Ross Montgomery romps to World Seniors Championship title

Ross Montgomery claimed the 2025 World Seniors Championship title with a 5-1 rout of Graham Usher in the final at the Circus Tavern on Saturday.

The 62-year-old enjoyed a dream debut in Purfleet as he scooped the £30,000 title, becoming the fourth consecutive Scottish champion in the process.

Montgomery saw off three former World Champions en route to the final – where he produced a series of crucial combination finishes to deny Usher glory.

The two-time Dutch Open champion, who dropped off the PDC circuit in 2023, had picked up three World Seniors tour titles, but had never featured in a televised World Seniors event prior to his trip to Purfleet.

“I’ve loved every single minute of it,” said Montgomery. “I came here with the fantastic news I’m going to be a grandad.

“I dedicate this to my two grandchildren that are coming soon. It’s going to be a good year but I don’t know if I’ve got time to play darts.

“They don’t put averages on trophies. There are fantastic players in the seniors that have been here long before. Honestly, I’m over the moon.

“Graham has kicked my a**e many times because he’s a fantastic player. I told him on stage ‘Graham, just calm down and be yourself son’.

“If you win, you win. Just calm down. This is all about a game of darts. Graham is a fantastic player; he will be back. He will be kicking backsides.

“Winning this, it’s got to be the icing on the cake, then I’ll need to sit down and discuss what’s happening. It could be a good end to my career.”

After sweeping aside Trina Gulliver in straight sets in Round One, he then battled past three-time World Champion John Part in a deciding set to reach the quarter-finals.

Montgomery began Saturday’s double session with a 3-1 win over two-time World Seniors champion Robert Thornton, before recovering from a set down to reel off three in a row and overcome pre-tournament favourite Steve Beaton in the semi-finals.

The Boss stamped his authority on the final immediately by securing the first set in three straight legs, before Usher took out 68 to edge the second set and draw level.

It proved to be a tale of missed chances from there on in for Usher, with the Scarborough thrower squandering seven set darts in the third, before watching Montgomery produce a clinical 120 checkout in the deciding leg of set four.

The Scot dealt another major blow with a 97 checkout in the deciding leg to make it 4-1, before racing through set six to seal the deal in front of a packed crowd at the iconic former home of the PDC World Championship.

Usher fell short of glory on his World Seniors televised debut, dropping a combined total of just two sets en route to the final courtesy of wins over Richard Rowlands, Neil Duff, Leonard Gates and Derek Coulson.

Welsh newcomer Coulson dethroned defending champion John Henderson in the afternoon’s quarter-finals with a 3-1 success, but failed to replicate those heroics in the evening’s semi-finals, averaging 84 in a straight sets defeat.

Former Lakeside Champion Beaton, who resigned his PDC Tour Card at the end of 2024, brushed aside Richie Burnett 3-0 in a repeat of the 1996 BDO world final, but saw his title hopes ended by Montgomery in the semi-finals.

World Seniors Championship 2025 Day Four Results

Saturday February 22

Afternoon Session

Quarter-Finals
Derek Coulson 3-1 John Henderson
Leonard Gates 1-3 Graham Usher
Richie Burnett 0-3 Steve Beaton
Robert Thornton 1-3 Ross Montgomery

Evening Session

Semi-Finals
Derek Coulson 0-3 Graham Usher
Steve Beaton 1-3 Ross Montgomery

Final
Ross Montgomery 5-1 Graham Usher