Reigning Premier League winner Jonny Clayton ran out winner in the newly formatted Premier League.
The newly formatted Premier League sees eight of the best darts players compete in mini tournaments each week to earn points. There are four quarter-finals each week with winners advancing the semi-finals and then the final which are played in the same evening session. Semi-finalists earn 2 points, the runner up earns 3 points and the winner earns 5 points plus an extra £10,000.
After finishing runner up in week one, Clayton bounced back to win week two in Liverpool. It was no easy task for the ferret, who averaged over a ton to dismantle, who is now the only pointless Premier League player, Michael Smith 6-3. Jonny would then set up a semi-final against Michael Van Gerwen who demolished last weeks winner Peter Wright 6-1. And the Dutchman continued in fine form as he raced into a 4-1 lead against the Welshman. However, Jonny soon put the burners on to comeback from 4-1 down to beat Van Gerwen 6-4 in the encounter of the night. Both fired in 66% on their doubles, both registered over a 105 average and both registered ton plus finishes to put on a show for Liverpool.
Jonny would then play Joe Cullen in the final who put last weeks results behind him and carried on his fine form of 2022. While averaging a timid 94 in comparison to Clayton's ton plusses, Cullen was a foil from his performance's last week as he proved ruthless on the doubles and beat James Wade 6-3. In the semi-finals he also seemed down and out as he came back from 5-2 down against world number one Gerwyn Price to win 6-5.
So in a repeat of last weeks quarter-final, it was Clayton vs Cullen and with Cullen brushing up on his missed doubling, it seemed it was going to be a much tighter affair. In contrasting fashion to Clayton's two previous games, it was a much scrappier game. And Cullen soon capitalised and went two legs up. But despite being behind until the 9th leg, Clayton once more showed resilience to win 6-4. Despite averaging a mere 88 and averaging less than his opponent, Clayton managed to cap of an excellent evening for himself and managed to bolster himself into 1st after night 2.
For Cullen, having been in such a commanding position at 3-1 and 4-3 to the good he'll have been gutted to have lost the final. However, having picked up points and advancing to the final, the rockstar proved he belonged with the very best. And having won the double over the weekend at the Players Championship's, he goes into week 3 with high confidence levels.
The results mean that Clayton tops the table on 8 points, followed by Wright on 5 points, in third is Cullen on 3; and Van Gerwen, Price, Wade and Anderson all on 2 points, with Smith in 8th with 0 points.
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