Six-time champion Michael van Gerwen became the first multiple night winner of the 2023 Premier League Darts, after beating Jonny Clayton 6-3 in the Night 5 Final at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter. The World Number 3 moves onto 15 points in the league table, 6 clear of Nathan Aspinall and Michael Smith who both have 9 points after 5 nights played.
Mighty Mike opened the action with a 6-3 victory over Night 2 winner Gerwyn Price, in a repeat of the Night 4 Final in Dublin a week ago. The Dutchman included consecutive checkouts of 96 and 84 to move into a 5-3 lead against the World Number 4, despite missing numerous darts at double which gave the Iceman a 3-1 initiative.
Van Gerwen switched back into gear in his Semi Final victory over Nathan Aspinall, averaging 100.89 in a 6-4 win over the Asp. Michael avenges his defeat against the former UK Open champion on Night 3 in Glasgow, including an 83 checkout to break the throw in the tenth and final leg.
The 33-year-old included 3 180s in the Final, with opponent Jonny Clayton throwing 4 himself to delight the lively Westpoint Arena crowd.
The reigning champion included a crucial break of throw in the eighth leg of the match, finding a 106 check out on double tops to lead 5-3 against the Ferret in the Final.
Van Gerwen wrapped up a 6-3 victory with a 61 finish, to make it consecutive night wins in Exeter, with the Dutchman winning in the same venue 12 months ago on Night 4.
Clayton has earnt 7 points from his last three nights, having not picked up a single point from the opening two nights of the competition. The Welshman moves sixth in the Premier League table, sitting level with Dimitri van den Bergh in 5th and 1 point of the all-important Play Off positions.
The Premier League returns next week with the darting roadshow heading to Liverpool for Night 6, as Michael van Gerwen faces Jonny Clayton in the Quarter Finals.
Attention for the players will now shift to Minehead for the 2023 UK Open, with MVG’s Dutch compatriot Danny Noppert the defending champion going into Butlin’s Minehead Resort.
By Harry Masterson
Premier League Night 5: Results
Quarter Finals:
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Michael Smith
Dimitri van den Bergh 6-3 Chris Dobey
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Peter Wright
Semi Finals:
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Dimitri van den Bergh
Final:
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Premier League Darts Table:
- Michael van Gerwen: 15pts
- Michael Smith: 9pts
- Nathan Aspinall: 9pts
- Gerwyn Price: 8pts
- Dimitri van den Bergh: 7pts
- Jonny Clayton: 7pts
- Chris Dobey: 5pts
- Peter Wright: 0pts
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