Later this year, Phil Taylor will celebrate his 50th birthday – but there is no chance whatsoever of the great man slowing down!
“I want 20 World Championship titles,” he revealed. “Why not? I feel great and there is no reason why I shouldn’t win more!”
Taylor was in reflective mood after claiming his history-making 15th World Championship – 20 years after winning his first.
“Back in 1990, I could never dream that I would win 14 more,” he said. “The feeling doesn’t diminish – it’s still as good as ever,” Taylor added, after taking Unicorn’s World Title tally to 28.
Of course, Taylor now joins a very exclusive club! The only other member is Unicorn darting legend John Lowe……the pair are now the only men to win the World Championship in three different decades! It is an amazing achievement.
And World Championship sponsors Ladbrokes.com certainly believe that Taylor has a chance of reaching those 20 World Titles…..they are offering odds of only 8/1 that he wins the 20!
“I will continue to work hard and practice and tweak things if I need to. I will do all I can to stay on top of the darts world and that may mean scaling back on some tournaments and exhibition commitments,” he revealed.
Taylor was also fulsome in his praise of Simon Whitlock, who put up a terrific show in a memorable final and the Australian now looks to be in with a great chance of claiming one of the two Premier League wildcards.
The six confirmed in the 2010 Premier League are Taylor, Barney, Wade, Terry Jenkins, King and Baxter.
Unicorn ace Adrian Lewis is also very much in the mix for a wildcard pick…..a decision is expected in the next two weeks, with the event due to start early next month at the O2 Arena in London.
Whitlock’s consolation of £100,000 in prize money has catapulted him up to No.17 in the PDC Order of Merit and he will be playing the whole tour in 2010 after securing a big sponsorship deal.
‘The Wizard’ certainly made a massive impact at the Alexandra Palace – ask the Unicorn quarter of Osborne, Jenkins, Wade and Barneveld!
But for Taylor, this is just the beginning of what he hopes will be another massive year and his next target is to reclaim that Premier League crown, which he lost last May!
“I am enjoying it more than ever,” he said. “It is my job and I love getting out of bed each day to go to work!”
The financial rewards have been incredible with nearly £1 million won in prize money from darts in the last 12 months.
So, what about the other members of Team Unicorn and how they have been affected in the Order of Merit by the World Championship?
To confirm – the top six is Taylor, Barney, Wade, Jenkins, King and Baxter…..Lewis is 7th and despite a spate of 1st Round exits in ‘Major’ events, Colin Osborne is now at a career high 10th.
Andy Hamilton moves back up to No.11 and Kevin Painter is 15th….Wes Newton is now No.24, Jamie Caven is 29th, Paul Nicholson No.35 and Barrie Bates is 36th.
But there is real pressure on the Unicorn trio of John Part, Peter Manley and Kirk Shepherd, who have all tumbled won the rankings and face a big battle to qualify for all the TV ‘Majors’ in 2010.
Part is now at No.21, Manley No.27 and Shepherd is now 43rd in the Order of Merit.
By STUART PYKE (Twitter @stuartpykesport)
Photo courtesy Chris Sargeant