The Top Dart Players: John Part
John Part He has earned a special place in darting history and for John Part a third World Championship crown guarantees him lifetime membership of an exclusive club... he is one of the best darts players ever! His brilliant victory at the Alexandra Palace on January 1, 2008 means that the Canadian becomes only the 5th member of that exclusive band of darting superstars to have won three World Championships.
Part joins Phil Taylor, John Lowe, Eric Bristow and Raymond Van Barneveld in that special section of darting history. "It was truly a thrill to win the World Championship at the fantastic Alexandra Palace. I have many fond memories of matches at the Circus Tavern but it is a brilliant venue for a new era in darts and I am proud to be the first winner!" he said.
His victory over Unicorn starlet Kirk Shepherd is also unique, because Part has won his three World Titles at three different venues - Lakeside, Purfleet and now the Ally Pally. "It was a gruelling tournament for all and I was so happy to be the last man standing after what I considered to be six very solid performances."
There is no doubt that Part was the best man throughout the tournament and all the pundits agreed that the best man lifted the World crown... a testament to the courage and character of the Canadian, who has the reputation of being one of the best fighters in the world of darts. When he slipped out of the top 10 after a poor run of form, he was written off by many critics as being past his sell-by-date……he has proved them wrong and how!
And it seems, three World Championship titles isn’t enough! "I now plan to climb to the very top of the sport," he said. "I want to defend my World title from the best possible position. It would be a great thrill to win consecutive titles at the Alexandra Palace, so now’s my chance." Part added: "I also want to be playing in ten years time - and at a high standard! I have won World Championships in my 20s, 30s and 40s, so why not in my 50s!? If I could become the oldest ever World Champion, that would be a great way to wrap up my career!"
At the World Championship, he beat South African Charles Losper, Austrian Mensur Suljovic, Alex Roy, then Unicorn stablemate James Wade in the quarter-finals. The match went all the way to the final set and Part won by 4 legs to 2 in the tie-break. He then beat Kevin Painter by 6 sets to 2 in the semi-finals and was just too good for Shepherd in the final... from four sets to nil in front, he was always in control and won 7-2….and the little matter of £100,000!
Back in the top four in the world... back in the Premier League after a two-year absence and he also started 2008 in style on the Pro Tour by winning the Stan James Players Championship in Gibraltar. It all started coming good again for Part at the 2007 US Open in Connecticut when he was beaten in a close semi-final by Taylor….he was unlucky to lose a last leg decider to Raymond Van Barneveld in the 5th Round of the UK Open at Bolton….he then flew home to be crowned Canadian National Champion for a 4th time and then won a big Players Championship event at Hayling Island.
"It all started to click into place again," he said. "I never doubted that it would and to win the World Championship proved a lot of people wrong and boy, I enjoy doing that!"
He is hugely popular and remains one of the best to watch when he is in the groove and his reputation as the king of the big finishes remains firmly in tact! The Canadian ace has made a habit of proving the doubters wrong his entire career. There were those who were ready to start writing his darting obituary, before Part was crowned King of Las Vegas - winning the 2006 Desert Classic in style.
The triumph at The Mandalay Bay Hotel was one of the most popular wins for some time and was Part’s 3rd ‘Major’ title. He has also lost in six major TV finals but his victory over Raymond Van Barneveld in Vegas was reward for hard work, determination and courage, plus the desire to succeed, which burns as brightly as ever. He has been a great ambassador for Team Unicorn around the world and the man who has beaten Phil Taylor more than anyone else in major tournaments, is aiming even higher over the next 18 months.
He flies from his Canadian base in Oshawa to Britain and Europe about 15 times a year. That many 20 hour round trips are bound to have an effect……because of the Premier League, he will travel around 180,000 miles in 2008! "I pick and choose my tournaments now," he revealed. "The PDC Order of Merit ranking system gives me a bit more freedom because it is based on earnings. That means I play the big events and some of the others and I keep handily placed in the world rankings."
Since the new system was introduced in 2007, Part hasn’t been outside the top 12, despite defending a lot of money from tournaments in 2005, which is how the system works. "It’s all about being better prepared," he added. "I need to get fitter and lose some weight and get to these major championships better prepared. There is no doubt the travelling takes its toll but that is my choice to stay home, rather than set up a base in the UK."
It was Christmas 1987 when John Part realised darts was going to be his chosen career path. He was given a dart board by his parents and caught the bug!
He found a pub in Toronto - ironically called ‘The Unicorn’ - and success soon followed. He won his first title in 1991 at the Syracuse Open and two years later, Part was Canada’s No.1 player.
The fairytale continued as an unknown Canadian came to Britain to have a crack at the World Championships. By the end of that week in 1994, Part had become part of darting folklore. This was his first appearance in front of the TV cameras and he produced perfect darts to become the first overseas World Champion - whitewashing fans favourite Bobby George in the final. "The whole week was a blur," he admitted. "I did play really well but it was an amazing experience."
The name of John Part has been at the top of the darting tree ever since. In 1997, Part made the switch to the PDC and reached another World Championship Final in 2001. That night, he ran into Team Unicorn’s Phil Taylor at his very very best. ‘The Power’ averaged 107 in the match and Part could only watch and learn.
He only had to wait two years for revenge and a 2nd World Championship. It was one of the most thrilling finals ever seen. Part triumphed 7 sets to 6 to become only the second man, after Dennis Priestley, to beat Taylor at the Circus Tavern. In 2004, he was named the official World No.1 and more major finals followed. But Part is still annoyed and frustrated that he lost all of them!
"I kept beating Phil in the big TV tournaments but failed to finish the job! Now I guess, I am the man to beat because I am World Champion!" Part has lost finals at the World Grand Prix to Taylor, the World Matchplay to Taylor and Colin Lloyd, the Las Vegas Desert Classic to Peter Manley and the UK Open, where he was beaten by Roland Scholten. "People only judge you on performances and results and I need to be tasting that winning feeling a lot more!"
Part has also become an accomplished darts commentator but his big passion away from the sport is internet poker! It would take a brave man to bet against John Part... a good guy and a great darts player!
A three-times World Champion and it is pretty clear that he has the appetite for more…
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