Paul Lim made history at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship, becoming the oldest player to win a match at Alexandra Palace. The 71-year-old Singaporean darts legend defeated Dutch-born Swede Jeffrey de Graaf 3–1 in a thrilling opening-round encounter.
Lim’s win surpasses the previous record set by Northern Ireland’s John MaGowan, who was 67 when he beat Chris Mason in 2008, highlighting the veteran’s enduring skill and competitive spirit.
Lim’s Historic Victory
The crowd at Alexandra Palace erupted as Lim, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Singapore Slinger’, secured his landmark win. After a nervy start, he regained control, taking the first set before de Graaf equalized. Lim then edged ahead after a tense third set, before closing out the match with an average of 86.52 in the fourth set.
“A moment like this has kept me going for all these years,” Lim said.
“This tournament is the Super Bowl of darts, so I would say this is a good moment.”
Lim, who famously threw the first nine-darter in World Championship history at the BDO Lakeside event in 1990, will now face Luke Humphries in round two. The 2024 world champion defeated Ted Evetts 3–1, averaging 98.58 and hitting eight 180s.
Humphries on meeting Lim again: “He’s amazing, he’s a legend. The crowd are going to be against me, so it’s going to be a tough game.”
Lim responded: “I never give up. He is good, but he can be beaten.”
Other Notable Results
Gary Anderson Survives Scare
Two-time PDC World Champion Gary Anderson, 54, edged past Adam Hunt 3–2 in a fiercely contested first-round match. Despite trailing 2–1 in sets, Anderson produced a composed performance in the decider and will now play the winner of Connor Scutt vs Simon Whitlock.
“The first game is always the hardest, but I’m through,” Anderson said.
Dutch and German Players Progress
- David Davies stunned Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde 3–0 to set up a second-round clash with defending champion Luke Littler.
- Andrew Gilding defeated Cam Crabtree 3–1 with an impressive 97.89 average.
- Luke Woodhouse recovered from a set down to beat Boris Krcmar 3–1.
- Wessel Nijman triumphed 3–0 over Karel Sedlacek, and Gabriel Clemens beat Alex Spellman by the same scoreline.
Saturday Results Summary
Afternoon Session
- Mario Vandenbogaerde 0–3 David Davies
- Andrew Gilding 3–1 Cam Crabtree
- Luke Woodhouse (25) 3–1 Boris Krcmar
- Gary Anderson (14) 3–2 Adam Hunt
Evening Session
- Jeffrey de Graaf 1–3 Paul Lim
- Wessel Nijman (31) 3–0 Karel Sedlacek
- Luke Humphries (2) 3–1 Ted Evetts
- Gabriel Clemens 3–0 Alex Spellman
Looking Ahead
Lim will face Luke Humphries in a highly anticipated second-round match, with fans eager to see if the veteran can continue his historic run. Meanwhile, David Davies’ victory over Vandenbogaerde sets up a potential clash with defending champion Luke Littler.
The 2026 World Darts Championship continues at Alexandra Palace with more thrilling first-round matches on Sunday.
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