Michael Smith defeated Welshman Jonny Clayton in Cardiff to get his first points in this year’s Premier League.
The St Helens “Bully Boy” averaged 100.01 and hit two maximums en route to a 6-3 victory.
The match started with four consecutive breaks of throw before the World Champion held throw with a 121 checkout to lead for the first time.
Clayton held in the sixth leg with a 120 checkout as Smith hovered on 74, but the St Helens star took the last three legs to win 6-3.
Clayton averaged 89.37 and is still to get off the mark in this year’s Premier League.
Smith clashed with Nathan Aspinall in the semi-final after The Asp defeated Peter Wright 6-3 with a 105.22 average.
The World Number One failed to hit a maximum and averaged just 91.09 as he succumbed to a 6-4 defeat.
Smith produced a brilliant 121 on the bull to save the match in the ninth leg after Aspinall missed the same shot, but a 136 checkout in the next leg was enough to send Aspinall into the final.
Gerwyn Price was crowned champion in his home country after defeating Aspinall 6-3.
The Iceman was never behind in the match and had improved on his previous two performances.
Price has had issues with the crowd in the past and wore ear defenders at the World Championship, but the Welshman had their full support in Cardiff.
Price had knocked out reigning champion Michael van Gerwen in the semi-final despite averaging 14 points less than MVG’s 110.75 average and survived two match darts.
Last week’s champion Chris Dobey lost in his quarter final to Price. Dimitri van den Bergh and Peter Wright also failed to pick up any points.
Price’s victory puts him in second place on five points, just behind Dobey also on five points.
Smith’s first points of the campaign places him sixth and defending champion Michael van Gerwen sits third.
Jonny Clayton lies at the foot of the table with zero points.
Peter Wright is the only other man yet to get off the mark.
Next week, Michael Smith will take on tonight’s champion Gerwyn Price in the quarter final.
You can watch night three of the PDC Premier League next Thursday (February 16th) on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Arena.
(Featured pic with permission from Taylor Lanning/PDC)
