Wayne Mardle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wayne Mardle
Mardle in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Wayne William Mardle
Nickname	"Hawaii 501"
Born	(1973-05-10) 10 May 1973 (age 52) Tottenham, London, England
Home town	Romford, London, England
Darts information
Playing darts since	1986
Darts	22g Target Signature
Laterality	Right-handed
Walk-on music	"Hawaii Five-O Theme" by The Ventures
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO	1993–2002
PDC	2002–2011
BDO majors – best performances
World Ch'ship	Semi Final: 2001
World Masters	Last 16: 2001
World Darts Trophy	Last 32: 2002, 2007
Finder Masters	Quarter Final: 2000
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'ship	Semi Final: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008
World Matchplay	Runner Up: 2003
World Grand Prix	Quarter Final: 2005
Grand Slam	Group Stages: 2007, 2008, 2009
Premier League	5th: 2008
Desert Classic	Runner Up: 2004, 2005
European Ch'ship	Last 16: 2008
UK Open	Last 16: 2004
Players Ch'ship Finals	Last 16: 2009
Other tournament wins
British Teenage Open 1989 Denmark Open 2001 Dutch Open 2000 Vauxhall Autumn Open 2002 Vauxhall Autumn Pro 2002, 2003 Vauxhall Spring Open 2004, 2006 Players Championships Players Championship (Kirchheim) 2007 Players Championship (Newport) 2004 Players Championship (Atlanta 2007 UK Open Regionals/Qualifiers UK Open Regional (Midlands) 2004
Updated on 17 February 2008.

Wayne William Mardle (born May 10, 1973) is an English former professional darts player. He competed in major darts events organized by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and the British Darts Organisation (BDO). Wayne finished second in three big PDC tournaments, losing to Phil Taylor each time. He also reached the semi-finals of the World Championship five times. Today, he works as a sports expert and commentator.

Wayne is known as "Hawaii 501" since the year 2000. This nickname comes from the TV show Hawaii Five-O. He started wearing Hawaiian shirts in 1998 because of a bet. The "501" part of his nickname refers to the starting score in a game of darts. His fun shirts and lively actions on stage, like dancing, made him very popular with fans.

Wayne Mardle's Early Life and Career

Wayne Mardle was born in Tottenham, North London, England. He began playing darts when he was 11 years old. He practiced with his dad and quickly got better. Just two weeks after starting, he scored his first 180 (a perfect score with three darts).

He soon became better than his dad. Wayne won his first competition in 1986. This happened at a pub called the 'Double Top' on his thirteenth birthday.

Playing in the BDO World Championship

Wayne first played in the BDO World Championship in 2000. He lost in the first round to Matt Clark. In 2001, he did much better and reached the semi-finals. He beat players like Co Stompé and Ronnie Baxter. However, he lost to John Walton, who went on to win the tournament. In 2002, he reached the quarter-finals but lost to Colin Monk.

Wayne Mardle's PDC Career

Wayne Mardle joined the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) in 2003. His first time at the PDC World Championship was in 2003. He lost in the third round to Phil Taylor.

Mardle in 2007

Major Tournament Success

Wayne had a great start at the World Matchplay tournament in Blackpool. He beat top players like World Champion John Part, Alan Warriner, and Colin Lloyd. He reached the final, but again lost to Phil Taylor.

From 2004 to 2006, Wayne reached the semi-finals of the World Championship three times in a row. He lost to Phil Taylor in 2004 and 2006. In 2005, he lost to Mark Dudbridge. At his best, he was ranked fifth in the World Rankings. Sometimes, his darts would land in the 5 or Treble 5 sections instead of the 20 or Treble 20. This was sometimes called the "Mardle Drift."

Premier League Darts Challenges

Wayne played in the first two Premier League seasons in 2005 and 2006. These years were tough for him. He finished last in the standings both times. Players who finish last in the Premier League are sometimes said to have won the "Mardle Cup." Because of his poor performance, he was not chosen for the 2007 Premier League.

Big Win Against Phil Taylor

In the 2008 World Championship, Wayne found his best form. He caused a big surprise by beating the 13-time champion Phil Taylor. Wayne was losing 3-0 in the match but came back to win 5-4. This was the first time Phil Taylor had lost before the final in the PDC championship.

After beating Taylor, many people thought Wayne would win the tournament. His next opponent was Kirk Shepherd, a young player ranked 142nd. However, Wayne was perhaps too confident and lost the match 6-4. He later said he didn't give Shepherd the respect he deserved.

Later Career and Retirement

Wayne was given a special entry into the 2008 Premier League. He played well and finished in fifth place. He just missed out on the play-offs. He also reached the semi-finals of the 2008 World Matchplay, but lost to James Wade.

In the 2009 Premier League, Wayne struggled. He got sick with mumps and had to miss several matches. Because of this, he was removed from the tournament. His results from that year were cancelled. Wayne later said his darts form never fully recovered after being sick for six months.

His last World Championship appearance was in 2010. He lost in the first round to Jyhan Artut. Wayne's ranking continued to drop. He eventually decided to stop playing professional darts. He chose to focus on being a commentator for Sky Sports and playing in exhibition matches.

Wayne Mardle's Personal Life

In 2006, Wayne Mardle released a darts book. It was called Hawaii 501 – Life as a Darts Pro. The book shares stories about his life as a professional darts player during 2005.

Wayne is a big fan of the football team Tottenham Hotspur. He even appeared in their official club magazine in May 2009.

World Championship Results

BDO

• 2000: 1st round (lost to Matt Clark 1–3)
• 2001: Semi-finals (lost to John Walton 3–5)
• 2002: Quarter-finals (lost to Colin Monk 4–5)

PDC

• 2003: 3rd round (lost to Phil Taylor 3–5)
• 2004: Semi-finals (lost to Phil Taylor 2–6)
• 2005: Semi-finals (lost to Mark Dudbridge 4–6)
• 2006: Semi-finals (lost to Phil Taylor 5–6)
• 2007: 1st round (lost to Alan Caves 2–3)
• 2008: Semi-finals (lost to Kirk Shepherd 4–6)
• 2009: 3rd round (lost to Co Stompé 0–4)
• 2010: 1st round (lost to Jyhan Artut 0–3)

Career Finals

PDC Major Finals: 3

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	2003	World Matchplay	Phil Taylor	12–18 (l)
Runner-up	2.	2004	Las Vegas Desert Classic	Phil Taylor	4–6 (s)
Runner-up	2.	2005	Las Vegas Desert Classic	Phil Taylor	1–6 (s)

Performance Timeline