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Bobby George calls for the PDC to revive legendary darts tournament after Winmau World Masters rebrand

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Bobby George has called for the PDC to revive a popular tournament after the upcoming rebrand of the World Masters.

George was an icon of the sport in the 1970s and 1980s and is regarded as one of the greatest players to never win the World Darts Championship.

He did, however, win the News of the World Darts Championship on two occasions and has pleaded with the PDC to bring the short-format tournament back.

Fitzdares' 'Darts at the Arts'
Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Fitzdares

Bobby George wants the News of the World Championship back

The tournament was famously an extremely short format with a first to three legs format and George won the tournament without dropping a leg.

With the rebrand of the Winmau World Masters on the horizon, George wants the PDC to bring the short-format tournament back.

Speaking exclusively to The Darts Insider, George declared: “I would love to see the PDC do best-of-three 501 or best-of-three 301, double in, double out.

“Now, this is the test of a player. The pressure’s right on you. You can’t make one mistake. You’ve got to put your nappy on when you play that game. It’d be interesting. I wouldn’t it.

Three legs only, the pressure’s on. You as soon as it says, game on, that’s it, or you’re out. It’d be interesting to see how they would perform, and they could put double the 96 in it, because it’s so quick.”

George won the tournament in 1979 and 1986 and the final tournament took place in 1997 after Phil Taylor captured the tournament for the first time.

Bobby George considers News of the World a major tournament

Despite often being referred to as one of the best players to never win a World Darts Championship, George considers his News of the World wins as World Championship.

Speaking exclusively to The Darts Insider, George said: “I’ve done it. I won the World Championship in my day, I won the News of the World, that was my World Championship.”

George was the runner-up in the BDO World Darts Championship in 1980 and 1994, losing to Eric Bristow and John Part.

Watch Dart Kings from 4th Jan on Sky Documentaries and NOW