Gerwyn Price paid tribute to the Welsh fans after celebrating victory on a memorable night of Cazoo Premier League action in Cardiff on Thursday.
Price raised the roof at the Cardiff International Arena with wins over Chris Dobey, Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall to cap off a famous triumph on Night Two of this year’s roadshow.
The Welsh number one came through deciding-leg tussles against Dobey and Van Gerwen, before avenging his Night One defeat to Aspinall in Thursday’s showpiece to claim five league points.
“I’m over the moon with the win,” reflected Price, who received deafening support from a sell-out crowd in the Welsh capital.
“Every time I come here I want to win, I want to produce my best, I want to perform for the crowd.
“I think this is probably the worst I’ve played in Cardiff but I have managed to win.
“I’m not used to having the crowd with me, supporting me and cheering me on, and that can add pressure because you want to repay them.
“I wanted to take every bit of the emotions in. It was a brilliant night and the crowd were fantastic for me.”
?️ "The crowd won me that game!"
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 9, 2023
Hear from the King of Cardiff, Gerwyn Price, after his triumph on Night Two of the 2023 @CazooUK Premier League... pic.twitter.com/BnsGmsSmgQ
Price cut a subdued figure in Belfast last week, having landed two nine-darters on a historic night at The SSE Arena 12 months ago.
However, he came through a hard-fought opener against Night One winner Dobey in the Welsh capital, in a contest bookended by 12-dart legs.
The 2021 World Champion then defied a staggering 110.75 average from Van Gerwen to prevail in an astonishing semi-final tie, which saw the Dutchman average almost 14 points more than Price.
This set up a showdown against Aspinall, who averaged 105 in wins over Peter Wright and Michael Smith, although it was Price who ran out a convincing 6-3 winner to claim the spoils.
“I didn’t start off too well against Chris and I didn’t play particularly well against Michael,” conceded Price, who survived two match darts in a dramatic last-leg shoot-out against Van Gerwen.
“I was better against Nathan, but I’m just thankful to get the win.
“Michael outplayed me. I think I was 5-3 up and he still came back and could have won, but the crowd definitely won me that game.
“Michael mentioned that when he came back! I understand that because the crowd were on his back and he missed a couple of doubles, but I’ve had that a lot of times in the past.”
Price is now level on points with Dobey, Van Gerwen and Aspinall at the top of the embryonic Premier League table, as he prepares to take on World Champion Smith in Glasgow next Thursday.
The Welshman is yet to make the Play-Offs in four previous Premier League appearances, and he’s hoping his Cardiff success can provide the catalyst for a strong showing in 2023.
“This definitely came at a good time for me,” admitted Price, who revealed he will miss this weekend’s opening ProTour double-header before returning to action in Glasgow.
“At the beginning of the year before the Masters, I was playing good darts.
“I got to two World Series finals in Bahrain and Denmark, then I was ill and in the last two weeks I’ve not been myself.
“I think I will soon find my feet and it’s inevitable I will start playing well again. I can’t keep playing badly.
“I have practised a lot more over the last few weeks, but I need to get into these Pro Tours into two weeks time, and then I will come out fighting.”
2023 Cazoo Premier League
Night Two - Thursday February 9
Cardiff International Arena
Quarter-Finals
Michael Smith 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Chris Dobey
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Semi-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Michael Smith
Gerwyn Price 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Final
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Night Three - Thursday February 16
OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Quarter-Finals
Nathan Aspinall v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith
Jonny Clayton v Chris Dobey
Semi-Finals
Aspinall/Van Gerwen v Wright/Van den Bergh
Price/Smith v Clayton/Dobey
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs