PDC order of merit - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The PDC Order of Merit is a world ranking system used by one of the darts organisations, the Professional Darts Corporation

Professional Darts Corporation

The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...

(PDC). Following the 2007 PDC World Darts Championship

2007 PDC World Darts Championship

The 2007 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship was the 14th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. The tournament began on Monday 18 December 2006 and the final was played on Monday 1 January 2007...

it superseded a world ranking system based on points being awarded for performances in ranking tournaments.

Previous world ranking system

Under the previous ranking points system, Colin Lloyd

Colin Lloyd

Colin Lloyd , nicknamed Jaws, is an English professional darts player on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit. He is a former world number one ranked player and he has won two major television titles in the PDC - the 2004 World Grand Prix and 2005 World Matchplay...

was the world number one player in the PDC for most of 2005 and 2006, despite most of the major titles being shared between Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld

Raymond van Barneveld

Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...

and John Part

John Part

John Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion...

. Although Lloyd also won two major titles, he often accumulated ranking points in the less prestigious non-televised events, in which Taylor did not always compete.

How it works

The Order of Merit is similar to that employed in golf's European Tour

PGA European Tour

The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...

. Prize money won during the previous two seasons is calculated and the rankings are determined from this money list.

Player exemptions

The PDC rankings determine exemptions from the qualifying competitions from each major event.
The top 32 in early December get an automatic entry to the first round of the World Championship

PDC World Darts Championship

The PDC World Darts Championship is a world championship competition for the sport of darts, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation . It was introduced following a dispute in 1994 with the British Darts Organisation, which has run its own world championship since 1978...

as a seeded player.
The top 16 in early July get an automatic entry to the first round of the World Matchplay as a seeded player.
The top 16 in early July get an automatic entry to the first round of the European Championship

European Championship (darts)

The European Championship is a PDC darts tournament which allows the top European players to compete with the highest ranked players from the PDC Order of Merit. The tournament takes place in late July to early August and features a field of 32...

.
The top 16 in late September get an automatic entry to the first round of the World Grand Prix.
The top 4 after the World Championship get an automatic entry to the Premier League

Premier League Darts

The 888.com Premier League Darts is a darts tournament which launched on January 20, 2005 on Sky Sports, and is currently the world's largest indoor sports event. The league is now played weekly from February to May, having originally started as a fortnightly fixture...

Televised Ranking Tournaments

There is often a lot of confusion with televised tournaments and knowing which ones count towards the PDC Order of Merit. While a lot of televised tournaments are ranked, some are not, usually due to the tournament in question having restricted places e.g. Premier League.

Ranked Tournaments UK Open World Matchplay European Championship

European Championship (darts)

† World Grand Prix World Championship

PDC World Darts Championship

Players Championship Finals

The Players Championship Finals is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation...

Un-ranked Tournaments Premier League Darts

Premier League Darts

Championship League Darts

Championship League Darts is a PDC darts tournament that uses a league and legs format similar to the Premier League but offers the top players outside of the top 8 in the PDC Order of Merit a chance to compete for the championship...

Grand Slam of Darts

The Grand Slam of Darts is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation and is known as the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts for sponsorship purposes. The PDC also invites the best performing players from its rival the British Darts Organisation...

Note: Flags are of the nation in which the event is held.

† The European Championship

European Championship (darts)

is held in different countries every year.

Current Order of Merit

As of November 28, 2011 after Players Championship events in Wigan.

Ranking	Player	Prize Money	Ranking	Player	Prize Money
1	Phil Taylor	£864,100	17	Andy Hamilton Andy Hamilton (darts player) Andy Hamilton is a full time professional English darts player widely known for his "aggressive" style of play. He is nicknamed The Hammer and is currently ranked 12th on the PDC Order of Merit....	£133,900
2	Adrian Lewis Adrian Lewis Adrian Lewis is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation who is the reigning PDC World Darts Champion...	£393,800	18	Jamie Caven Jamie Caven Jamie Robert Caven is an English darts player. He uses the nickname Jabba for his matches and is sponsored by Unicorn....	£120,600
3	James Wade James Wade James Wade is an English professional darts player, currently playing in the Professional Darts Corporation . He became the youngest player ever to win a major PDC title at the World Matchplay in July 2007...	£351,700	19	Denis Ovens Denis Ovens Denis Ovens is an English darts player currently ranked number 29 in the PDC Order of Merit. He is nicknamed The Heat and is now based in Stevenage. Ovens is widely regarded as one of the most consistent players in the circuit, though he has as yet failed to convert his form from the circuit to...	£118,100
4	Gary Anderson Gary Anderson (darts player) Gary Anderson is a Scottish professional darts player from Eyemouth, Scottish Borders, currently playing in the Professional Darts Corporation, and a former BDO and WDF world number one. His nickname is The Flying Scotsman...	£311,300	20	Andy Smith Andy Smith (darts player) Andrew Smith is a darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events. He uses the nickname Pieman for his matches...	£116,700
5	Simon Whitlock Simon Whitlock Simon Whitlock is an Australian professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation tournaments, although he did have a spell playing in the rival organisation, the British Darts Organisation. He uses the nickname The Wizard for his matches...	£283,700	21	Colin Osborne Colin Osborne Colin Osborne is an English darts player currently playing in Professional Darts Corporation events.-Darts career:Osborne has won two PDC Pro Tour events and he also managed to hit two perfect nine dart finishes in 2005...	£114,700
6	Mark Webster Mark Webster (darts player) Mark Webster is a left-handed Welsh darts player who lives in Denbigh. Known as Webby, he plays in Professional Darts Corporation events, having previously won the 2008 BDO World Championship. Mark became a full time professional in 2009, having previously been a fully qualified Gas registered...	£213,400	22	Kevin Painter Kevin Painter Kevin Painter is an English professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation tournaments, where he is known as "The Artist"...	£107,700
7	Wes Newton Wes Newton Wesley "Wes" Newton is an English darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation tournaments.-Darts career:...	£210,400	23	Co Stompé Co Stompé Jacobus Wilhelm "Co" Stompé , is a Dutch professional darts player who currently plays in the Professional Darts Corporation. Stompé is nicknamed The Matchstick because of his almost bald head and very thin appearance making him look like a matchstick...	£100,000
8	Raymond van Barneveld Raymond van Barneveld Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...	£196,300	24	Alan Tabern Alan Tabern Alan Tabern is an English darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation, where he is also known as "The Saint" and "Tabby"...	£96,300
9	Paul Nicholson Paul Nicholson (darts player) Paul Nicholson is a British born darts player, who holds Australian nationality. He aims to project the image of the 'bad boy of darts'- 2008-2009 :...	£172,850	25	Brendan Dolan Brendan Dolan Brendan Dolan is a Irish darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation events.After two early exits in the 2003 and 2004 UK Open, his first major run came in the 2004 World Grand Prix where he qualified through the All Ireland qualifiers, winning one of four places...	£90,200
10	Terry Jenkins Terry Jenkins Terry Jenkins is an English professional darts player who is nicknamed The Bull, having previously used the nickname "Tucker" for his matches...	£154,200	26 2	Justin Pipe Justin Pipe Justin Pipe is an English darts player currently playing in Professional Darts Corporation events.Pipe first emerged at the 2008 UK Open as a pub qualifier. He defeated Geoff Wylie and Lionel Sams before losing 3-9 to James Wade in the third round...	£84,500
11 1	Mark Walsh	£146,500	27 1	John Part John Part John Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion...	£83,800
12 1	Mervyn King	£146,000	28 1	Steve Beaton Steve Beaton Steve Beaton is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation...	£82,800
13	Colin Lloyd Colin Lloyd Colin Lloyd , nicknamed Jaws, is an English professional darts player on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit. He is a former world number one ranked player and he has won two major television titles in the PDC - the 2004 World Grand Prix and 2005 World Matchplay...	£143,300	29 2	Steve Brown	£81,300
14	Ronnie Baxter Ronnie Baxter Ronnie Baxter is an English darts player. He uses the nickname The Rocket for his matches. Baxter is known for his fast, robotic throwing action...	£143,100	30 1	Peter Wright Peter Wright (darts player) Peter Wright is a Scottish darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation tournaments. He currently resides in Lowestoft and uses the nickname Snakebite for his matches. He represents Scotland due to Scottish grandparentage.He is known for having a mo-hawk hairstyle which changes colour...	£79,900
15	Wayne Jones Wayne Jones (darts player) Wayne Alan Jones is an English darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation tournaments. He uses the nickname The Wanderer for his matches....	£142,600	31 1	Robert Thornton Robert Thornton (darts player) Robert Thornton is a Scottish darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events after his switch from the BDO in May 2008. He won the prestigious Winmau World Masters in November 2007.-BDO career:...	£78,400
16	Vincent van der Voort Vincent van der Voort Vincent van der Voort is a professional darts player.-Playing style:Vincent is well known for his spasmodic style and machine-gun speed of play which has gained him a reputation in both the BDO and the PDC for being one of the more erratic throwers in the darting world...	£140,700	32	Mark Dudbridge Mark Dudbridge Mark Daniel Dudbridge is an English professional darts player.-Darts career:He started playing in his very early teens, citing Dennis Priestley as one of his heroes...	£72,500

Previous World Number Ones (PDC)

The following is a list of players who have held the PDC World Number One ranking.

Jan 1993 to Nov 1994

Alan Warriner

Alan Warriner-Little

Alan Warriner-Little is an English professional darts player. He currently lives in Crosby, Cumbria and plays with the nickname The Iceman...

Nov 1994 to Apr 1995

Dennis Priestley

Dennis Priestley is an English professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively...

Apr 1995 to Aug 1996

Rod Harrington

Rod Harrington is a former English darts player. He used the nickname The Prince of Style for his matches, often wearing a suit and waistcoast for his games...

Aug 1996 to Sep 1996

Phil Taylor

Feb 1997 to Aug 1998

Alan Warriner

Aug 1998 to Aug 2000

Rod Harrington

Aug 2000 to Sep 2000

Phil Taylor

Sep 2000 to Oct 2001

Peter Manley

Peter David Manley is an English professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation. He is nicknamed One Dart as he is known for hitting doubles with his first dart...

Oct 2001 to Jan 2002

Alan Warriner

Jan 2002 to Feb 2002

Alan Warriner/Phil Taylor(joint)

Feb 2002 to May 2002

Alan Warriner

May 2002 to Jan 2003

Phil Taylor

Jan 2003 to Jul 2003

John Part

John Part is a Canadian professional darts player, who is nicknamed Darth Maple.Part is one of only five players in darts history to be a three time World Champion...

Jul 2003 to Feb 2005

Phil Taylor

Feb 2005 to Mar 2006

Colin Lloyd

Mar 2006 to May 2006

Phil Taylor

May 2006 to Jan 2007

Colin Lloyd

Jan 2007 to Jan 2008

Phil Taylor

Jan 2008 to Jun 2008

Raymond Van Barneveld

Raymond van Barneveld

Jun 2008 to present

Phil Taylor

First WDC/PDC rankings

Following the World Darts Council

Professional Darts Corporation

(now PDC) split from the British Darts Organisation

British Darts Organisation

The British Darts Organisation, or the BDO for short, is a darts organisation founded on 7 January 1973 by Olly Croft, OBE. The BDO is a founder member of the World Darts Federation which was formed in 1976....

during 1992-94 the WDC drew up its first ranking list in the run-up to its inaugural 1994 World Championship

1994 PDC World Darts Championship

The 1994 Skol World Darts Championships was held following 18 months of controversy within the sport of darts. After the 1993 Embassy World Championships, several players decided it was time to part company with the British Darts Organisation and form their own organisation. The new organisation...

. Mike Gregory and Chris Johns

Chris Johns (darts player)

Chris Johns is a former Welsh darts player. He played county darts for Glamorgan and played in the BDO World Darts Championship on five occasions, but will be best remembered as a controversial figure in an acrimonious split in the game between 1992 and 1994....

later went back to the BDO set up and Bobby George

Bobby George

Robert Francis George is an English darts player and presenter. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King of Darts" makes his way to the stage bedecked in jewellery, wearing a crown and cloak and holding a candelabra...

and many of the non-UK players never competed in the early days of the WDC.

Ranking	Player	Ranking	Player
1	Alan Warriner Alan Warriner-Little Alan Warriner-Little is an English professional darts player. He currently lives in Crosby, Cumbria and plays with the nickname The Iceman...	16	Jann Hoffmann Jann Hoffmann Jann Hoffmann is a Danish darts player who competed in the British Darts Organisation.He played at the BDO World Darts Championship four times. In 1990, he caused a major shock, beating former world champion Bob Anderson in the first round. He eventually lost to Cliff Lazarenko in the second round...
2	Rod Harrington Rod Harrington Rod Harrington is a former English darts player. He used the nickname The Prince of Style for his matches, often wearing a suit and waistcoast for his games...	=	Chris Johns Chris Johns (darts player) Chris Johns is a former Welsh darts player. He played county darts for Glamorgan and played in the BDO World Darts Championship on five occasions, but will be best remembered as a controversial figure in an acrimonious split in the game between 1992 and 1994....
3	Phil Taylor	=	Roland Scholten Roland Scholten Roland Scholten is a Dutch professional darts player who plays for the Professional Darts Corporation and formerly for the British Darts Organisation. He is nicknamed Tripod or The Flying Dutchman and uses Hey Ya by Outkast as his walk-on. He is currently ranked 45th in the PDC...
4	John Lowe John Lowe John Lowe is an English darts player who was one of the best-known men in darts during the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in the United Kingdom. Lowe is one of only five players to have won the World Championship 3 times.-Biography:Lowe won the World Championship title in three different decades -...	19	Raymond van Barneveld Raymond van Barneveld Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
5	Mike Gregory	=	Keith Deller Keith Deller Keith Deller is an English darts player, who won the Embassy World Professional Darts Championship in 1983. He was the first qualifier ever to win the championship and remains one of the youngest champions in history...
6	Peter Evison Peter Evison Peter Evison is a darts player who has enjoyed a long career in the game. His greatest achievements were to win the 1989 Winmau World Masters and the 1996 World Matchplay. He has also come close to winning the World Championship on a number of occasions.Before appearing in a major tournament...	21	Bobby George Bobby George Robert Francis George is an English darts player and presenter. He is widely recognised as one of the game's biggest personalities, known for his flamboyant entrances in which the "King of Darts" makes his way to the stage bedecked in jewellery, wearing a crown and cloak and holding a candelabra...
7	Kevin Spiolek Kevin Spiolek Kevin Spiolek is an English darts player who played during the 1980s and 1990s. He made a brief return to form in 2006 when qualifying to play in the PDC World Darts Championship....	22	Per Skau Per Skau Per Skau is a Danish darts player, known for his slow, deliberate throwing action.At the 1992 BDO World Darts Championship he defeated Dave Whitcombe in the first round 3–1 only to be knocked out by eventual champion Phil Taylor 3–1 in the second. He repeated this performance in 1996, beating Eric...
=	Dennis Priestley Dennis Priestley Dennis Priestley is an English professional darts player. He has won two world championships, and was the first player to win both the BDO and WDC world championships, in 1991 and 1994 respectively...	23	Bernd Hebecker
9	Bob Anderson Bob Anderson (darts player) Robert Charles "Bob" Anderson is a former world darts champion. He was ranked as world number one for over three years in the late 1980s. Nicknamed The Limestone Cowboy, he lives in Clevedon in Somerset.-Before Darts:Anderson threw his first darts maximum at the age of just five...	=	Andree Welge Andree Welge Andree Welge is a German darts player.He made his World Championship debut in the 2002 BDO World Darts Championship where he lost in the first round 3-2 to Eric Clarys. Welge made his PDC debut in the 2006 PDC World Darts Championship, where he was defeated 3-0 by Alan Warriner-Little in the first...
10	Jocky Wilson Jocky Wilson John Thomas Wilson known as "Jocky" Wilson, is a former Scottish darts champion. He retired from the game in 1995.Wilson was twice World professional Darts Champion in 1982 and 1989...	=	Pascal Rabau
11	Jamie Harvey Jamie Harvey Jamie Harvey is a Scottish darts player who plays in the British Darts Organization . He currently resides in Barrhead. Harvey uses the nickname Bravedart for his matches - a play on the lead character from the film Braveheart...	26	Leo Laurens Leo Laurens Leo Laurens is a retired Belgian darts player who competed in British Darts Organisation events. By the end of 1993, Laurens became number one in the WDF world rankings after all of the BDO's top players broke away to form the World Darts Council...
12	Eric Bristow Eric Bristow Eric Bristow MBE is a British darts player, whose skill at the game in the 1980s helped turn it into a worldwide spectator sport.- Early career :...	=	Bert Vlaardingerbroek Bert Vlaardingerbroek Bert Vlaardingerbroek is a Dutch darts player who competed in British Darts Organisation and World Darts Federation events....
13	Cliff Lazarenko Cliff Lazarenko Cliff Lazarenko is an English professional darts player who competed for the British Darts Organisation and the Professional Darts Corporation...	=	Tom Kirby Tom Kirby (darts player) Tom Kirby was an Irish darts player.Kirby was the first Irishman man to join the Professional Darts Corporation and entered its inaugural World Championship in 1994, where he won Group 7 by leg difference to reach the quarter finals, losing to eventual winner Dennis Priestley...
14	Magnus Caris Magnus Caris Magnus Caris is a Swedish darts player.Caris made seven BDO World Darts Championship appearances, his first coming in 1988, losing in the first round to Rick Ney of the United States...	=	Wayne Weening Wayne Weening Wayne Dirk Weening is an Australian darts player.Weening made seven BDO World Darts Championship appearances with his best performance coming in 1993, reaching the quarter-finals by beating Rod Harrington and Albert Anstey before losing to Alan Warriner...
=	Steve Beaton Steve Beaton Steve Beaton is an English professional darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation...	=	Mauro Levy

External links

Official PDC Order of Merit

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