A Renfrew teenager has stunned the darts world after being crowned Junior World Champion at just 15 years old — and coming within touching distance of winning a second world title only hours later.
Mitchell Lawrie produced an extraordinary week at the famous Lakeside stage, lifting the WDF Open Youth World Championship after a 4–2 victory over Germany’s Florian Preis. The win earned him £3,000 in prize money and made him the first Scottish player ever to claim the youth crown.
But his day was far from over. Still only 15, Lawrie then stepped into the senior WDF World Championship final — becoming the first teenager in history to reach it. He surged into a 3–0 lead before Dutch top seed Jimmy van Schie battled back to win 6–3.
Even in defeat, the praise for Lawrie was remarkable. Van Schie said: “He is such a phenomenal player. He’s a power scorer, so mature for his age and the sky is the limit for him. He’s the future of darts.”
Lawrie’s numbers throughout the tournament turned heads across the sport. Across nine matches he hit a staggering 56 maximum 180s — more than any other player — and maintained a three-dart average of 93.15.
His run has drawn comparisons with Luke Littler, who became a global sensation after reaching the PDC World Championship final at 16. Commentators have been just as impressed by Lawrie’s composure in interviews as by his scoring power on the oche.
Back home, supporters say he is “putting Renfrew on the map”, with many calling his double-final appearance one of the greatest breakthroughs ever seen by a Scottish darts player.
Mitchell Lawrie leaves Lakeside as a world champion, a history-maker and one of the brightest talents the sport has produced in years — and at only 15, this feels like the very beginning.
Headline photo source: Stream grab