Phil Taylor: Darts legend suffers humiliating defeat to 13-year-old schoolboy

"I feel like a kid on Christmas morning" says teenager that beat the 16-time world champion

Jack Watson
Thursday 13 June 2019 10:56 BST
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16-time world champion Phil Taylor
16-time world champion Phil Taylor (Getty Images)

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Darts legend Phil Taylor was suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat against a 13-year-old schoolboy in an exhibition match.

Taylor, who retired from competitive events in 2018 after winning 16 world titles, lost against Leighton Bennett in the SAP Darts Slam in Frankfurt.

Bennett, 13, is the reigning BDO World youth champion and previously made a name for himself by hitting a perfect nine-dart finish in the Darts Planet TV tournament in Norwich last month.

The youngster recently come close to beating Taylor in London and is happy to make up for a missed opportunity.

"I feel like a kid on Christmas morning, I never believed this was possible," said the teenager.

"I had a great match with Phil at the Tower of London a couple of months ago but he was too good.

"I was so frustrated with myself for letting that chance go. Then I drew him again here and told myself I wasn't going to let this chance slip.

"During the whole match I just kept focused, I didn't even give Phil any eye contact just so I forgot that I was playing him!

"It's a brilliant win but now I just have to forget about it very quickly. I know I leapt up in the air again after the final dart but I need to keep my feet on the ground."

Bennett eventually came unstuck in the semi-final against world number five Peter Wright, who beat Raymond van Barneveld in the final.

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