Dave Whitcombe and Lazarenko ending in a draw, Whitcombe slumped to fifth and failed to reach the semi final stage. Whitcombe failed to qualify for the 2010 Lakeside World Darts Championship and the 2009 Winmau World Masters. Dave Whitcombe Dave Whitcombe (born 27 June 1954 in Kent) is an English retired professional darts player who won several major tournaments and reached two World Championship Finals. He had a long professional career between 1980 and 1992. Whitcombe was twice a winner of the Winmau World Masters (1982 and 1985) and lost to Eric Bristow in the World Championship finals of 1984 and 1986.
1997 BDO World Darts Championship 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