John Part facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Part
Part in 2022
Personal information
Nickname	"Darth Maple"
Born	(1966-06-29) 29 June 1966 (age 58) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Home town	Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Darts information
Playing darts since	1987
Darts	23g Loxley Darts Signature
Laterality	Right-handed
Walk-on music	"The Imperial March" (Darth Vader's theme from Star Wars)
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO	1993–1997
PDC	1997–2020
BDO majors – best performances
World Ch'ship	Winner (1) 1994
World Masters	Last 16: 1995, 1997
World Darts Trophy	Last 16: 2007
Int. Darts League	Last 32 Group: 2007
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'ship	Winner (2) 2003, 2008
World Matchplay	Runner Up: 2002, 2005
World Grand Prix	Runner Up: 2002, 2003
Grand Slam	Quarter Final: 2007, 2012
Premier League	6th: 2005, 2009
Desert Classic	Winner (1) 2006
European Ch'ship	Last 32: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013
UK Open	Runner Up: 2004
US Open/WSoD	Semi Final: 2007
Players Ch'ship Finals	Last 16: 2009
Other tournament wins
America's Cup Singles 2002 Blueberry Hill 2001, 2002 Bob Jones Memorial 2005 Canadian Mixed Pairs 1995 Canada National Ch'ships 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007 Canadian Open 1995, 2001, 2004 CDC Tour Event 2018 Cleveland Darts Extraveganza 2002 Golden Harvest North American Cup 2004 Ireland Open Autumn Classic 2002 Ireland Open Spring Classic 2002 Klondike Open 1993, 1996, 1998 Las Vegas Open 1998 North American Darts Ch'ship 2010 North American Pro Tour Chicago 2012 Ontario Champion 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2002 Pacific Cup Pairs 1994 Pacific Cup Mixed Pairs 1994 PDC Eastbourne Open 2000 PDC Nations Cup Singles 2002 PDC Northern Ireland Open 2002 Quebec Open 1994, 1996, 1999, 2002 Shanghai International Darts Open 2009 Soft Tip Bullshooter World Ch'ship 2008 USA Darts Classic 2000 Vauxhall Autumn Open 2003 Vauxhall Spring Open 2002, 2003 Virginia Beach Darts Classic 2002 WDF World Cup Pairs 1993 West Tyrone Open 2002, 2003 Windy City Open 2002, 2003 World Cup International Open 1995 WDF Americas Cup Singles 2002 European Tour Events UK Masters 2013 Players Championships Players Championship (AUT) 2011 Players Championship (CAN) 2011 Players Championship (DER) 2011 Players Championship (GIB) 2008 Players Championship (HAY) 2007 UK Open Regionals/Qualifiers Regional Final (SWE) 2003
Other achievements
PDC World Number 1 January to June 2003 Achieved a nine dart finish in the 2011 World Matchplay Member of Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame Member of National Darts Federation of Canada Hall of Fame Member of the PDC Hall of Fame
Updated on 2017.

John Part (born June 29, 1966) is a famous Canadian darts player. He used to play professionally and is now a commentator. He also plays in special "World Seniors" events. People call him "Darth Maple" because he's from Canada (like a maple leaf) and his entrance music is from Star Wars.

John Part is a three-time World Champion. He won the BDO World Championship in 1994. He also won the PDC World Championship twice, in 2003 and 2008. Many people think he is one of the best darts players ever. He is definitely the best darts player from North America so far!

He was the first player from outside of Britain to win a World Championship. He is also the only non-European player to win the PDC World Championship. In 2017, John Part was added to the PDC Hall of Fame, which is a special honor for great players.

John Part's Darts Journey

Starting Out in Darts: 1987-1994

John Part was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He got his first dartboard as a Christmas gift in 1987. Even though darts wasn't shown much on TV in Canada, John watched the World Championship and World Masters. He learned a lot from famous players like Bob Anderson.

He won his first big title, the Syracuse Open, in 1991. That same year, he became a professional player. Soon, he was playing for Canada in the WDF World Cup. John says that playing against other great North American players helped him become a world champion.

By 1993, John was Canada's top-ranked player. He won the Pairs Championship for Canada at the 1993 WDF World Cup. When he joined the 1994 BDO World Championship, not many people knew him. This was a new time for darts, with many new players.

John surprised everyone by beating the second-best player, Ronnie Baxter, in his first match. He then went all the way to the final, losing only one set. In the final, he played against the well-known player Bobby George and won easily, 6-0. Just six years after getting his first dartboard, John Part was a World Champion! He was the first non-British player to win it.

Tough Times and a Big Move: 1995-2000

After his big win in 1994, John Part had some difficult years. He won more tournaments in North America, like the Canadian Open. But he struggled in the big tournaments in the United Kingdom. He didn't get past the second round in the 1995 or 1996 BDO World Championships.

In June 1997, John Part decided to leave the British Darts Organisation (BDO). He joined the new group, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He hoped this move would help him play better. But at first, it didn't change much. He still lost early in the 1998 and 1999 PDC World Championships.

Things started to get a little better around the year 2000. He reached the quarter-finals of the 2000 PDC World Grand Prix. These small improvements were a sign of much bigger success to come.

Becoming a PDC World Champion: 2001-2003

The 2001 PDC World Darts Championship was a very important moment for John Part. He made it all the way to the final, where he faced Phil Taylor. Taylor was known as the greatest darts player ever and had won the last six world championships.

John lost the final 7-0 to Taylor, who played incredibly well. This loss could have made John lose confidence. Instead, it made him even more determined to get better. Over the next two years, John won many smaller titles. He became the second-best player in the world. He also started a big rivalry with Phil Taylor.

In 2002, John reached another major final, the World Matchplay. He was leading Taylor 16-15, but Taylor won the last three legs to win 18-16. John also reached the final of the 2002 World Grand Prix, but Taylor beat him again. People wondered if John could ever beat Taylor in a big final.

Then came the 2003 PDC World Championship. Taylor was expected to win easily. But John Part, as the second-best player, also made it to the final. He had a tough semi-final match against Kevin Painter, winning 6-4.

In the final, John Part was the underdog. He had lost all his previous TV matches against Taylor. But John started strong, taking a 3-0 lead. Taylor fought back and took a 5-4 lead. John then won two sets to lead 6-5, just one set away from winning. Taylor won the next set, making it a deciding set.

In the final set, John broke Taylor's throw (won a leg when Taylor started). He then held his nerve and won the title with his very first match dart! He became World Champion for the second time. He also ended Taylor's amazing eight-tournament winning streak. This was Taylor's first loss at the PDC World Championship since 1994.

This final is often called one of the greatest darts matches ever. John Part said this win was the most special for him. He was the first non-British player to win the PDC World Championship. With this victory, John Part also became the number one darts player in the world!

Ups and Downs: 2003-2005

After his 2003 world championship win, John Part had mixed results. He beat Phil Taylor on TV several times. But he didn't win any major titles between 2003 and 2005. He won some smaller events, like the UK Open Southwest Regional Final. He also won the Windy City Open.

In 2003, he reached the final of the Las Vegas Desert Classic, but lost to Peter Manley. He also reached the World Grand Prix final again, but Taylor beat him. Taylor also took back the world number one ranking from John.

In the 2004 World Championship, John lost in his first match. He was the defending champion, but lost to Mark Dudbridge. However, John beat Taylor again at the 2004 UK Open. He reached the final of that event but lost to Roland Scholten.

In 2005, John didn't win any tournaments. He played in the first ever Premier League, but finished near the bottom. He did have some exciting matches against Taylor. In the 2005 World Matchplay, John beat Taylor 16-11. This ended Taylor's long winning streak in that tournament. John then reached the final, but lost to Colin Lloyd.

Even though John beat Taylor several times on TV during these years, he often lost in the finals. This made it a less successful period for him.

Las Vegas Champion and Third World Title: 2006-2008

The year 2006 was important for darts. A new star, Raymond van Barneveld, joined the PDC. John Part was no longer seen as Taylor's main rival. John lost early in the 2006 World Championship.

However, John's career got better in the next few years. In July 2006, he won his first major title since 2003. He won the Las Vegas Desert Classic. He had done well in this tournament before, reaching many semi-finals. This time, he beat van Barneveld 6-3 in the final to win his second major PDC title.

John had another tough World Championship in 2007, losing in the second round. But for the rest of 2007, he played very well. He reached the semi-finals of three big TV tournaments. This good form meant he was the 11th best player going into the 2008 PDC World Championship.

John played steadily through the tournament. He beat James Wade in a close quarter-final. Then he beat Kevin Painter again in the semi-final, just like in his 2003 win. This put him in his fourth World Championship final.

In the final, John faced a surprise player, Kirk Shepherd. Shepherd was only 21 and had never played in a world final before. John had been the new player in his 1994 final. This time, John was the experienced champion. John quickly took a 4-0 lead. Shepherd tried to come back, but John won the final two sets for a 7-2 victory.

This was John Part's third World Championship title! He became only the fifth player to win more than two world championships. He was also the second player (after Phil Taylor) to win the PDC World Championship more than once. John also set a new record: he was the first player to win the World Championship in three different places!

However, the years after his championship wins in 1994 and 2003 were not as successful. 2008 followed this pattern. John won a Players Championship right after his world title. But it was his only PDC win for two years. He finished last in the Premier League. His world championship defense ended with a 3-0 loss in the first round of the 2009 World Championship to Bill Davis.

Nine-Dart Finish and Later Years: 2009-2023

After his 2008 win, John Part's ranking slowly dropped. He didn't play in the Premier League in 2010. In June 2010, he won the PDC North American Darts Championship.

A very exciting moment happened in July 2011. During the 2011 World Matchplay, John Part threw a nine-dart finish against Mark Webster. This is darts' perfect game, where a player scores 501 points in just nine darts. It was his first ever perfect game shown on TV!

At the 2012 World Championship, John reached the quarter-finals. This was his best result since winning in 2008. He played a very close match against James Wade, losing in a sudden-death leg. John said it was "the greatest game I've ever lost!"

In 2013, John Part won his first European Tour event, the UK Masters. He beat many top players to win this title. However, after 2014, John's ranking continued to fall. He didn't qualify for the 2016 World Championship, which was the first time in 22 years he missed the event.

In January 2017, John Part was honored by being added to the PDC Hall of Fame. He was the first person from outside the UK to receive this award. It recognized his achievements, his work as a commentator, and his good sportsmanship.

After losing his professional tour card, John started playing on the Championship Darts Circuit (CDC) in North America. He also joined the World Seniors Darts Tour. He played in the first World Seniors Darts Championship in 2022. He continues to play in these events, showing his love for the game.

2024

In January 2024, John Part tried to get his PDC Tour Card back, but he was not successful.

Major Tournament Finals

Here are the big finals John Part has played in:

BDO Major Finals: 1 Title

Result	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Winner	1.	1994	World Darts Championship	Bobby George	6–0 (sets)

PDC Major Finals: 3 Titles, 7 Runner-up

Result	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	2001	World Darts Championship	Taylor, PhilPhil Taylor	0–7 (sets)
Runner-up	2.	2002	World Matchplay	Phil Taylor	16–18 (legs)
Runner-up	3.	2002	World Grand Prix	Phil Taylor	3–7 (sets)
Winner	1.	2003	World Darts Championship	Phil Taylor	7–6 (sets)
Runner-up	4.	2003	Las Vegas Desert Classic	Manley, PeterPeter Manley	12–16 (legs)
Runner-up	5.	2003	World Grand Prix	Phil Taylor	2–7 (sets)
Runner-up	6.	2004	UK Open	Scholten, RolandRoland Scholten	6–11 (legs)
Runner-up	7.	2005	World Matchplay	Lloyd, ColinColin Lloyd	12–18 (legs)
Winner	2.	2006	Las Vegas Desert Classic	van Barneveld, RaymondRaymond van Barneveld	6–3 (sets)
Winner	3.	2008	World Darts Championship (2)	Shepherd, KirkKirk Shepherd	7–2 (sets)

PDC European Tour Finals: 1 Title

Result	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Winner	1.	2013	UK Masters	Kellett, StuartStuart Kellett	6–4 (legs)

World Championship Results

Here's how John Part did in the World Championships:

BDO World Championship

• 1994: Winner (beat Bobby George 6–0)
• 1995: 2nd round (lost to Paul Williams 2–3)
• 1996: 2nd round (lost to Steve Beaton 0–3)
• 1997: 2nd round (lost to Roger Carter 1–3)

PDC World Championship

World Seniors Darts Tour (WSDT)

• 2022: Second round (lost to John Walton 1–3)
• 2023: Second round (lost to Darryl Fitton 2–3)
• 2024: First round (lost to Richie Howson 0–3)

Nine-Dart Finishes

A nine-dart finish is like a perfect game in darts!

John Part televised nine-dart finishes

Date	Opponent	Tournament	How he did it	Prize
16 July 2011	Mark Webster	World Matchplay	3 x Triple 20; 3 x Triple 20; Triple 20, Triple 19, Double 12	£10,000

Career Rankings

Here's how John Part's ranking changed over the years:

Images for kids

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  John Part in 2022