TheOche.com

The 2009 Whyte and Mackay Premier League Darts campaign gets underway a week on Thursday in a competition which Phil Taylor will once again be hoping to dominate after winning the previous four finals, and coming off the back of a very impressive 2008 season.

The following article was written and graciously submitted by Phill Catterick, a freelance writer based in Staffordshire, and TheOche.com wishes to thank him for the submission. Phill may be contacted by email.

This year’s tournament will span 14 weeks in the traditional round robin stage, before seeing the top four players in the league advance to the play off night at Wembley on May the 25th.

The event sees two new faces enter the field with 2006 BDO Champion Jelle Klaasen and PDC world semi-finalist Mervyn King contesting for the very first time amongst the best in the business.

2008 champion John Part, Wayne Mardle, Phil Taylor, James Wade, Raymond Van Barneveld and “The Bull” Terry Jenkins complete the line up, in what could potentially become the most competitive premier league in the history of the tournament.

Taylor’s dominance in the league resulted in a 44 match unbeaten run, lasting the first three campaigns, (2005-2007) but this was brought to a halt by James Wade when he beat the 14 time World Champion in an early confrontation last year.

He then went on to lose to Jenkins and `One Dart` Peter Manley (who won’t be competing for the first time this year), but powered back to top the group, and then defeated Wade in the final 16-8 to clinch another rankings victory.

“The Power” has recently enjoyed two tournament wins in Gibraltar against Alan Tabern and `Flash` Mark Dudbridge.

And considering his blistering form, it’s hardly surprising that Taylor is favourite with the bookies to clinch his fifth win in a row at 4-9, with arch rival Raymond Van Barneveld at 4-1, and World number three James Wade at 8-1.

And the reigning champ cannot wait for his campaign to start; particularly considering that his first match will be against the man he defeated 7-1 on January the 3rd (Van Barneveld) to claim World title number 14.

Taylor said:

“I can’t wait to get going again. It should be a real cracker because I love playing Raymond.

“He brings the best out in me and it’s a great way to begin the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts season.”

Venues for the tournament include the Echo Arena in Liverpool, the Ricoh in Coventry, the N.I.A in Birmingham, and the Sheffield Arena, with crowds expected to top 5,000 people.

The atmosphere and popularity of the competition amongst fans has encouraged all players to do what they can to qualify, and Mervyn King did exactly that by clinching victory in his quarter-final match in the World Championships against Welshman Barrie Bates.

And the former BDO World Masters champion is adamant that he has what it takes to clinch the crown at the very first attempt, he said:

“It’s an exciting prospect and I’m looking forward to playing in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.

“It’s what I’ve been striving for over the last two years and I’ve finally made it.

“I hope I can improve as a player by playing in the tournament, and if I’m playing well then not even Phil Taylor will beat me.

“Whoever I play I want to win and my goal at this stage is to be in the top four after the 14 weeks to reach the play-offs.

“I certainly don’t want to be down the field, and with my game there’s no reason why I can’t challenge for the title.”

The “wildcard” entries were given to “Hawaii 501″ Wayne Mardle and Jelle Klaasen, who will certainly be no walkover despite the experience of the Premier League being new to him.

He was thoroughly impressive during the World Championships, and was only denied a semi-final spot by the relentless Raymond Van Barneveld, who he infact beat in the BDO World Championship final of 2006.

The Dutchman will certainly be a threat, and over the shorter format could surprise even Taylor, who at times can be a slow starter.

John Part will also be hoping to surprise the rest of the field, especially considering he finished bottom of the league last year, (albeit on leg difference) having beat Kirk Shepherd at the Alexandra Palace just weeks before the start of the event to claim his second World crown.

And then there’s “The Bull” Terry Jenkins who will be eager to put a disappointing 2008 behind him, and perhaps finally claim his first tournament victory on television, having slipped up at the final hurdle on many occasions.

Wayne Mardle will certainly provide the entertainment, but he will need to produce the form he showed in the 2008 World Championship if he is to have any chance of progressing to the play offs.

James Wade comes off a great season, and had a successful Premier League last year, finishing 2nd in the round robin stage by just a single point, but lost quite heavily in the final. He produced a nine-darter at the Grand Slam of Darts, and is the reigning UK Open Champion, and is possibly the only man who can consistently threaten Barney and Taylor.

However, despite the quality on show, it appears that there is only one man to beat yet again, and it will take something immensely special over the course of the tournament if the power is to be switched off for the first time in the Premier League.