Chengan Liu secured his first victory in this year’s PDC China Premier League on Tuesday, defeating league leader Xiaochen Zong to claim the spoils on Night Five.
Liu celebrated a resounding 5-2 victory over reigning champion Zong in Tuesday’s showpiece, denying the 24-year-old a fourth victory in the space of five league nights.
Liu, a two-time World Championship qualifier, kicked off his campaign with an emphatic 5-1 win over Xicheng Han to set up a semi-final showdown against Erlin Ju.
The 50-year-old then defied a superb fightback from Ju to prevail in a last-leg shoot-out, firing in a 15-dart hold to edge out his compatriot, who fought back from 4-1 down to force a deciding leg.
Liu punished a sluggish start from Zong to establish an early cushion in the Night Five final, producing a 13-dart hold in leg two before moving 3-1 ahead courtesy of a clinical 75 finish.
Zong halved the deficit with a 16-dart hold in leg five, but he paid the price for squandering opportunities in the closing stages, as Liu held his nerve to seal a hard-fought success.
Zong, who defeated Liu in the Night Four finale, overcame Night Two winner Lihao Wen in a high-quality quarter-final tie, before battling past Jianjun Jia in the last four.
The format of the PDC China Premier League has evolved to replicate the Cazoo Premier League, with eight players competing across eight nights of action.
Following the conclusion of Night Seven, the top four players in the league table will progress to the Play-Offs, and the two Play-Off finalists will represent China at the 2023 World Cup of Darts.
The PDC China Premier League returns for Night Six on Tuesday February 14, and coverage will be broadcast through PDCTV for all subscribers worldwide, with the action commencing at 1900 CST (1100 GMT).
PDC China Premier League
Night Five - February 7
Quarter-Finals
Xiaochen Zong 5-2 Lihao Wen
Jianjun Jia 5-1 Wenge Xie
Chengan Liu 5-1 Xicheng Han
Erlin Ju 5-3 Bin Zheng
Semi-Finals
Xiaochen Zong 5-3 Jianjun Jia
Chengan Liu 5-4 Erlin Ju
Final
Chengan Liu 5-2 Xiaochen Zong
2022/23 PDC China Premier League
Event Dates
February 14 - Night Six
February 21 - Night Seven
February 26 - Play-Offs (Semi-finals & Final)
Competitors
Xiaochen Zong
Xicheng Han
Chengan Liu
Bin Zheng
Lihao Wen
Wenge Xie
Jianjun Jia
Erlin Ju
Format
League Nights - best of nine legs
Play-Offs - semi-finals best of 19 legs, final best of 21 legs
League Phase Point Scoring
Champion: 5 points
Runner-up: 3 points
Semi-finalists: 2 points
Top four at end of regular season will advance to Play-offs
Prize Fund
Champion: $1,500 & qualification for World Cup of Darts
Runner-up: $1,000 & qualification for World Cup of Darts
Semi-finalists: $500
Quarter-finalists: $200
League phase event winner bonus: $100
Total: $5,000