The 1997 championship was sponsored by Red Band and was the last to be called the WDC World Championship with the forthcoming Tomlin Order dictating that the WDC became the PDC as we now now it today.
One thing that didn't change was Phil Taylor qualling Eric Bristow's haul of 5 World titles, in fact the pair met in an epic semi-final which sadly was the last time we really saw the talent of the Crafty Cockney shining through on our screens after fighting the dreaded dartitis for so long.
Taylor defeated Dennis Priestley 6 sets to 3 in the final and picked up a noticably improved prize of £45,000 which had now overtaken the BDO's top prize.
Results:
Group Stage
GROUP 1
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Bob Anderson 4 4 0 2
2 Eric Bristow 4 4 0 2
3 Gary Mawson 4 4 0 2
Eric Bristow 3 V 1 Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson 3 V 1 Gary Mawson
Gary Mawson 3 V 1 Eric Bristow
GROUP 2
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Alan Warriner-Little 6 2 4 4
2 Graeme Stoddart 4 4 0 2
3 Larry Butler 2 6 -4 0
Alan Warriner-Little 3 V 1 Graeme Stoddart
Graeme Stoddart 3 V 1 Larry Butler
Alan Warriner-Little 3 V 1 Larry Butler
GROUP 3
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Keith Deller 6 2 4 4
2 Dennis Smith 5 3 2 2
3 Kevin Spiolek 0 6 -6 0
Keith Deller 3 V 2 Dennis Smith
Dennis Smith 3 V 0 Kevin Spiolek
Keith Deller 3 V 0 Kevin Spiolek
GROUP 4
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Phil Taylor 6 0 6 4
2 Gerald Verrier 3 4 -1 2
3 Chris Mason 1 6 -5 0
Phil Taylor 3 V 0 Gerald Verrier
Gerald Verrier 3 V 1 Chris Mason
Phil Taylor 3 V 0 Chris Mason
GROUP 5
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Peter Evison 6 1 5 4
2 Steve Raw 4 4 0 2
3 Cliff Lazarenko 1 6 -5 0
Peter Evison 3 V 0 Cliff Lazarenko
Steve Raw 3 V 1 Cliff Lazarenko
Peter Evison 3 V 1 Steve Raw
GROUP 6
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Jamie Harvey 6 4 2 4
2 John Lowe 5 4 1 2
3 Paul Lim 3 6 -3 0
Jamie Harvey 3 V 2 John Lowe
John Lowe 3 V 1 Paul Lim
Jamie Harvey 3 V 2 Paul Lim
GROUP 7
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Rod Harrington 5 4 1 2
2 Sean Downs 4 4 0 2
3 Shayne Burgess 4 5 -1 2
Shayne Burgess 3 V 2 Rod Harrington
Rod Harrington 3 V 1 Sean Downs
Sean Downs 3 V 1 Shayne Burgess
GROUP 8
Pos Name F A Dif Pts
1 Dennis Priestley 6 1 5 4
2 Steve Brown (US) 3 5 -2 2
3 Ritchie Gardner 3 6 -3 0
Dennis Priestley 3 V 0 Steve Brown (US)
Steve Brown (US) 3 V 2 Ritchie Gardner
Dennis Priestley 3 V 1 Ritchie Gardner
Quarter Final
Eric Bristow 5 V 3 Alan Warriner-Little
Phil Taylor 5 V 1 Keith Deller
Peter Evison 5 V 3 Jamie Harvey
Dennis Priestley 5 V 2 Rod Harrington
Semi Final
Phil Taylor 5 V 4 Eric Bristow
Dennis Priestley 5 V 4 Peter Evison
3rd Place
Peter Evison 4 V 2 Eric Bristow
Final
Phil Taylor 6 V 3 Dennis Priestley
Prize fund £98,000
Winners share £45,000
