London's Calling for Premier League Finals Night!
After 16 weeks of intense league phase action, Finals Night is upon us for the 2023 Premier League Darts, with 4 of darts’ biggest names all hunting down the £275,000 winners share.
Jonny Clayton, who recently claimed Players Championship 12 in Leicester, will face Premier League table topper Gerwyn Price in the first Semi Final. It’s a repeat of the World Championship Final in the second Semi Final, as 2nd placed Michael Smith faces 3rd placed Michael van Gerwen, who is pursuing a record 7th Premier League crown.
Mighty Mike, along with Jonny Clayton have won this competition before, with the Ferret beating Jose de Sousa 11-5 to win the 2021 event at the Marshall Arena.
World Number 4 Gerwyn Price will take on his maiden Premier League Finals Night at the O2 Arena in London, after a fantastic campaign in 2023, winning nights in hometown Cardiff, Nottingham, Newcastle, and Brighton.
The Iceman secured World Cup teammate Clayton his spot in the English capital last week in Aberdeen, after beating Nathan Aspinall 6-3 in the Semi Finals. Will this year’s league phase winner beat the 2022 table topper to become the 8th different winner of the competition, or will the Ferret win his second title?
Michael van Gerwen was the first player to win 3 consecutive nights in the Premier League with the new format, having secured a hat-trick of wins in Dublin, Exeter, and Liverpool. His opponent Michael Smith also achieved the same feat later into the league phase, winning consecutively in Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield to go with his success in Glasgow on Night 3.
Bully Boy finished ahead of Van Gerwen in the league table despite both earning 33pts overall, having secured one more night win over the 16 weeks played.
Smith, like Gerwyn Price is looking to add the Premier League to his list of major honours, after claiming his maiden World Title at the start of January. MvG will be hungry for revenge at the O2 Arena after his defeat to the Englishman on January 3rd, with the possibility of becoming the competition’s most successful player a huge motivating factor.
The action starts on Sky Sports from 7pm, with the format changing to a first to 10 leg contest in the Semi Finals, and a first to 11 in the Final. The all-Welsh battle between Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton is up first before Michael van Gerwen faces Michael Smith. Who will win the 2023 Premier League?
By Harry Masterson
Images courtesy of Dave Allen - PDC
2023 Premier League Darts: Finals Night Order of Play
Semi Finals:
Gerwyn Price v Jonny Clayton
Michael Smith v Michael van Gerwen
Final:
Price/ Clayton v Smith/ Van Gerwen