Mervyn King | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Full name | Mervyn King | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | The King | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Ipswich, Suffolk, England |
15 March 1966 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Home town |
Bradwell, Norfolk England |
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Darts information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing darts since | 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Darts | 22g Winmau Mervyn King | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Laterality | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Walk-on music | King of Kings by Motörhead | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Organisation (see split in darts) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BDO | 1994–2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PDC | 2007– | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current world ranking | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BDO majors - best performances | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Ch'ship | Runner-up: 2002, 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Masters | Winner: 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Darts Trophy | Runner-up 2003, 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Int. Darts League | Winner: 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Zuiderduin Masters | Winner: 2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PDC premier events - best performances | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Ch'ship | Semi-finals: 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Matchplay | Semi-finals: 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Grand Prix | Runner-up: 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Slam | Semi-finals: 2008, 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier League | Runner-up: 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ch'ship League | Runner-up: 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Desert Classic | Quarter-finals: 2008, 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
European Ch'ship | Semi-finals: 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UK Open | Semi-finals: 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
US Open/WSoD | Quarter-finals: 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Players Ch'ship Finals | Runner-up: 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Masters | Runner-up: 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other tournament wins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
European Tour Events
Players Championships
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Other achievements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nine dart finish, Coventry Players Championship 2009, South African Masters 2009, UK Open 2010 |
European Tour Events
Players Championships
Mervyn King (born 15 March 1966 in Ipswich) is a former World No. 1 English professional darts player, who plays in Professional Darts Corporation tournaments. His nickname is The King.
King first took up the game at the age of twelve, playing with an old rolled-cardboard dartboard given to him by his father. His father insisted that he played darts using competition distance and height. By the age of thirteen, he had ambitions to become a professional player as he was playing county darts at Superleague level. His first county A game was at the age of fourteen and he won his local men's singles league at that age.
Additionally, King hit his first ever 9-dart leg of 501 aged fourteen in a practice match with his father.
King made his professional debut as a 29-year-old in the 1994 World Masters where he lost in the last 32 to Andy Fordham. His first title in the BDO came in the 1996 French Open where he beat Leo Laurens in the final. King has won several Open titles since he came onto the darts scene in 1995, including the Dutch Open in 1997. He made his debut at BDO World Darts Championship in 1997 as a 30-year-old. He reached the semi final of the event beating Ronnie Baxter and Roland Scholten before losing to eventual champion Les Wallace. He won £8,700 for his performance.
King reached eight major finals whilst playing in the BDO and converted only two of them into tournament victories. It wasn't until 2004 that he claimed his first BDO major title when he won the World Masters in Bridlington, defeating Tony O'Shea 7–6 in the final having trailed 3–5. His two other major victories to date have both taken place in the Netherlands. The first of these was the 2005 International Darts League, where he defeated O'Shea again in the final, this time by 13–11 in legs. Later the same year he added the Dutch Grand Masters beating Martin Adams 5–4 in the final.