The UK Open, dubbed the "FA Cup of Darts," is renowned for its open draw and upsets, but it has also been a stage for some of the sport's most phenomenal scoring performances. Topping the list of highest averages ever recorded at the tournament is Phil Taylor, who posted a staggering 118.66 average in a 9-0 last-32 victory over Kevin Painter in 2010. That mark stood for nearly six years as the highest average at any televised tournament.
Taylor dominates the historical rankings, appearing multiple times with averages well above 110. In 2009, he averaged 115.62 in a 10-0 quarterfinal win over Mark Lawrence and 115.51 in a 9-3 last-32 triumph against Ken Mather. Other notable entries from Taylor include a 114.54 average against Wes Newton in the 2008 last 16, a 113.05 in the 2010 semifinal against Denis Ovens, a 111.67 against Vincent van der Voort in the 2015 last 16, and a 110.72 against Ronnie Baxter in the 2012 last 16.
The new generation has also made its mark, with Niko Springer averaging 115.92 in a 6-2 first-round win over Cor Dekker in 2025. Michael van Gerwen features twice, with a 114.91 average against Kim Huybrechts in the 2015 last 16 and a 110.81 in a 2020 quarterfinal victory over Rob Cross. Peter Wright rounds out the list with a 110.88 average in a 10-8 quarterfinal win against Raymond van Barneveld in 2017.
A striking detail about the top 11 averages is that ten were achieved from the last 32 onward, where the format increases to best of 19 or best of 21 legs. Springer's 115.92 is the only one on the list recorded over the shorter best-of-11-legs format, even though higher averages are generally easier to produce in shorter matches.
