The Winmau World Masters seems to have firmly found its way back onto television with lively and enthusiastic coverage by the BBC. From it's magnificent location in Bridlington the two days of television coverage showed some excellent Darts. Improvements over the last couple of years have seen the number of sets to be won extended (thereby allowing the best quality players to progress) but it's still the most fast and furious of televised darts events with each set played over best of 3 legs. One mistake and you are quickly a set down.

Coverage started with highlights of some of the last 16 matches and what a better way to open than with Raymond van Barneveld (who had won just about everything in 2004 apart from the World Championship) against his fellow countryman, the up and coming Rick Hofstra. Barneveld seemed to be coasting as he took a 2 sets to 1 lead with only one more needed for the match. However Hofstra checked out 76 to take the first leg of set 4 and although Barneveld took the next one, Hofstra stayed steady to level the match at 2 sets apiece. In the very next leg Barneveld missed 3 darts at double 8 and Hofstra checked out with an impressive 110. The tide of the match seemed to be turning and indeed Hofstra created arguably the shock of the tournament by winning 3-2. Rick Hofstra said afterwards that in every major tournament he had always lost in the first round and that he was happy to be in the last 16. He described his win over Barneveld as "unbelievable!"

Ted Hankey looked assured in his match against Co Stompe and indeed he had two darts for the match at 2 sets to 1 up. However Stompe took the set but Hankey won the decider by 2 legs to 1. Not a brilliant performance by either player.

Tony O'Shea against John Walton squared up two of England's best against each other. Walton sporting his new shirt and nickname (he is now "The Tyke") was 2 sets to 1 down before checking out 86 to take the first leg of set 4. This was his last moment in the match as O'Shea surged and he won in style with a 111 finish. 3 sets to 1 to "Silverback".

Davy Richardson is probably best known to Dutch viewers despite his being a seasoned campaigner. He certainly threw at his best (hitting an 11 dart leg in set 3) to take out an unconvincing Tony West by 3 sets to 0.

Mervyn King felt confident going into the World Masters promising viewers a 9 dart game. King started well against Martin Atkins and if not a 9 darter he only took 13 in the first leg. It was a super performance by King and he brushed Atkins aside 3-0. King said afterwards, "I always feel as if I can win, especially this weekend. It really could happen."

Ted Hankey met the recent in-form Martin Adams next however both players were inconsistent at the start. Big finishes were in order though as Hankey took set 1 with a 101 finish and Adams set 2 with the same checkout! Hankey though found some momentum (and some more big finishes - 116 & 117) and took the match 3 sets to 1. Hankey scowled his way through the match and said afterwards that he'd been playing well all year but that perhaps sometimes he tries too hard. Also making a brief appearance during the match was Ladies World Champion Trina Gulliver employed by the BBC as a roving reporter for the tournament.

Two on-fire players up next as Tony O'Shea took on Davy Richardson with both players looking good in their last 16 games. O'Shea missed doubles to allow Richardson the first set but he was better in the next and he squared the match 1-1. Then there was no stopping O'Shea who with a flurry of 180s (6) took the match 3 sets to 1.

Tony David was just one step too far at this point for Rick Hofstra who couldn't repeat the giant killing heroics of his earlier match. The Australian former World Champion looked rock steady as he won by 3 sets to 1. David said afterwards, "I'm almost back to the form I was in when I won the World Championship and I've been working hard on my fitness."

Tony David toook an early lead against Mervyn King in this high quality game. However King came back to lead 2 sets to 1. By this point King was averaging 101.0 to Tony David's 103.0. The third let led to a roll for King who took the next 3 sets to lead 5-1 and need only one more for victory. King had 3 darts for the match but David stepped in to take the set. That was as far as it went for the Australian though as King won through to the final 6 sets to 2.

Tony O'Shea stormed off to a 3-0 lead over Ted Hankey and 'The Count' must have wondered what he was doing wrong as he was undoubtedly playing a lot better than in his previous two matches. Both players were averaging around 94.5 at this point so the scoreline didn't reflect the evenness of the game. Hankey came back taking the next two sets before O'Shea took the sixth with an impressive 144 checkout. Hankey came back again this time to tie the match at 4-4. O'Shea took the ninth with another three figure checkout (a 106) and also the deciding leg in the tenth and with it the match. 6-4 to O'Shea and a first world final appearance.

There was going to be a new World title holder. King had been in many finals only to repeatedly fall at the final hurdle. It was a first for O'Shea and no one could have argued with the finalists, clearly the best two performers over the weekend.

O'Shea took the first set with a 76 outshot and King replied by taking set two. O'Shea broke King's throw to go 2-1 ahead but King immediately broke back to make it 2-2. The game was real top drawer stuff and O'Shea again took the initiative at 3-3 with a glorious 161 checkout in the first leg of the seventh set. He took that set and the next to have a 5-3 cushion in this best of 13 set match. King won the next and then O'Shea the one after to give 'Silverback' a 6-4 lead and only one more set needed for victory. However 'The King' had other ideas and he clawed the match back to 6-6. Even stevens all the way at 1-1 in the last set and a tiebreak situation (2 clear legs needed for victory). O'Shea crucially broke King's throw with a 116 checkout to lead 2 legs to 1. King came right back to make it 2-2 and then held his throw. Against the darts Mervyn King then threw 7 perfect darts towards a 9 dart game and with it he took the World Masters title. No 9 darter then for 'The King' but his first thoroughly deserved world title.