Paul Lim has built a career out of defying expectations, and at 71 he is still rewriting darts history. His opening-round victory over Sweden’s Jeffrey de Graaf made him the oldest player ever to win a match at the PDC World Championship, adding another landmark moment to an already remarkable journey.
That latest achievement comes nearly 36 years after Lim first entered the record books by becoming the first player to land a nine-dart finish at a World Championship. The Singaporean now faces a daunting second-round clash with world number two and reigning 2024 champion Luke Humphries on Monday.
Passion behind the longevity
Lim insists he never doubted he would still be competing at this age. He told BBC Sport that his love for darts has always driven him to keep playing, practising and committing fully to the game. According to Lim, darts does not demand peak physical strength, only good health, which allows players to enjoy far longer careers than in many other sports.
He first appeared at a World Championship in 1982 and qualified for his first PDC Worlds since 2022 via the Asian Tour. After narrowly missing qualification last year, he was invited to the WDF World Championship in December 2024. At 70, and back at the Lakeside venue where he hit his famous nine-darter in 1990, Lim finished runner-up.
Reflecting on how his mindset has changed, Lim said that early in his career he felt intense pressure, but now he simply wants to perform well. Winning or losing no longer defines him; what matters is competing, proving to himself and others that he still loves the sport.
The moment that changed everything
Lim will always be most closely associated with his perfect nine-dart leg against Jack McKenna at the 1990 BDO World Championship. That achievement earned him £52,000 more prize money than that year’s champion, Phil Taylor.
Lim said the financial reward never crossed his mind at the time, believing that thinking about it might have disrupted his rhythm. The prize money later helped him start his own business, and when asked what he would do with the £1m top prize at this year’s Worlds, Lim said his priority would be supporting his children and granddaughters, adding that he has little personal need for such a sum now.
Growth of darts in Asia
Lim believes darts has grown dramatically across Asia over the past decade. He recalled a time when few people in places like Hong Kong knew about the sport, whereas now countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Japan regularly produce top-level players. He is confident that within the next 10 years, Asia will produce a male PDC world champion, arguing that once the player base grows large enough, elite talent is inevitable.
Respect for Humphries
Lim previously beat Humphries 3–2 at the 2021 World Championship, though he admits a repeat result is unlikely given the Englishman’s rise to the top of the sport. Humphries has credited that defeat with helping transform both his career and his life, leading to major success, including the 2024 world title.
Lim described Humphries as humble and said it was an honour to hear such praise from a champion. He noted that both wins and losses can ignite change, adding that while his victory did not directly make Humphries a world champion, it may have helped spark his evolution. “He was good then,” Lim said, “now he is great.”
Legacy and future
Asked how long he plans to keep playing, Lim said he will stop only when the excitement fades. As long as tournaments still energise him, he has no intention of quitting.
When the time finally comes, Lim hopes to be remembered not just for records, but for his love of darts and his commitment to sharing that passion with others. He said he wants his legacy to be that of a player who truly enjoyed the game and inspired younger generations to do the same.
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