1997 BDO World Darts Championship

The 1997 Embassy World Professional Darts Championship was held from 4–12 January 1997 at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey. It was won by Les Wallace, who became the second Scotsman to become World Darts Champion after Jocky Wilson won it twice in 1982 and 1989. Wallace defeated Wales' Marshall James 6–3 in the final. Wallace also became the first left-handed player to win either version of the World Darts Championship. It was also the second time in four years that two unseeded players had reached the Embassy final, and remains the most recent occasion that this has occurred.

Embassy World Darts Championship
Tournament information
Dates	4–12 January 1997
Venue	Lakeside Country Club
Location	Frimley Green, Surrey
Country	England, United Kingdom
Organisation(s)	BDO
Format	Sets Final – best of 11
Prize fund	£158,000
Winner's share	£38,000
High checkout	170 Les Wallace
Champion(s)
Les Wallace
«1996 1998»

Seeds

1. Martin Adams
2. Roland Scholten
3. Raymond van Barneveld
4. Richie Burnett
5. Steve Beaton
6. Colin Monk
7. Ronnie Baxter
8. Andy Fordham

Prize money

The prize money was £152,400.

Champion: £38,000

Runner-Up: £19,000

Semi-Finalists (2): £8,700

Quarter-Finalists (4): £4,400

Last 16 (8): £3,350

Last 32 (16): £2,100

There was also a 9 Dart Checkout prize of £52,000, along with a High Checkout prize of £1,600.

The Results

	First Round (best of 5 sets)					Second Round (best of 5 sets)					Quarter-Finals (best of 7 sets)					Semi-Finals (best of 9 sets)					Final (best of 11 sets)
	1	Martin Adams (97.05)	1
		Roger Carter (94.50)	3
							Roger Carter (85.62)	3
							John Part (86.79)	1
		John Part (87.54)	3
		Alan Brown (81.06)	1
												Roger Carter (86.61)	3
												Marshall James (90.36)	4
	8	Andy Fordham (87.45)	3
		Matt Clark (89.88)	2
						8	Andy Fordham (87.45)	2
							Marshall James (89.94)	3
		Marshall James (82.17)	3
		William Burksfield (73.47)	1
																	Marshall James (89.88)	5
																5	Steve Beaton (85.17)	4
	5	Steve Beaton (86.47)	3
		Carl Mercer (76.25)	0
						5	Steve Beaton (92.52)	3
							Geoff Wylie (81.60)	0
		Geoff Wylie (92.64)	3
		Andy Smith (87.93)	2
											5	Steve Beaton (91.17)	4
												Leo Laurens (88.47)	3
	4	Richie Burnett (91.23)	3
		Peter Hinkley (79.23)	1
						4	Richie Burnett (88.95)	0
							Leo Laurens (92.46)	3
		Leo Laurens (85.71)	3
		Ritchie Davies (83.43)	0
																						Marshall James (92.01)	3
																						Les Wallace (92.19)	6
	2	Roland Scholten (88.44)	3
		Mike Gregory (87.60)	2
						2	Roland Scholten (88.62)	3
							Bobby George (83.10)	0
		Bobby George (84.00)	3
		Mick Brooks (82.95)	1
											2	Roland Scholten (92.46)	2
												Mervyn King (91.77)	4
	7	Ronnie Baxter (85.86)	3
		Andy Jenkins (88.89)	0
						7	Ronnie Baxter (93.15)	2
							Mervyn King (96.78)	3
		Mervyn King (91.50)	3
		Graham Hunt (87.57)	1
																	Mervyn King (96.84)	3
																	Les Wallace (94.02)	5
	6	Colin Monk (88.53)	3
		Chris Hornby (72.81)	0
						6	Colin Monk (85.68)	1
							Paul Williams (86.01)	3
		Paul Williams (83.16)	3
		Erik Clarys (81.99)	2
												Paul Williams (95.34)	0
												Les Wallace (96.78)	4
	3	Raymond van Barneveld (85.86)	3
		Sean Palfrey (77.88)	0
						3	Raymond van Barneveld (95.31)	2
							Les Wallace (94.23)	3
		Les Wallace (99.45)	3
		Bob Taylor (92.43)	1