PETER MANLEY believes that the 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts is the tournament's 'most open' campaign yet.
Manley claimed his first victory of the year in Coventry last week, when he defeated Phil Taylor 8-3 - his first televised win over the defending Premier League champion since 1999.
It was Taylor's third defeat in the opening four weeks, after he had romped through the first three years of the Premier League unbeaten, while James Wade is the only one of the eight competitors without a loss so far.
Manley sits in fifth place on four points after taking a win and two draws from his opening four matches, and is confident of making the play-offs in May.
"My finishing has been good right the way through so far," he said. "I should probably have won one of the first two games and Barney got away with it because I missed a couple of times and went on to win.
"But it's the most open Premier League ever and I'd love to be in the top four after 14 weeks.
"Every week's a test and at the moment I'm coming through it, but I've got Adrian Lewis this week and he has started off well too."
Whilst his finishing is usually Manley's major force, he has also scored well so far in the Premier League - and landed his first 180 of the campaign in the win over Taylor.
"I felt so relaxed when that first one went in!" he admits. "I practised the night before Coventry and hit nine 180s, and the people I was with reminded me I'd not hit one in the Premier League.
"I'd hit so many 140s and a couple of times in the early legs against Phil I had two darts in and was thinking about it.
"Now the first one's in they are going to have to watch me - I'll hit a few now!"
Manley had not defeated Taylor since the 1999 World Matchplay semi-finals, but revealed a new, relaxed attitude helped him avenge a number of heavy losses.
"In that time, I've lost three times in the World Championship Final without taking a set off him," he said.
"He's a machine, the best player there has ever been and probably ever will be but it's possibly the first time he has played a relaxed Peter Manley and enjoying darts again.
"That's all I want to do, enjoy my darts and get back to loving the game again, rather than it being a chore."
Click here to see a Photo Gallery from the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts in Coventry, including Peter Manley's win over Phil Taylor
Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week Five, BIC, Bournemouth
Adrian Lewis v Peter Manley
Phil Taylor v Wayne Mardle
James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
John Part v Terry Jenkins
Live on Sky Sports One from 7.30pm on Thursday 28 February
Follow the action live in DartsTV, with Live Audio Commentary for subscribers and a Free Live Scoreboard, along with Highlights available from Friday evening
Click here to purchase the official 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts programme