Brendan Dolan threw the first double-start nine-dart finish at the 2011 World Grand Prix.
The World Grand Prix uses a distinctive double-start format: a player must begin a leg by hitting a double or the bullseye, and must also finish on a double. This makes a perfect nine-dart leg more difficult than the standard format because the opening scoring dart cannot simply be aimed at a treble.
Dolan achieved the feat during his semifinal against James Wade at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin. He completed the leg in nine darts, becoming the first player to do so in a televised professional match using the double-start rules.
Dolan is therefore often called “The History Maker.” His achievement is different from a conventional nine-dart finish, such as the famous 501 legs completed by hitting treble 20 repeatedly before a final double.