In the high-stakes world of professional darts, achieving a 100+ tournament average is a benchmark of elite performance. Yet, a surprising look at the last nine UK Open championships reveals just how rare this feat truly is. Only three champions have managed to maintain such a stellar average throughout the “FA Cup of Darts”: Peter Wright in 2017, Michael van Gerwen in 2020, and the prodigious Luke Littler in 2025. This statistic underscores the unique challenges of the UK Open, where consistency under varied conditions is paramount, making truly dominant performances a rare gem.
The UK Open Challenge: More Than Just Averages
The UK Open, often dubbed “The FA Cup of Darts,” is renowned for its unique format. Unlike other major tournaments with seeded draws, the UK Open features an open draw from the third round onwards, pitting top professionals against emerging talents and fellow tour card holders in a random fashion. This can lead to unpredictable matchups and varying levels of opposition throughout the event.
Moreover, the format itself demands incredible stamina. Players can face multiple matches in a single day, often switching boards and opponents. Maintaining a consistent, high-level average throughout several rounds, from shorter legs in earlier stages to longer formats in the later rounds, is a monumental task. The pressure is immense, and even the smallest dip in form can be severely punished.
The Elite Club: Champions with 100+ Tournament Averages
Despite the challenges, a select few have risen above, delivering truly exceptional performances measured by their tournament averages. Over the last nine editions, only three players have etched their names into this exclusive club:
- Peter Wright (2017): “Snakebite” kicked off this era of analysis with a phenomenal 101.70 tournament average during his victorious campaign. His consistent brilliance shone through as he navigated the field to claim his maiden UK Open title.
- Michael van Gerwen (2020): “Mighty Mike,” widely considered one of the greatest, demonstrated his dominance with an astounding 104.47 average in 2020. This was the highest average recorded by a winner in this period, showcasing his peak form.
- Luke Littler (2025): The young sensation, “The Nuke,” continued his meteoric rise by clinching the 2025 title with an impressive 104.35 average. His performance solidifies his place among the darts elite, proving his ability to maintain incredible standards under pressure.
The Near Misses and Consistent Contenders
While only three champions broke the 100-average barrier, many others came remarkably close, highlighting the overall high standard of play. Here’s a look at the winners from the last nine years and their tournament averages:
- 2025: Luke Littler 🏴 – 104.35
- 2024: Dimitri Van den Bergh 🇧🇪 – 95.30
- 2023: Andrew Gilding 🏴 – 94.02
- 2022: Danny Noppert 🇳🇱 – 91.78
- 2021: James Wade 🏴 – 99.71 (Just shy of the 100 mark, a truly remarkable effort)
- 2020: Michael van Gerwen 🇳🇱 – 104.47
- 2019: Nathan Aspinall 🏴 – 93.61
- 2018: Gary Anderson 🏴 – 97.76 (Another strong performance, close to the century average)
- 2017: Peter Wright 🏴 – 101.70
Noticeable are the performances of James Wade in 2021 and Gary Anderson in 2018, both falling just short of the 100-average milestone, underscoring the fine margins at the top level of darts.
What These Numbers Tell Us
These statistics paint a clear picture: winning the UK Open is incredibly difficult, and winning it with a consistently high average is even harder. The “FA Cup” nature of the event means that sometimes, grit, tactical play, and the ability to win ugly can be as crucial as blistering averages. While a 100+ average signifies a player operating at the absolute peak of their powers throughout the tournament, the lower averages of other champions do not diminish their victories. Instead, they emphasize the mental fortitude required to navigate such a demanding competition, often overcoming challenges that aren’t always reflected in raw statistical output. It’s a testament to the depth of talent in professional darts that any player can triumph, regardless of their overall average, provided they perform when it matters most.
Source: Based on an article from News – Dartsnieuws.com.
