‘Old-fashioned’ Michael van Gerwen wins Premier League evening in Exeter | Sport

With the UK Open in Minehead just around the corner, the eight Premier League players came into action in Exeter on Thursday evening. Van Gerwen was allowed to take the lead against Jonny Clayton and immediately left his mark on the evening. With three twelve-darters, an average of 102 and a 60 percent score on the doubles, he didn’t leave much of the Welshman, who just missed the doubles. With a 6-1 victory under his belt, he was up against Michael Smith in the next round, who had won his quarterfinals 6-5 against man-in-form Joe Cullen.

Van Gerwen immediately pulled the right line against Smith and was ahead 3-0 in no time. Three times he was allowed to go to a double, three times the darts player from Vlijmen hit the mark. Smith did break back and came to 3-2, but then Van Gerwen stepped up a gear and again took the game with clear figures: 6-2. For the first time in the new format of the Premier League, the Dutchman managed to qualify for the final.

In that final he took on Wright, who on his way to his second final in the quarterfinals settled with Gerwyn Price and in the semifinals was too strong for James Wade. It never became exciting, however: Wright made a worn-out impression and Van Gerwen seemed to continue his high level of the entire evening until the bitter end. The old-fashioned good Van Gerwen left nothing of the two-time world champion in the final: 6-0.

Due to the victory, Van Gerwen climbs to second place in the ranking. With 9 points, he is just one point behind Wright. Clayton and Price drop to third and fourth place with 8 and 7 points. Wright, Clayton and Price have all won a game night. Next week the Premier League circus will travel to Brighton, in three weeks Ahoy will turn orange again.