Phil Taylor overcame a strong start from Simon Whitlock to beat the Australian 7-3 and claim a 15th World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

After 'The Power' had gone in front, 80-1 pre-tournament outsider Whitlock hit back in stunning style, with a maximum 170 outshot included, to go 2-1 ahead and the threat of a major upset was on the cards.

'The Wizard' went almost dart-for-dart with living legend Taylor, but the man from Stoke was just too hot in the crucial legs and finishes of 170, 167 and 161 helped him claim five sets on the spin.

Australian Whitlock showed just what he was made off by hitting back and claiming the ninth set in the worst leg by far of the top-quality final, as both men ended up busting double one in darts more suited to the local pub than the world final.

World number one Taylor was back in the groove in the next set though and he aptly claimed the biggest prize ever in darts, £200,000, with a superb 131 checkout to finish a hugely entertaining final.

Everything

Taylor had cruised into the final when dropping just one set before the final, but Whitlock taking three showed the measure of how the Australian performed.

"It's everything I've ever dreamed of, ever achieved, ever practiced for, this is everything," Taylor told Sky Sports after the match.

"That's one of the greatest finals I've played in, no disrespect to the other finals, but he just kept on coming back at me - that was hard work.

"He kept saying to me during the breaks that he was coming after me and he did just that. He just never gave in, it was absolutely brilliant."

Whitlock hit more 180s than Taylor, 11 to nine, as both men averaged over 100, but it was those crucial big finishes that made the big difference.

Competition

"I love everything about the game I love getting up every morning and practising and finding new ways of getting better - I love the competition," added Taylor. "I'm always motivated as it's my job and it's what I love doing."

Whitlock took out 122 on the Bull along with his 170 and a number of high-pressure 80-plus finishes as he showed no signs of being intimidated by Taylor and it was more him winning it than the Australian throwing it away.

"I'm just proud of the way I played today," said Whitlock, who wins £100,000 for making the final. "I think I pushed Phil a bit and next year I hope to come back and do a little bit better and get him next time.

"It's changed my whole life, I can move over here now and I can play on the circuit and I want to push these guys all the time."

Sky Sports