Darts: Imperious Taylor wins Grand Slam title at a canter
The Power added the Grand Slam of Darts crown to the clean sweep of knock-out tournaments on the PDC circuit with a 16-2 walloping of Scott Waites at Wolverhampton Civic Hall that was almost completed in perfect style.
Taylor just missed out on a nine-darter in the 18th leg after his attempt at double nine landed just the wrong side of the wire.
The highlight of his darts masterclass against Waites came in the 14th leg, when he fired in a maximum 170 check out, and the demolition of the player ranked number two in the world by the BDO followed a 16-6 drubbing of Raymond van Barneveld in the last four earlier yesterday.
Typically, Taylor, the 14-time world champion, was unhappy he missed out on the nine-darter.
"I was gutted," he said. "I have to work on my doubles.
"It's all down to hard work and I will back on the practice board on Tuesday getting ready for the world championship."
Taylor, from Wychwood Park near Crewe, targets a 15th world title at Alexandra Palace next month and won't be short of confidence going into the tournament he ranks the most important in the sport.
Taylor and Waites had never met in competition before and the Yorkshireman was made aware of the task facing him in the opening four legs.
He threw two maximum 180s, averaged more than 100 – and still found himself 4-0 behind as Taylor took charge.
Taylor never loosened his grip on the match. Such was his dominance that Waites, good enough to beat Terry Jenkins in the last four, had only 10 darts at a double throughout the match.
As well as the 170 check-out, Taylor also took out 116 to win the 16th leg and just missed out on what would have been a wonderful finish in the 10th leg.
Left 132, Taylor's first two darts landed in the bullseye and, as a sell-out crowd held its breath, he sent his third missile just wide of double 16.
Waites, rumoured to be contemplating a switch to the PDC, shrugged afterwards: "Phil's the toughest opponent in the world."
Taylor had shown he was at his best in his demolition of Van Barneveld, the PDC world number two.
At 6-4, the Dutchman was still in touch with Taylor, but The Power took the next four to pull away.
Van Barneveld pegged back leg 15, but Taylor's response was to hit a maximum 180 in each of the next two legs to re-establish control.
Taylor was on course for a perfect nine-darter in the 20th leg after starting with six successive treble 20s, but his seventh missile was just off target.
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