Paul Lim

{{Short description|Singaporean darts player (born 1954)}}

{{for|the American ecclesiastical historian|Paul C. H. Lim}}

{{BLP sources|date=July 2024}}

{{family name hatnote|Lim|lang=Chinese}}

{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}

{{Infobox darts player

| name = Paul Lim

| image =

| fullname = Paul Lim Leong Hwa
林良華

| nickname = "The Singapore Slinger"

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1954|01|25}}

| birth_place = Singapore

| death_date =

| death_place =

| since = 1973

| darts = 21g Target

| music = "Walk of Life" by Dire Straits preceded opening from "Fanfare for the Common Man" by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

| laterality = Right-handed

| BDO = 1980–1994

| PDC = 1994–

| WDF = 1980–1994, 2019–

| currentrank ={{WDF Rankings|Paul Lim}}

| BDO World = Runner Up: 2024

| World Masters = Last 16: 1981, 1985, 1987, 1988

| World Darts Trophy =

| International Darts League =

| Zuiderduin Masters =

| PDC World = Last 16: 2001

| Matchplay = Quarter Final: 1995

| Grand Prix = Last 16: 1998, 1999

| UK Open =

| Vegas = Last 32: 2004

| Premier League =

| US Open = Last 64: 2008, 2010

| Seniors World = Last 24: 2022

| Seniors Masters = Last 20: 2022

| results = {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap

| Australian Grand Masters | 1983

| Bud Brick Memorial | 2022

| Camellia Classic | 1994

| Colorado Open | 2005

| Darts America | 1986, 1990

| Golden Gate Classic | 1987

| Hong Kong Open | 1989, 1992,
1998, 2000, 2001

| Houston Open | 1980, 1987, 1995

| Japan Open | 2022

| Los Angeles Open | 1987, 1993

| Malaysian Open | 1980

| Oregon Open | 1999

| Philippines Open | 2018

| Singapore Open | 1992, 1993

| Virginia Beach Classic | 1992, 1998

| PDC Asian Tour | 2018, 2019 (x2), 2023, 2025

| PDC Asia Qualifier | 2017

| Bullshooter World Ch'ship | 1996

| Dartslive France | 2017

| Dartslive Hong Kong | 2012

| Dartslive Korea | 2016

| Dartslive Taipei | 2016

| THE WORLD | 2011

| Ulaanbaatar Open | 2023, 2024

}}

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Men's Darts}}

{{MedalCountry | {{PNG}}}}

{{MedalCompetition | WDF Asia-Pacific Cup}}

{{MedalGold | 1980 Newcastle | Men's singles}}

{{MedalGold | 1980 Newcastle | Team event}}

{{MedalGold | 1984 Honolulu | Men's singles}}

{{MedalGold | 1986 Auckland | Men's singles}}

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}}

{{MedalCompetition | WDF Asia-Pacific Cup}}

{{MedalGold | 1988 Tokyo | Team event}}

{{MedalGold | 1990 Singapore | Mixed pairs}}

{{MedalGold | 1990 Singapore | Team event}}

{{MedalGold | 1990 Singapore | Men's overall}}

{{MedalSilver | 1990 Singapore | Men's singles}}

{{MedalSilver | 1990 Singapore | Men's pairs}}

{{MedalCountry | {{SGP}}}}

{{MedalCompetition | WDF World Cup}}

{{MedalBronze | 1987 Copenhagen | Men's singles}}

{{MedalBronze | 1989 Toronto | Men's pairs}}

{{MedalCompetition | IDF World Ch'ship}}

{{MedalSilver | 2013 Shanghai | Men's singles}}

{{MedalCountry | {{HKG}}}}

{{MedalCompetition | WDF World Cup}}

{{MedalSilver | 2019 Cluj | Men's team}}

| achievement = First player to achieve nine-dart finish at World Championships (1990)

| updated = 19 November 2007

}}

Paul Lim Leong Hwa{{cite book |last= Brown |first= Derek |title=Guinness Book of Darts |year=1981 |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |location=London |isbn=0-85112-229-9}} (born 25 January 1954) is a Singaporean professional darts player. He was the first player to hit a perfect nine-dart finish during the Embassy World Darts Championship, which he achieved in 1990 during his second round match against Jack McKenna. He was the runner-up at the 2024 WDF Lakeside World Championship.

Career

Lim made his World Championship debut in 1982, losing a first-round match to Dave Whitcombe. He failed to progress beyond the second round for the next seven years. In 1990, Lim achieved the first World Championship nine-dart finish against Jack McKenna in the second round on 9 January and won a bonus prize of £52,000. It was the only year that Lim reached the quarter-finals of the event, losing again to Cliff Lazarenko.

In 1994, Lim decided to switch to the World Darts Council (now PDC) and made his debut at the 1994 World Matchplay. He never enjoyed any success in the PDC – he won only one match in the PDC World Championship, despite appearing in the tournament each year between 1997 and 2002.

Lim reached the last 16 of the Las Vegas Open in January 2007.{{Cite web |title=Las Vegas Open results |url=http://vcda.org/LVRESULT.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224125831/http://vcda.org/LVRESULT.htm |archive-date=24 February 2017 |access-date=14 February 2007}}

Lim made his first appearance in the World Championships for 11 years after being awarded a place in the 2013 PDC World Darts Championship, as a result of being the World Soft Tip Champion. He beat Mohd Latif Sapup in the preliminary round 4–1 to set up a first-round match against second favourite for the tournament Michael van Gerwen. Lim lost 3–0, despite hitting the tournament's first 170 finish as well as twelve scores of 140 or more during the match.{{cite web |title=Ladbrokes WDC Day Seven |url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/118l9m5pe8k9c1nz8yeoc1ogq7/title/ladbrokes-wdc-day-seven |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121231052500/http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/118l9m5pe8k9c1nz8yeoc1ogq7/title/ladbrokes-wdc-day-seven |archive-date=31 December 2012 |access-date=20 December 2012 |publisher=PDC |df=dmy-all}} Lim qualified for the 2014 World Championship via the International Qualifiers. He was drawn against Japan's Morihiro Hashimoto in the preliminary round and was beaten 4–2.{{cite web |date=18 December 2013 |title=Ladbrokes World Championship Day Six |url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1alv34ezca3l1eqpqz2h4y5tc/title/ladbrokes-world-championship-day-six |publisher=PDC}}

Lim made his debut in the 2014 World Cup of Darts as he represented Singapore with Harith Lim. They won five legs in a row in the opening round against Ireland to progress with a 5–3 win.{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/13ot1jnntsvt21nv34y1z7tv3u/title/bwin-world-cup-of-darts-first-round | title=bwin World Cup of Darts First Round | publisher=PDC | access-date=7 June 2014}} In the second round Lim lost to South Africa's Devon Petersen, but Harith beat Graham Filby, resulting in a doubles match to settle the tie. Singapore were edged out 4–3, but never had a dart for the match.{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1p7xud0zzg9fq1frtcn5jnh4wx/title/bwin-world-cup-of-darts-second-round | title=bwin World Cup of Darts Second Round | publisher=PDC | access-date=8 June 2014}}

Lim lost in the final of the 2015 French Dartslive event to Leonard Gates, but won the Soft Tip Qualifier for the 2016 World Championship for the second time by seeing off Boris Krčmar 4–2 in the final.{{cite web | url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResultsPrize.aspx?EventKey=6072 | title=2015 Soft Tip Dartslive France Player Prize Money | publisher=Darts Database | access-date=15 December 2015}} He went on to play Aleksandr Oreshkin in the preliminary round and missed two match darts in a 2–1 set defeat.{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/1mioot5go7iqx1trx6chy3u09c/title/william-hill-world-championship-day-four | title=William Hill World Championship Day Four | publisher=PDC | access-date=22 December 2015}} Lim and Harith made it to the second round of the 2016 World Cup, but lost their singles matches 4–2 to Austria's Mensur Suljović and Rowby-John Rodriguez.{{cite web | url=http://www.pdc.tv/world-cup-of-darts/article/szq0pfcgcaye13w8ej1zypox3/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-round-two | title=Betway World Cup of Darts Round Two | publisher=PDC | access-date=22 December 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028022154/http://www.pdc.tv/world-cup-of-darts/article/szq0pfcgcaye13w8ej1zypox3/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-round-two | archive-date=28 October 2016 | df=dmy-all }} Lim won the Soft Tip Dartslive events in Taipei and Korea during the year.{{cite web|title=Paul Lim 2016|url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/PlayerDetails.aspx?PlayerKey=1566|publisher=Darts Database|access-date=22 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223005151/http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/PlayerDetails.aspx?playerKey=1566|archive-date=23 December 2016}}

In the first round of the 2017 World Cup Lim and Harith met the number one seeds of Scotland represented by Gary Anderson and Peter Wright. A 100 finish from Lim completed a huge 5–2 shock victory for Singapore and they then beat Spain 4–0 in a doubles match to make it through to the quarter-finals of the event for the first time.{{cite web| url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/b2wub8sg0ndl1sx75jxiqt57p/title/dream-come-true-for-lim| title="Dream Come True" For Lim| publisher=PDC| access-date=10 June 2017| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612185008/http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/b2wub8sg0ndl1sx75jxiqt57p/title/dream-come-true-for-lim| archive-date=12 June 2017| df=dmy-all}} Lim lost 4–1 to Belgium's Kim Huybrechts (who averaged 121.97), but Harith defeated Ronny Huybrechts 4–2. Singapore's tournament was ended in the deciding doubles match as Belgium progressed 4–2.{{cite web| url=http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/dlghacxun5vo1tf4e5u54f5rt/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-finals-day| title=Dutch Delight In Betway World Cup of Darts| publisher=PDC| access-date=10 June 2017| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612190516/http://www.pdc.tv/news/article/dlghacxun5vo1tf4e5u54f5rt/title/betway-world-cup-of-darts-finals-day| archive-date=12 June 2017| df=dmy-all}}

In the 2018 PDC World Darts Championship, Lim defeated Kai Fan Leung, and number 30 seed Mark Webster to set up a second round clash with Gary Anderson. He lost the match 4-1 and also missed double 12 for a nine-dart finish.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=8808&showAverages=Y|title = 2018 PDC World Championship Results}} In the 2018 PDC World Cup of Darts, he again paired up with Harith, where they defeated New Zealand 5–3 to set up a second round clash with England. In the first round, Paul defeated world champion Rob Cross 4–2 with an average of 102.29. However, Harith lost his singles match to Dave Chisnall, meaning a doubles match was required which they lost 4–1.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2018/06/02/2018-betway-world-cup-day-three|title=2018 Betway World Cup Day Three|date=2 June 2018 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/EventResults.aspx?EventKey=22673&showAverages=Y|title=2018 PDC World Cup of Darts Results}}

Lim qualified for the 2019 PDC World Darts Championship by finishing 5th on the 2018 PDC Asian Tour.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2018/10/14/world-championship-lim-among-asian-tour-qualifiers|title = World Championship: Lim Among Asian Tour Qualifiers| date=14 October 2018 }} He lost to Ross Smith 3–1 in round 1.

After a successful 2019 Asian Tour, finishing 3rd, he qualified for the 2020 PDC World Darts Championship where he lost to Luke Woodhouse 3–0 in the first round.

Lim took part in the 2019 WDF World Cup representing Hong Kong instead of Singapore.

At the 2024 WDF World Darts Championship, Lim defied the odds to make a first world final of his career, ultimately losing to Shane McGuirk 6–3.{{cite web|url=https://dartswdf.com/news/marvellous-mcguirk-ends-lim-fairytale-to-win-2024-wdf-men-s-world-championship|title=Marvellous McGuirk ends Lim fairytale to win 2024 WDF Men's World Championship|website=dartswdf.com|date=8 December 2024|accessdate=9 December 2024}}

World Championship results

=BDO=

  • 1982: First round (lost to Dave Whitcombe 0–2)
  • 1983: Second round (lost to Cliff Lazarenko 1–3)
  • 1984: First round (lost to Mike Gregory 0–2)
  • 1985: First round (lost to Cliff Lazarenko 0–2)
  • 1986: Second round (lost to Peter Locke 0–3)
  • 1987: Second round (lost to Bob Anderson 1–3)
  • 1988: Second round (lost to John Lowe 1–3)
  • 1989: Second round (lost to John Lowe 2–3)
  • 1990: Quarter-finals (lost to Cliff Lazarenko 0–4)
  • 1991: First round (lost to Alan Warriner-Little 0–3)
  • 1992: Second round (lost to John Lowe 0–3)
  • 1994: Second round (lost to John Part 0–3)

=PDC=

=WSDT=

=WDF=

Career finals

=WDF major finals: 5 (3 titles, 2 runner-up)=

class="sortable wikitable"

!width="80"| Outcome

!width="20"| No.

!width="50"| Year

!style="width:250px;"| Championship

!style="width:200px;"| Opponent in the final

!width="70"| Score(l) = score in legs, (s) = score in sets.

style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 1.

| 1980

| Asia-Pacific Cup Singles

| {{Flagicon|USA}} Jerry Umberger

| unknown

style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 2.

| 1984

| Asia-Pacific Cup Singles

| {{Flagicon|AUS}} Terry O'Dea

| unknown

style="background:#98FB98"|Winner

| 3.

| 1986

| Asia-Pacific Cup Singles

| {{Flagicon|USA}} Len Heard

| unknown

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

| 1.

| 1990

| Asia-Pacific Cup Singles

| {{Flagicon|CAN}} Albert Anstey

| unknown

style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up

| 2.

| 2024

| WDF World Darts Championship

| {{Flagicon|IRE}} Shane McGuirk

| 3–6 (s)

Career statistics

=Performance timeline=

BDO

class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:88%
Tournament

! 1980

! 1981

! 1982

! 1983

! 1984

! 1985

! 1986

! 1987

! 1988

! 1989

! 1990

! 1991

! 1992

! 1993

! 1994

! 1995

! 1996

! 1997

! 1998

! 1999

! 2000

! 2001

! 2002

colspan="24" align="left" |BDO Ranked televised events
align=left| {{Nowrap|BDO World Championship}}

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R

| 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;"| 2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"| QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

align=left| World Masters

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| Prel.

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 3R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 3R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 4R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 4R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 4R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 3R

| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| Prel.

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

align=left| MFI World Matchplay

| colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |Not held

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| colspan="16" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held

PDC

class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:88%
Tournament

! 1994

! 1995

! 1996

! 1997

! 1998

! 1999

! 2000

! 2001

! 2002

! 2003

! 2004

! 2005

! 2006

! 2007

! 2008

! 2009

! 2010

! 2011

! 2012

! 2013

! 2014

! 2015

! 2016

! 2017

! 2018

! 2019

! 2020

! 2021

! 2022

! 2023

! 2024

colspan="32" align="left" |PDC Ranked televised events
align=left| {{Nowrap|PDC World Championship}}

| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR

| 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;"|1R

| colspan="10" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|Prel.

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|Prel.

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| 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;"|1R

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ

align=left| World Matchplay

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| 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; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| colspan="23" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

align=left| World Grand Prix

| colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR

| colspan="25" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

colspan="32" align="left" |PDC Non-ranked televised events
align=left| {{Nowrap|PDC World Cup of Darts}}

| colspan="16" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|NH

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|WD

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|RR

colspan="32" align="left" |PDC Past major events
align=left| {{Nowrap|Las Vegas Desert Classic}}

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R

| colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| colspan="15" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held

colspan="32" align="left" |Career statistics
bgcolor="efefef"

| align="left" |Year-end ranking

| style="text-align:center;|25

| style="text-align:center;|16

| style="text-align:center;|12

| style="text-align:center;|14

| style="text-align:center;|17

| style="text-align:center;|20

| style="text-align:center;|25

| style="text-align:center;|32

| style="text-align:center;|38

| style="text-align:center;|77

| style="text-align:center;|142

| style="text-align:center;|177

| style="text-align:center;|412

| style="text-align:center;|413

| style="text-align:center;|186

| style="text-align:center;|182

| style="text-align:center;|146

| style="text-align:center;|157

| style="text-align:center;|101

| style="text-align:center;|92

| style="text-align:center;

style="text-align:center;|155

| style="text-align:center;

style="text-align:center;|103

| style="text-align:center;|133

| style="text-align:center;|138

| style="text-align:center;|105

| style="text-align:center;|126

| style="text-align:center;

style="text-align:center;
style="text-align:center;

WDF

class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:88%
Tournament

! 2022

! 2023

! 2024

align=left|WDF World Darts Championship

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"| F

align=left|World Masters

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|NH

| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP

WSDT

class=wikitable style=text-align:center;font-size:88%
Tournament

! 2022

World Seniors Darts Championship

| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R

{{TournLegend|RU=F|LR3=Prel.}}

Notes

{{reflist|group=N}}

References

{{Reflist}}