"Still got it" - 10 Oldest Players to have played at the PDC World Darts Championships - 180UK.com
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“Still got it” – 10 Oldest Players to have played at the PDC World Darts Championships

9 December 2025
Tom Sansom

By Harry Eddolls

Darts is a sport for everyone, from any place, background or age. Nowhere can this be seen better than annually at the World Championships. Entrants can range from teenagers looking to make an impact in the sport, to veterans in their fifties or even sixties who continue to love and play it.

So in this two-part article series, we are going to explore the extremes at both sides of the spectrum, as we count down the ten oldest and youngest players to have ever played in the PDC World Championships, starting with the very oldest.

10. Raymond van Barneveld (2024/25, 57 years old)

Our list begins with a very famous face, that being Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld. Barney’s success began in the late 1990s, when he picked up his first BDO World Championship in 1998. Three world titles (in 1999, 2003 and 2005), and two World Masters titles (in 2001 and 2005) would follow, before he made the switch to the PDC in 2006.

He wouldn’t have to wait long for his first PDC major, as he picked up the UK Open title. His first appearance at the PDC World Championship would follow in 2007, where in one of the greatest games ever played, he defeated Phil Taylor 7-6 to lift his first PDC world title, and his fifth overall. Four more majors followed for Barney, the last of which being the Premier League in 2014. He retired twice, both in 2019, but ended up reversing his decision on both occasions.

He has only missed one World Championship since his PDC move, and was present at last years edition, where he faced Nick Kenny in his first game, having entered in the second round as a seed. He was 57 years and 245 days old when he was beaten 3-1 in that match. He will return to Ally Pally again this year, where he will face Stefan Bellmont in the first round.

9. Dave Harrington (2012/13, 59 years old)

Representation from New Zealand comes next, in the form of Dave Harrington. He has only made one appearance at a World Championship to date, which came in 2013, when he qualified thanks to topping the DPNZ Order of Merit. He was 59 years and 71 days old when he faced Haruki Muramatsu in the preliminary round, but was dumped out 4-0 in legs. That was the last we saw of Harrington at the elite level, and 13 years later he has yet to return to Alexandra Palace.

8. John Lowe (2004/05, 59 years old)

The next entry on this list is another famous name, that being John Lowe. He had a glittering career, which included world titles in 1979, 1987 and 1993, as well as World Masters wins in 1976 and 1980. Lowe is also famous for hitting the first ever televised nine-darter, which he achieved against Keith Deller in 1984. He was a founding member of the PDC, but could never make a major final.

His final World Championship appearance came in the 2005 edition, having been an ever present at the Circus Tavern. When he took to the stage for the last time, he was 59 years and 159 days old. It would not be a long farewell however, as he was dumped out 3-2 by John Verwey, which despite being in the second round was the only game he played.

7. Norman Madhoo (2023/24, 59 years old)

We head to Guyana for this next entry, in the form of Norman Madhoo. He qualified for the World Championships in 2004, 2010 and 2011, before qualifying after a 13 year absence for the 2024 edition. Madhoo was 59 years and 252 days old when he faced Jim Williams in the first round. As with his previous three appearances, he lost his opening game, this time 3-0. The Guyanese player hasn’t returned to the Ally Pally, or indeed any elite competition, since that appearance two years ago.

6. Steve Beaton (2023/24, 59 years old)

Another name coming from the 2024 edition is that of the legendary Steve Beaton. The Bronzed Adonis had a successful 1990s on the BDO circuit, with his highlights being wins in the World Masters in 1993, and the World Championship in 1996. He joined the PDC in 2001, where his best ever major run was to the final of the European Championship in 2009.

Beaton was an ever present at the World Championship since his debut in 2002, and made his final appearance in the 2024 edition. He faced Dutchman Wessel Nijman in the first round, winning 3-1 to set up a second round clash with Daryl Gurney, where he was 59 years and 262 days old. Gurney proved too tough a task and he lost 3-1. Beaton continued on tour for another year, before handing in his tour card at the end of last year.

5. Bob Anderson (2007/08, 60 years old)

We reach the halfway mark of the oldest list, and here we find Bob Anderson. He had much success in the 1980s, winning the World Masters three times in a row between 1986 and 1988, topping that off with the world title in 1988. Anderson was part of the group of players who formed the PDC in 1992, and played in its World Championship through the 1990s and 2000s, peaking with semi-finals in 2004 and 2005.

His final appearance would be during the 2008 edition, with Anderson being 60 years and 42 days old when he took to the stage for the final time. His run wouldn’t be a long one however, as he fell in the first round to Jason Clark 3-2.

4. Deta Hedman (2020/21, 61 years old)

Next on the list, we have a name from the women’s game, that being Deta Hedman. Her first taste of glory came in 1994, when she won the Women’s World Masters on the BDO circuit. Her career would be on and off for the next fifteen years due to work commitments, but she returned to the sport full time in 2010, when she made her first appearances in both the BDO Women’s World Championship and the short lived PDC Women’s World Championship. She continued to be a regular at the BDO tournament, but would have to wait until 2021 for her first taste of the PDC World Championship.

When she took to the stage against Andy Boulton, she was 61 years and 35 days old. She went on to lose the game 3-1 and has not returned to Ally Pally since. She remains a constant figure on the WDF circuit however, and achieved her crowning jewel this year, by winning the Women’s World Championship for the first time.

3. Dennis Priestley (2012/13, 62 years old)

Moving on, the third place spot on the list goes to one Dennis Priestley. The Menace is most famous for being the two-time champion of the world, winning the 1991 title, before lifting the first ever PDC edition in 1994. He also became the World Master in 1992, and reached the final of the World Matchplay three times in a row between 1994 and 1996.

His final appearance in a World Championship came in the 2013 edition, when he qualified through the Pro Tour Order of Merit. When he took to the stage against Ronnie Baxter, Priestley was 62 years and 156 days old. His last hurrah on the biggest stage wouldn’t last long however, as he bowed out to Baxter 3-1. Priestley spent two more years on the Pro Tour, and retired from darts when he lost his tour card at the end of 2014.

2. John MaGowan (2008/09, 67 years old)

Second place goes to Northern Ireland, in the form of John MaGowan. He was relatively old as it was when he joined the PDC at 61 in 2002. He made a few deep runs in tournaments, which included a quarter-final at the World Grand Prix in 2005 and a semi-final at the UK Open a year later. He qualified for the World Championship twice, once in 2006 and the second time, which earns him a spot in this list, was in 2009. He made a run to the second round, where he lost to Dennis Priestley 4-1, at the age of 67 years and 200 days. That would be his last major PDC appearance, and he made the switch back to the BDO in 2012.

1. Paul Lim (2021/22, 67 years old)

For anyone who follows darts relatively closely, the name who takes the crown as oldest ever World Championship participant will be a familiar one. Born in Singapore in 1954, Paul Lim has been a regular fixture in the darting world since the 1980s. He will always be remembered for an iconic moment during the 1990 BDO World Championship, where during a second round match against Jack McKenna, he became the first ever player to hit a 9-darter at a world championship.

His last appearance in a PDC World Championship came in the 2022 edition, where he bowed out in the first round 3-2 to Joe Murnan. The Singapore Slinger was a staggering 67 years and 326 days old when he took to the stage for that tie. Last year nearly brought a fairytale run for Lim, where at the age of 70, he made it all the way to the final of the WDF World Championship, but was defeated by Irishman Shane McGuirk. He will be returning to Ally Pally this year, aged 71, where he will break his own record for oldest ever participant, when he faces Jeffrey de Graaf.

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