{{short description|English darts player (born 1998)}} {{Use British English|date=December 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox darts player | name = Dom Taylor | image = | fullname = Dominic Taylor | nickname = "The Tower" | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|04|15|df=y}} | birth_place = Bristol, England | death_date = | death_place = | hometown = | homecountry = | since = 2014 | darts = 24g Target | laterality = Right-handed | music = "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne | BDO = | PDC = 2019–2025<br/><small>(Tour Card: 2024–2025)</small> | currentrank = | BDO World = | World Masters = | Dutch Masters = | PDC World = Last 64: 2026 | Matchplay = | Grand Prix = | Grand Slam = | Premier League = | European = | UK Open = Last 96: 2025 | PC Finals = Last 64: 2025 | results={{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''PDC Challenge Tour'''| 2023 | '''PDC Development Tour'''| 2021 }} }} '''Dominic Taylor'''<ref name="Statement">{{cite web | url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2024/november/22/statement-dom-taylor | title=Statement: Dom Taylor |date=22 November 2024 |access-date=26 December 2024 |website=Professional Darts Corporation}}</ref> (born 15 April 1998)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://mastercaller.com/players/dom-taylor | title=Dom Taylor |website=Mastercaller |access-date=26 November 2024 }}</ref> is an English darts player who has competed in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is a three-time semi-finalist in PDC Players Championship events. He won a PDC Development Tour title in 2021 and a PDC Challenge Tour title in 2023.
Following an initial one-month ban from events sanctioned by the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) in 2024 due to a failed drugs test, Taylor is now serving a six-month ban after a second offence at the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship, where he was withdrawn from the tournament prior to his second-round match.<ref name="2026 ban" />
==Career== ===2019=== Taylor began playing in PDC events in 2019, featuring on the PDC Development Tour. He qualified for the 2019 PDC World Youth Championship but failed to get out of his group with Ben Cheeseman and Connor Scutt.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 November 2019 |title=Luke Humphries and Adam Gawlas to contest 2019 World Youth Championship final |url=https://www.sportinglife.com/darts/news/humphries-to-meet-gawlas-in-final/173663 |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Sporting Life}}</ref>
===2021=== His results on the Development Tour in 2020 saw him make his PDC premier event debut at the 2021 UK Open.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Josh |date=1 March 2021 |title=2021 Ladbrokes UK Open field confirmed |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2021/03/01/2021-ladbrokes-uk-open-field-confirmed |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301120405/https://www.pdc.tv/news/2021/03/01/2021-ladbrokes-uk-open-field-confirmed |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 March 2021 |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Professional Darts Corporation}}</ref> He won his first round game but was whitewashed 6–0 by Gary Blades in the second round.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 March 2021 |title=UK Open: Lisa Ashton sets women's scoring record as Peter Wright and Gary Anderson crash out on day one |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/12236719/uk-open-lisa-ashton-sets-womens-scoring-record-as-peter-wright-and-gary-anderson-crash-out-on-day-one |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Sky Sports}}</ref>
Taylor achieved early success on the 2021 UK Development Tour, reaching the final in each of the first four events, including the third event where he won his first Development Tour title, defeating Jack Male 5–4 in legs in the final.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Josh |date=21 August 2021 |title=Dom Taylor continues incredible record on Unicorn Development Tour Day Two |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2021/08/21/dom-taylor-continues-incredible-record-unicorn-development-tour-day-two |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822105039/https://www.pdc.tv/news/2021/08/21/dom-taylor-continues-incredible-record-unicorn-development-tour-day-two |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 August 2021 |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Professional Darts Corporation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=21 August 2021 |title=PDC UK Development Tour 03 |url=https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/pdcukdt21e03/matches |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=DartConnect}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Idsardi |first=Jetze Jan |date=22 August 2021 |title=Dom Taylor domineert op UK Development Tour |url=https://www.dartsactueel.nl/dom-taylor-domineert-op-uk-development-tour/ |access-date=26 November 2024 |website=DartsActueel |language=Dutch}}</ref> He finished the year 4th on the 2021 UK Development Tour Order of Merit.
===2023=== Taylor picked up his first PDC Challenge Tour title in 2023, winning the final 5–2 against Cam Crabtree.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gorton |first=Josh |date=28 October 2023 |title=Henderson & Taylor clinch Winmau Challenge Tour titles in Wigan |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2023/10/28/henderson-taylor-clinch-winmau-challenge-tour-titles-wigan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029062812/https://www.pdc.tv/news/2023/10/28/henderson-taylor-clinch-winmau-challenge-tour-titles-wigan |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 October 2023 |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Professional Darts Corporation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 October 2023 |title=PDC Challenge Tour 21 |url=https://tv.dartconnect.com/event/pdcct23e21/matches |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=DartConnect}}</ref> Taylor received multiple invitations to play in PDC Players Championship events due to his success on the Challenge Tour in 2023. He reached the semi finals of Players Championship 28, bowing out to eventual champion Ross Smith.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 October 2023 |title=Ross Smith lands spectacular nine-dart finish to win Players Championship 28 |url=https://www.planetsport.com/darts/news/ross-smith-lands-spectacular-nine-dart-finish-to-win-players-championship-28 |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Planet Sport}}</ref>
===2024=== Taylor played at 2024 PDC UK Qualifying School (Q-School) in order to obtain a Tour Card. He lost in the Day Two final 6–2 against Robert Grundy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Kieran |date=12 January 2024 |title=Robert Grundy captures PDC Tour Card at UK Q-School with 105 average in final |url=https://dartsnews.com/pdc/robert-grundy-captures-pdc-tour-card-at-uk-q-school-with-105-average-in-final |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Dartsnews.com}}</ref> However, he won his tour card outright by winning the Day Four final 6–1 against Joshua Richardson.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 January 2024 |title=PDC Q School: Dom Taylor, Jeffrey de Graaf final winners as Fallon Sherrock's quest for 2024-25 card ends |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/13048472/pdc-q-school-dom-taylor-jeffrey-de-graaf-final-winners-as-fallon-sherrocks-quest-for-2024-25-card-ends |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=Sky Sports}}</ref> Taylor reached the quarter-finals at Players Championship 24, averaging 103.65 in a 6–5 defeat to Gary Anderson who averaged 108.78.<ref>{{cite web |last=Allen |first=Dave |date=1 October 2024 |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2024/october/01/first-senior-pdc-title-nijman-players-championship-24 |title=First senior PDC title for Nijman at Players Championship 24 |website=Professional Darts Corporation |access-date=1 October 2024}}</ref>
Taylor was due to play in the Players Championship Finals, where he was supposed to face former world champion Michael Smith in the first round. However, it was announced before the tournament that the Darts Regulation Authority (DRA) had suspended Taylor as a result of a positive drugs test taken at a Players Championship event. Taylor was replaced in the event by Nick Kenny.<ref name="Statement"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 November 2024 |title=Dominic Taylor suspended after failing drugs test |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/articles/c1mlyyy29e8o |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=BBC Sport}}</ref> He had also qualified for the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship via the Pro Tour Order of Merit, but was replaced by Robert Owen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Championship Race 2024/2025 |url=https://www.dartsrankings.com/wch2024 |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=DartsRankings}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=World Darts Championship draw 2025: When is it? Dates, schedule and how to watch live on Sky Sports |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13257837/world-darts-championship-draw-2025-when-is-it-dates-schedule-and-how-to-watch-live-on-sky-sports |website=Sky Sports |access-date=27 January 2025 |date=25 November 2024}}</ref> Taylor received a one-month ban, reduced from a potential two years, after the banned substance was found to not be performance-enhancing and was ingested out of competition. He also committed to a UK Anti-Doping-approved three-month treatment programme.<ref name="BBCBan1" /> He was originally expected to return to competition at the 2025 PDC World Masters,<ref name="BBCBan1">{{cite web |date=27 January 2025 |title=Darts: Dominic Taylor given one-month ban after failed drugs test |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/darts/articles/ce8y66gej8po |website=BBC Sport |access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref> but withdrew prior to the preliminary round. Taylor returned for the 2025 PDC Players Championship series.
===2025=== On the 2025 PDC Pro Tour, Taylor made two Pro Tour semi-finals by reaching the last four at two Players Championship events.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 February 2025 |title=Darts news: Ryan Searle wins Players Championship 4 as Michael van Gerwen misses home event |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/13312089/darts-news-ryan-searle-wins-players-championship-4-as-michael-van-gerwen-misses-home-event |website=Sky Sports |access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Shaw |first=Jamie |date=18 February 2025 |title=Ryan Searle storms to sixth Players Championship success |url=https://www.live-darts.com/pdc-darts-news/pdc-players-championship/searle-storms-to-players-championship-4-title/ |website=Live Darts |access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=20 March 2025 |title=Martin Schindler storms past Jeffrey de Graaf to win maiden Players Championship 8 title |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/13331584/martin-schindler-storms-past-jeffrey-de-graaf-to-win-maiden-players-championship-8-title |website=Sky Sports |access-date=31 March 2025}}</ref>
Taylor qualified for the 2026 PDC World Championship and won his first-round match 3–0 against Oskar Lukasiak.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chiu |first=Nigel |date=14 December 2025 |title=World Darts Championship: Stephen Bunting avoids huge shock against Sebastian Bialecki as Dimitri Van den Bergh knocked out |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13483386/world-darts-championship-stephen-bunting-avoids-huge-shock-against-sebastian-bialecki-as-dimitri-van-den-bergh-knocked-out |website=Sky Sports |access-date=19 December 2025}}</ref> On 19 December 2025, it was announced that Taylor had been provisionally suspended by the DRA after failing a second drugs test, which was conducted by the PDC and the DRA on 14 December.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Dave |date=19 December 2025 |title=PDC Statement: Dom Taylor |url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2025/december/19/pdc-statement-dom-taylor |website=PDC |access-date=19 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Chambers |first=Tom |date=19 December 2025 |title=Dom Taylor withdrawn from World Darts Championship after failing second drugs test |url=https://www.espn.com/darts/story/_/id/47358598/dom-taylor-withdrawn-world-darts-championship-failing-second-drugs-test |website=ESPN |access-date=19 December 2025}}</ref> He was removed from the tournament and his scheduled second-round opponent, Jonny Clayton, received a bye to the third round.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 December 2025 |title=Dom Taylor: English player out of World Darts Championship after failing drugs test, Jonny Clayton given bye to third round |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13485659/dom-taylor-english-player-out-of-world-darts-championship-after-failing-drugs-test-jonny-clayton-given-bye-to-third-round |access-date=19 December 2025 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}</ref> Taylor issued an apology on his Facebook page in which he stated that personal traumas had affected his mental health and contributed to his situation.<ref>{{cite web |last=Millington |first=Adam |date=21 December 2025 |title=Taylor 'sincerely sorry' after failed drugs test |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/articles/c79xy4p3rlgo |website=BBC Sport |access-date=21 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=21 December 2025 |title=Dom Taylor: Darts player apologises after failed drugs test led to exclusion at World Championship |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12040/13486345/dom-taylor-darts-player-apologises-after-failed-drugs-test-led-to-exclusion-at-world-championship |website=Sky Sports |access-date=21 December 2025}}</ref> At a hearing on 7 January 2026, Taylor was handed a mandatory six-month ban for his second violation, having tested positive for cocaine and cannabis.<ref name="2026 ban">{{cite web |date=14 January 2026 |title=Dom Taylor receives six-month ban after failing drugs test at World Darts Championship |url=https://www.skysports.com/darts/news/12288/13494344/dom-taylor-receives-six-month-ban-after-failing-drugs-test-at-world-darts-championship |website=Sky Sports |access-date=14 January 2026}}</ref> In addition to the ban, he forfeited his £25,000 prize money earned at the World Championship, resulting in him falling outside the top 64 on the PDC Order of Merit and the loss of his PDC Tour Card.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cartwright |first=Phil |date=14 January 2026 |title=Taylor gets six-month ban for failed drugs test |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/articles/c3ednqpn91lo |website=BBC Sport |access-date=14 January 2026}}</ref>
==World Championship results== ===PDC=== * 2026: Second round (suspended due to doping violation)
== Performance timeline == {| class="wikitable" |- ! Tournament !! 2019 !! 2020 !! 2021 !! 2022 !! 2023 !! 2024 !! 2025 !! 2026 |- | colspan="10" style="text-align:left" |'''PDC Ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|PDC World Championship}} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | {{TournDQ}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|PDC World Masters}} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|WD | colspan="1" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Sus. |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|UK Open}} | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 3R | colspan="1" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Sus. |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|Players Championship Finals}} | colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | {{TournDQ}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | |- | colspan="10" style="text-align:left" |'''PDC Non-ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;"| {{nowrap|PDC World Youth Championship}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP |- | colspan="10" align="left" |'''Career statistics''' |- |- bgcolor="efefef" | align="left" |'''Season-end ranking (PDC)''' | style="text-align:center;|- | style="text-align:center;|191 | style="text-align:center;|- | style="text-align:center;|- | style="text-align:center;|137 | style="text-align:center;|83 | style="text-align:center;|68 | style="text-align:center;| |- |}
'''PDC European Tour''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:50%; margin:0" |- ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2024 | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ADO<br />2R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|BSD<br />DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|DDC<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|EDO<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|GDC<br />2R | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ |}
'''PDC Players Championships''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:28%; margin:0; font-size:84%" ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! 22 !! 23 !! 24 !! 25 !! 26 !! 27 !! 28 !! 29 !! 30 !! 31 !! 32 !! 33 !! 34 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2020<ref group="nb" name="NTC">Not a Tour card holder</ref> | colspan="7" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR<br />3R | colspan="15" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2023<ref group="nb" name="NTC"/> | colspan="8" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>2R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>3R | colspan="7" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR<br>3R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|BAR<br>DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR<br>3R | colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|BAR<br/>DNP | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|BAR<br>SF | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|BAR<br>DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BAR<br>3R |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2024 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br>3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br>4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|WIG<br>QF | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br>2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br>1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br>1R |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2025 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS<br />3R | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|ROS<br />SF | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|HIL<br />SF | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|HIL<br />QF | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br />4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br />3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br />3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br />2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br />1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG<br />4R |- |}
{{reflist|group=nb}} {{TournLegend|RU=F|LR3=Prel.}} {{reflist|group=N}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://app.dartsorakel.com/player/details/2345 Dom Taylor player profile at Darts Orakel] *{{Dartsdatabase|id=74099}} *[https://mastercaller.com/players/dom-taylor Dom Taylor player profile at Mastercaller] *[https://www.flashscore.co.uk/player/taylor-dom/xd6woYi6/ Dom Taylor player profile at Flash Score UK]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Dom}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:English darts players Category:Sportspeople from Bristol Category:Professional Darts Corporation former tour card holders Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:English sportspeople in doping cases Category:Doping cases in darts