As good as the tournament was in 2007, as messy as it is in 2008. The tournament moves to the Alexandra Palace, a beautiful hall that can harbour more fans than the snug Circus Tavern. All of the favourite players lose prematurely. Most of the damage is done in the quarter finale. Adrian Lewis loses to Kevin Painter, who defeated defending champion Raymond van Barneveld a round earlier. James Wade loses to John Part and qualifier Kirk Shepherd surprises Peter Manley. But the biggest surprise is that Phil Taylor, for the first time in WC history, loses before the finale. Wayne Mardle is responsible for the biggest surprise in the WC. He beats Taylor with 5-4 and is now favourite for the title. A round later that hope disappears, because Shepherd sends him home. That makes Kirk Shepherd the biggest outsider ever to make the finals of the WC, but he won’t win the title. When a tournament is as messy as this one, there’s usually one man that can surpass it, and that’s the Canadian John Part. He takes his 3rd world title by beating Shepherd with 7-2.
Three Dutchmen make the last 16 in 2008. Besides defending champion Raymond van Barneveld, who loses to Kevin Painter, there’s Roland Scholten, who loses to Mardle, and Jan van der Rassel, who in the same round, loses to Peter Manley.