the final set to reach the last four where he was beaten 6–4 by Martin Adams.
In October 2010 he won the biggest title of his career so far by winning the WDF Europe Cup beating 2010 World Champion Martin Adams on the way to the final where he beat Willy van de Wiel 7–3. Two weeks later, he won seven matches to reach the semi-finals of the Winmau World Masters for the first time before losing to Stuart Kellet. In November 2010, Phillips made his first appearance at the Grand Slam of Darts having qualified through his runs to the semi-finals at the Lakeside. In the group stages, he beat Adrian Lewis (who went on to become PDC World Champion just two months later) 5–2 in legs. Phillips did not qualify from the group stages after losing 1–5 to Scott Waites and 4–5 to Co Stompé.
He made the semi-finals for the second year running at the 2011 BDO World Championship, beating Mark Barilli 3–0, Joey ten Berge 4–3 and Gary Robson 5–4, then lost a repeat of the previous year's semi-final match with Martin Adams 4–6.
He has appeared at 2011 Grand Slam of darts and he has had a better year then in 2010. He qualified from his group despite losing to Adrian Lewis 5–4 he claimed victories over Dutchman Co Stompé and Vincent van der Voort both 5–2, To set up a last 16 clash with fellow countryman and former World Champion Mark Webster who he lost 10–8 having led 3–0 and 8–5.
2014 – Masters Champion
After losing as an unseeded player to Wesley Harms in the first round of the World Championship in 2012, Phillips failed to qualify for Lakeside in either 2013 or 2014. However, he bounced back spectacularly by regaining his place in the world's top 8, before winning the first major TV title in his 26-year career at the Winmau World Masters. After reaching the semi-finals without dropping a set, Phillips survived a match dart in a deciding leg victory over Glen Durrant before beating Jamie Hughes 7–3 in the final. Phillips would become the BDO world number one in November that year. However, seeded fifth at the 2015 BDO World Championship, Phillips was defeated 3–0 by Madars Razma in the first round. At the 2015 Winmau World Masters, Phillips' title defence was ended at the quarter final stage by Glen Durrant, who avenged his semi final loss to Phillips from the previous year.