2010 UK Open
# 2010 UK Open

The 2010 Rileys Darts Zones UK Open was the eighth year of the PDC darts tournament where, following numerous regional qualifying heats throughout Britain, players competed in a single elimination tournament to be crowned champion. The tournament was held at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, England, from 3–6 June 2010, and had the nickname, "the FA Cup of darts" as a random draw was staged after each round until the final.

It was eventually won by Phil Taylor who defeated Scotland's Gary Anderson 11–5 to make it his fourth UK Open and second consecutive championship. Earlier in the tournament, Anderson was the on the wrong side of a nine-dart finish from Mervyn King.

In the fourth round of this tournament, Phil Taylor beat Kevin Painter 9–0 with a 3–dart average of 118.66, which at the time was the all-time highest 3–dart average for a televised darts match. It was eventually beaten on 25 February 2016 in the 2016 Premier League Darts meeting in Aberdeen, when Michael van Gerwen averaged 123.40 in beating Michael Smith 7–1.

## 2010 UK Open qualifiers

There were eight qualifying events staged between February and May 2010 to determine the UK Open Order of Merit Table. The tournament winners were:

| No. | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Total Prize Money | Winner | Runner-up |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Mervyn King | 6–1 | Simon Whitlock | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| 2 | Mark Walsh | 6–2 | Phil Taylor | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| 3 | Phil Taylor | 6–0 | Jamie Caven | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| 4 | Gary Anderson | 6–5 | Wes Newton | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| 5 | Mark Walsh | 6–3 | John Part | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| 6 | Phil Taylor | 6–2 | Peter Wright | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| 7 | Colin Lloyd | 6–3 | Colin Osborne | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |
| 8 | James Wade | 6–2 | Gary Anderson | £31,200 | £6,000 | £3,000 |

## Format and qualifiers

The tournament featured 138 players. As in previous years, eight regional UK Open events were staged across the UK where players winning were collated into the UK Open Order Of Merit. The top 96 players and ties in the list, who played a minimum of three events received a place at the final stages.

### Top 32 in Order of Merit (receiving byes into third round)

* Mark Walsh
* Phil Taylor
* Gary Anderson
* James Wade
* Colin Lloyd
* Mervyn King
* Jamie Caven
* Wes Newton
* John Part
* Colin Osborne
* Andy Hamilton
* Simon Whitlock
* Vincent van der Voort
* Wayne Jones
* Mark Webster
* Peter Wright
* Jelle Klaasen
* Kevin Painter
* Co Stompé
* Adrian Lewis
* Michael van Gerwen
* Mark Dudbridge
* Alan Tabern
* Steve Maish
* Brendan Dolan
* Terry Jenkins
* Dennis Priestley
* Matt Clark
* Ronnie Baxter
* Denis Ovens
* Tony Eccles
* Nigel Heydon

The Rileys qualifiers and the players outside the top 32 of the UK Open Order of Merit began the tournament on the Thursday night. They played down to 32 players, and they were joined by the top 32 of the UK Open Order of Merit the following night, to provide the competition's last 64. A random draw was made after each subsequent round.

### Number 33-64 of the Order of Merit (receiving byes into second round)

* Andy Smith
* Paul Nicholson
* Chris Thompson
* Mark Frost
* Justin Pipe
* Mark Lawrence
* Nick Fullwell
* Colin Monk
* Steve Beaton
* Barrie Bates
* Darren Johnson
* Dennis Smith
* Adrian Gray
* Robert Thornton
* Chris Mason
* Roland Scholten
* Steve Evans
* Steve Brown
* Mark Cox
* Michael Barnard
* Wayne Mardle
* Mick McGowan
* Kirk Shepherd
* Arron Monk
* Michael Smith
* Kevin McDine
* Stephen Hardy
* Peter Manley
* Wayne Atwood
* Tony Ayres
* Alex Roy
* Stuart Dutton

### Remaining Order of Merit qualifiers (starting in first and preliminary round)

* Steve Farmer
* Gary Mawson
* Kevin Dowling
* Steve Hine
* Peter Hudson
* Dave Smith
* Simon Cunningham
* John Quantock
* Jyhan Artut
* Joe Cullen
* Mark Stephenson
* Matt Padgett
* Dave Honey
* Gary Eastwood
* Darren Webster
* Louis Blundell
* Dylan Duo
* Jason Clark
* William O'Connor
* Scott Rand
* Par Riihonen
* Sam Allen
* Anton Liscsey
* Danny Pinhorne
* Paul Rowley
* Martyn Turner
* Darren Latham
* Robbie Newland
* Richie Burnett
* Matt Draper
* Chris Loudon
* Andy Hutchings

32 players qualified from Rileys qualifiers held in Rileys Dart Zones across Britain.

* Melvyn Johnston
* Paul Gibbs
* Tony Broughton
* Dean Edlin
* Michael Hammond
* Darren Sullivan
* Ricky Evans
* Alex Harrison
* David Martin
* John Bowles
* Noel Grant
* Henry Murphy
* Paul Neate
* John Robertson
* Ryan Murray
* John Lakeman
* Barrie Knight
* Mark Wilson
* Reece Robinson
* Bradley Williams
* Jamie Green
* Ashley Whisker
* Paul Warwick
* Paul Whitworth
* Stuart Monaghan
* Barrie Webb
* Joe Palmer
* Pete Fisher
* Simon Jones
* Dean Stewart
* Nicky Bache
* Dean Harris

10 players qualified as BDO representatives from Avon, Bedfordshire, East Stirlingshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Lothian, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Warwickshire. These counties were rewarded one spot each in the UK Open for voting in favour of listening to Barry Hearn's proposed takeover of the BDO.

* Mike Nott
* Kevin Lowe
* Andy Murray
* Henry O'Neill
* Tony Hutchinson
* Hugh Ringland
* Ian Gleeson
* Jay Foreman
* Mark Harris
* Prakash Jiwa

## Prize money

For the second consecutive UK Open, the prize fund was £200,000.

| Stage (no. of players) | Stage (no. of players) | Prize money (Total: £200,000) |
| - | - | - |
| Winner | (1) | £40,000 |
| Runner-Up | (1) | £20,000 |
| Semi-finalists | (2) | £10,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | (4) | £6,000 |
| Last 16 (fifth round) | (8) | £4,000 |
| Last 32 (fourth round) | (16) | £2,000 |
| Last 64 (third round) | (32) | £1,000 |
| Last 96 (second round) | (32) | n/a |
| Last 128 (first round) | (32) | n/a |
| Last 138 (preliminary round) | (10) | n/a |

## Draw

The draw for the preliminary, first and second rounds was made on 13 May.

### Thursday 3 June; Best of 11 legs

**Preliminary round**

| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| - | - | - |
| Andy Hutchings | 3–6 | Darren Webster |
| Kevin Lowe | 2–6 | Jason Clark |
| Kevin Dowling | 1–6 | Jyhan Artut |
| Dean Stewart | 2–6 | Dylan Duo |
| Prakash Jiwa | 6–4 | John Lakeman |
| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| Andy Murray | 1–6 | Scott Rand |
| Par Riihonen | 5–6 | Steve Farmer |
| Reece Robinson | 6–0 | Hugh Ringland |
| Ashley Whisker | 2–6 | Gary Mawson |
| Peter Hudson | 6–1 | Paul Neate |

**Round 1**

| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| - | - | - |
| Darren Sullivan | † | Tony Hutchinson |
| Ryan Murray | 4–6 | Jason Clark |
| Alex Harrison | 1–6 | Jamie Green |
| Simon Cunningham | 6–4 | Prakash Jiwa |
| Matt Draper | 2–6 | Mark Harris |
| Tony Broughton | 6–3 | Mark Stephenson |
| Jyhan Artut | 3–6 | Scott Rand |
| Robbie Newland | 6–5 | John Robertson |
| Sam Allen | 3–6 | Melvyn Johnston |
| Stuart Monaghan | 0–6 | William O'Connor |
| Mark Wilson | 3–6 | Paul Gibbs |
| Gary Eastwood | 6–5 | David Martin |
| Noel Grant | 4–6 | Ricky Evans |
| John Quantock | 3–6 | Matt Padgett |
| Louis Blundell | 6–5 | Richie Burnett |
| Michael Hammond | 2–6 | Henry O'Neill |
| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| Steve Farmer | ‡ | Dean Edlin |
| Paul Rowley | 3–6 | Anton Liscsey |
| Pete Fisher | 6–2 | Barrie Webb |
| Simon Jones | 4–6 | John Bowles |
| Nicky Bache | 4–6 | Martyn Turner |
| Gary Mawson | 4–6 | Dylan Duo |
| Bradley Williams | 1–6 | Joe Palmer |
| Danny Pinhorne | 4–6 | Reece Robinson |
| Dave Honey | 2–6 | Mike Nott |
| Henry Murphy | 3–6 | Paul Warwick |
| Darren Latham | 1–6 | Joe Cullen |
| Dean Harris | 1–6 | Darren Webster |
| Peter Hudson | 3–6 | Dave Smith |
| Chris Loudon | 5–6 | Paul Whitworth |
| Steve Hine | 6–5 | Ian Gleeson |
| Jay Foreman | 6–1 | Barrie Knight |

* ‡ Steve Farmer received a bye as Dean Edlin was disqualified because he did not register
* † Tony Hutchinson received a bye as Darren Sullivan was disqualified because he did not register

**Round 2**

| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| - | - | - |
| William O'Connor | 6–3 | Mark Frost |
| Justin Pipe | 4–6 | Chris Thompson |
| Colin Monk | 6–4 | Darren Johnson |
| Wayne Atwood | 6–4 | Steve Brown |
| Stuart Dutton | 5–6 | Simon Cunningham |
| Tony Hutchinson | 1–6 | Steve Evans |
| Anton Liscsey | 5–6 | Barrie Bates |
| Tony Broughton | 6–4 | Scott Rand |
| Mike Nott | 3–6 | Joe Cullen |
| Paul Warwick | 6–3 | Steve Farmer |
| Jason Clark | 5–6 | Matt Padgett |
| Mark Harris | 6–4 | Martyn Turner |
| Kirk Shepherd | 6–4 | Adrian Gray |
| Darren Webster | 5–6 | Andy Smith |
| Ricky Evans | 2–6 | Steve Beaton |
| Robert Thornton | 6–2 | Paul Gibbs |
| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| John Bowles | 3–6 | Michael Barnard |
| Mark Cox | 6–5 | Henry O'Neill |
| Dave Smith | 4–6 | Paul Nicholson |
| Joe Palmer | 3–6 | Roland Scholten |
| Gary Eastwood | 4–6 | Dylan Duo |
| Stephen Hardy | 6–4 | Jay Foreman |
| Alex Roy | 6–3 | Mark Lawrence |
| Wayne Mardle | 6–3 | Mick McGowan |
| Kevin McDine | 6–2 | Jamie Green |
| Michael Smith | 6–3 | Peter Manley |
| Nick Fullwell | 3–6 | Arron Monk |
| Tony Ayres | 6–4 | Paul Whitworth |
| Steve Hine | 6–1 | Melvyn Johnston |
| Louis Blundell | 1–6 | Reece Robinson |
| Pete Fisher | *6 – 0 | Chris Mason |
| Robbie Newland | 1–6 | Dennis Smith |

* * Chris Mason withdrew for personal reasons.

### Friday 4 June; best of 17 legs

**Round 3**

| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| - | - | - |
| Steve Maish | 9–8 | Dennis Priestley |
| Dylan Duo | 3–9 | Colin Osborne |
| Mark Webster | 6–9 | Tony Eccles |
| Stephen Hardy | 8–9 | Alan Tabern |
| John Part | 6–9 | Mark Walsh |
| Mark Dudbridge | 7–9 | Nigel Heydon |
| Denis Ovens | 9–5 | Arron Monk |
| Reece Robinson | 5–9 | Simon Whitlock |
| Robert Thornton | 9–8 | Mark Cox |
| Mervyn King | 9–5 | Joe Cullen |
| Peter Wright | 7–9 | William O'Connor |
| Paul Warwick | 9–3 | Co Stompé |
| Tony Ayres | 9–3 | Pete Fisher |
| Dennis Smith | 9–5 | Colin Monk |
| Andy Smith | 9–5 | Colin Lloyd |
| Barrie Bates | 8–9 | Alex Roy |
| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| Kevin Painter | 9–5 | Mark Harris |
| Roland Scholten | 9–3 | Simon Cunningham |
| Steve Hine | 7–9 | James Wade |
| Andy Hamilton | 9–1 | Brendan Dolan |
| Matt Clark | 3–9 | Michael Smith |
| Tony Broughton | 0–9 | Kevin McDine |
| Steve Beaton | 3–9 | Jamie Caven |
| Wayne Mardle | 2–9 | Phil Taylor |
| Adrian Lewis | 9–3 | Michael Barnard |
| Wes Newton | 9–1 | Terry Jenkins |
| Kirk Shepherd | 6–9 | Paul Nicholson |
| Michael van Gerwen | 4–9 | Gary Anderson |
| Steve Evans | 6–9 | Jelle Klaasen |
| Ronnie Baxter | 9–4 | Chris Thompson |
| Vincent van der Voort | 7–9 | Wayne Atwood |
| Wayne Jones | 9–2 | Matt Padgett |

### Saturday 5 June; best of 17 legs

**Round 4**

| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| - | - | - |
| Denis Ovens | 9–7 | Dennis Smith |
| Roland Scholten | 5–9 | Alan Tabern |
| Alex Roy | 6–9 | Andy Hamilton |
| Wayne Jones | 9–6 | Jelle Klaasen |
| Andy Smith | 9–5 | Jamie Caven |
| William O'Connor | 3–9 | James Wade |
| Mark Walsh | 7–9 | Tony Ayres |
| Adrian Lewis | 9–5 | Colin Osborne |
| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| Kevin Painter | 0–9 | Phil Taylor 118.66 |
| Ronnie Baxter | 9–4 | Tony Eccles |
| Simon Whitlock | 9–4 | Robert Thornton |
| Michael Smith | 6–9 | Mervyn King |
| Gary Anderson | 9–7 | Paul Nicholson |
| Steve Maish | 1–9 | Wes Newton |
| Kevin McDine | 9–8 | Paul Warwick |
| Wayne Atwood | 6–9 | Nigel Heydon |

**Round 5**

| Player #1 | Score | Player #2 |
| - | - | - |
| Phil Taylor | 9–6 | Simon Whitlock |
| Ronnie Baxter | 7–9 | Andy Hamilton |
| Kevin McDine | 2–9 | James Wade |
| Gary Anderson | 9–8 | Mervyn King |
| Andy Smith | 1–9 | Denis Ovens |
| Alan Tabern | 5–9 | Tony Ayres |
| Nigel Heydon | 5–9 | Wes Newton |
| Adrian Lewis | 9–4 | Wayne Jones |

### Sunday 6 June

**Last 8 to final**

| Quarter-finals Best of 19 legs | Quarter-finals Best of 19 legs | Semi-finals Best of 19 legs | Semi-finals Best of 19 legs | Final Best of 21 legs | Final Best of 21 legs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| James Wade | 9 | | |
| Tony Ayres | 10 | | |
| Tony Ayres | 10 | Tony Ayres | 3 |
| | | Gary Anderson | 10 |
| Gary Anderson | 10 | Gary Anderson | 10 |
| Andy Hamilton | 6 | | | | |
| Andy Hamilton | 6 | | | Gary Anderson | 5 |
| | | | | Phil Taylor | 11 |
| Wes Newton | 3 | | | Phil Taylor | 11 |
| Denis Ovens | 10 | | | | |
| Denis Ovens | 10 | Denis Ovens | 5 | | |
| | | Phil Taylor | 10 |
| Phil Taylor | 10 | Phil Taylor | 10 |
| Adrian Lewis | 2 | | |

## Nine dart finish

Mervyn King hit a nine dart finish in his fourth round match against Gary Anderson, however he lost the match 9-8.

## World record

Phil Taylor hit the highest televised average in history in his 9-0 victory over Kevin Painter, finishing the match with a three-dart average of 118.66.

