Forgotten Women of Darts: The Trailblazers Before Beau Greaves

 The rise of Beau Greaves has shone a fresh light on the women’s game, confident, clinical, and competing toe-to-toe with the men.

But before the Women’s Series, before Ally Pally walk-ons and TV slots, there were a handful of pioneering women who carried the game when no cameras were watching.

They’re rarely mentioned now, yet they set the stage for everything Beau and Fallon Sherrock enjoy today. Let’s meet five of the forgotten heroes of women’s darts.

 Gayl King – The Original Pioneer

Long before Fallon Sherrock made headlines, Gayl King quietly made history.

In 2001, the Canadian became the first woman ever to play in the PDC World Darts Championship, earning her place by winning the North American Cup.

She faced Graeme Stoddart at the Circus Tavern and lost 3-1 in sets, but the result barely mattered. King had proved that women belonged on the biggest stage.

Since then she’s slipped from public memory, yet her legacy remains: she walked so others could run.

Stacy Bromberg - The Forgotten World Champion

Known as 'The Wish Granter', Stacy Bromberg dominated American darts for nearly two decades.

She was U.S. No. 1 sixteen times, won countless national titles, and in 2010 lifted the only PDC Women’s World Championship ever staged, edging Tricia Wright 6–5 in a thriller.

The event was meant to spark a women’s circuit — but it never returned. Bromberg kept inspiring others until her passing in 2017.

A true champion, sadly without the spotlight her achievement deserved.

 Ann-Louise Peters - The Danish Flagbearer

In an era dominated by English and Dutch players, Ann-Louise Peters carried the flag for Scandinavia.

She reached the semi-finals of the 2014 BDO World Championship, helped Denmark win WDF Europe Cup team gold, and consistently mixed it with the best.

Quiet, classy, and determined, Peters proved that talent in women’s darts was global and not just British. She stepped away from the tour soon after, but her legacy lives on in every non-UK player who dreams big.

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Tricia Wright - The Nearly-Forgotten Finalist

If Stacy Bromberg was the champion, Tricia Wright was the other half of that 2010 story.

Wright pushed Bromberg to a deciding leg in the PDC Women’s World Championship final, and over her long BDO career collected titles across Europe.

She never quite became a household name, but her role in that historic final makes her part of darts history.

The 'forgotten finalist'  and a reminder of how small the women’s spotlight once was.

Francis Hoenselaar – The Jimmy White of Women’s Darts

If ever there was a Jimmy White of the women’s game, it’s Francis Hoenselaar.

For years she was runner-up to Trina Gulliver, finishing second six times at Lakeside before finally winning the BDO World Championship in 2009.

A six-time World Masters and five-time Zuiderduin Masters champion, she was stylish, consistent, and loved by fans.

Hoenselaar retired in 2011 after injury, but her perseverance remains a symbol of grace in defeat, and ultimate reward.

Closing Thoughts

Every era needs its pioneers. Before social media, before the glamour of the PDC stage, women like King, Bromberg, Peters, Wright, and Hoenselaar were carving out opportunities where none existed.

They may not trend on TikTok or walk out to a packed Ally Pally crowd, but they built the foundations of modern women’s darts.

Next time you watch Beau Greaves or Fallon Sherrock on TV, remember that their path was cleared by these unsung heroes.