Phil Taylor, also known as ‘The Power’, is considered one of the greatest darts players in history. Before retiring from professional darts, he achieved one of the most remarkable career stats in the sport. His world championship record has grown to 16 titles and he has won over 200 professional tournaments. He has won the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) award four times and was twice nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in 2006 and 2010.
In the Premier League Darts final against JamesWade in 2010, Phil broke the record as the first to hit two nine-darts in one game. It goes without saying that he has rightfully earned his world No. 1 rank. From 1988 to 1993 he was very active in the BDO (British Darts Organisation). He then broke away from other professionals to form the World Darts Council (WDO), which later evolved into the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He has expanded his media presence with a few appearances on select shows like The Gadget Show, Bullseye as well as Sports Life Stories
Who is Phil Taylor?
Phil Taylor was born in Burslem, Stroke-on-TrentEngland on August 13, 1960 to Elizabeth and Douglas Taylor. Phil left school at the age of 16 to seek a livelihood. His first job was in a sheet metal factory where he earned $52 a week making ceramic handles for toilet paper. The job did not pay enough to support himself and his wife Yvonne. So he started looking for ways to supplement his income.
Although Phil enjoyed playing darts in his formative years, he didn’t see it as a livelihood until 1986 when he moved with his wife to Burslem – a terraced house very close to the pub – Crafty Cockney, owned of Eric Bristow – a professional darts player. After a while his wife presented him with a board of darts as a birthday present and he began to play as an amateur at the pub in Bristow. His skills quickly improved and with the financial backing of Eric Bristow who sponsored him with a $10,000 loan, he quit his job and began a career as a professional darts player.
Although his first professional season turned out to be a disaster, the following year he won the Canadian Open against then-World Championship holder Bob Anderson. After a few years, he qualified for his first world championship title. He was an unranked underdog with odds of 125 -1, but he defeated all of his opponents along with the odds of winning his first title. He bagged the World Masters the same year and became the best player in the World Championship again in 1992.
Talking about his personal life, Phil Taylor was married to a woman named Yvonne from the early 1980s until 2011 when their union ended in divorce. Their marriage spanned more than two decades and they have four children – Kelly, Lisa, Chris and Natalie. Phil also has a grandson by one of his children.
Net value
According to several authoritative sources, the net worth of the former darts player is estimated at $10 million. Much of his fortune is believed to stem from his successful years as a professional darts player. Who knew playing darts could be so profitable?
When and why did Phil Taylor retire?
Phil Taylor made the conscious decision to walk away from the game while still fit at the age of 57. He confirmed his retirement ahead of the 2018 World Championship. According to Phil, his age was a huge factor and he was starting to find it harder to fit into his regular hours in the practice room. He gave a second reason for his retirement, namely that he no longer felt comfortable in the limelight and wanted some peace and quiet.
What is he up to now?
The world champion is unlikely to ever return again, instead he is set to work with Sky Sports as a commentator for the darts tournaments. Phil also works as a regular contributor to Darts World magazine. He thinks his new job will give him some rest from the public because, as mentioned earlier, he is tired of having his private life watched by the press and the public.
