World No 1 meets world No 2 on Night Four of the Premier League in Exeter as Gerwyn Price takes on Peter Wright ahead of the UK Open, during which 'Snakebite' can leapfrog the Welshman on the PDC Order of Merit
Thursday 3 March 2022 18:32, UK
With his world No 1 ranking on the line against the man trying to snatch it from him, Gerwyn Price drilled eight of nine doubles and averaged 106.95 on his way towards defeating Peter Wright in the final of the International Darts Open and remaining top of the darts' standings.
It was all very Gerwyn Price of him. An unashamed obsession and greed to conquer, an undeniable distaste for losing, a pressure-defiant cold-blooded conviction.
His 8-4 win over 'Snakebite' preserved a 14-month reign as world No 1 for now, although just £6,250 stands between Price and the world champion on the PDC Order of Merit.
The reward of the darting schedule is a timely meeting between the pair on Night Four of the Premier League in Exeter, before Price enters this weekend's UK Open knowing he must reach the final, at the very least, to hold on to top spot.
The nature of the UK Open draw offers the possibility of both drawing top-level opponents in the early rounds of the competition, which leaves the odds leaning in Wright's favour.
But Mark Webster is refusing to bet against Price based on recent form which includes two nine-darters on a stunning Night Three of the Premier League in Belfast.
"All the pressure was on Gezzy, he had to win to keep him in the No 1 spot," said Webster on The Darts Show Podcast. "He's got to make minimum the UK Open final to keep that No 1 spot, and you wouldn't put it past him.
"Everybody thinks it's inevitable that Peter Wright will become world No 1, he may well not become world No 1.
"This is the chance at the UK Open, if Gerwyn Price doesn't make the final, Peter gets his chance, but Gerwyn's form this weekend, I really can't see him not making the final.
"It's an open draw so you can literally pull anybody. Peter Wright can literally play Gerwyn Price in that last 64, it's a great event. I wouldn't be gobsmacked if Gerwyn Price is still world No 1 a week from today."
Snakebite opened the year with his second World Championship title in three years to follow up victory at the World Matchplay and Players Championship Finals in 2021.
He also clinched the European Championship and reached the semi-finals of the Players Championship towards the end of 2020 to finish the year as No 2 in the world.
Colin Lloyd, who was world No 1 for nearly two years from 2005, believes it is just a matter of time before Wright follows suit.
"I think it's inevitable, it's going to happen," said Lloyd. "I just think Gezzy has got far too much to do and I think Peter is defending quite a quiet bit of the first year.
"He might go on and take No 1 and might only have it for a couple of months, but that will be another tick in the box for Peter Wright because he does want to be No 1.
"I still think he'll get there at one point or another, I think it's just a matter of when."
Price has been in sparkling form since the start of February, coasting to Night Three victory in the Premier League and dispatching Wright on the European Tour, having also reached the final of two Players Championship events, notably losing to Snakebite in one.
"The thing about Gezzy, is it just seems the last few weeks he seems to have found that form again that took him to No 1, that took him to winning majors and he's just capitalising on it," added Lloyd.
"He had a tough weekend knowing he was defending all that money to keep hold of world No 1 and he's gone ahead and done it, I'm in agreement with Webby.
"Come the UK Open I think Gezzy is going to be the man to beat."
Price has performed well at the UK Open over the past five years, reaching the final twice (2017, 2020), the semi-finals twice (2019, 2021) and the quarter-finals in 2018.
The world rankings in darts are determined by the Order of Merit, which tallies the prize money accumulated by players from all ranking tournaments over the previous two seasons.
Among the PDC's ranking events are the World Championship, UK Open, World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, European Championship, Grand Slam of Darts, and Players Championship Finals, in addition to 13 European Tour events and 30 Players Championship events on the Pro Tour.
The Premier League is one of five televised events that are not ranked and do not count towards the Order of Merit.
Given how close the two are on the Order of Merit, it is possible Price and Wright could exchange the world No 1 crown on multiple occasions ahead of the 2022/23 World Darts Championship having both won a TV ranking title around October 2020.
One of the sub-plots to the battle at the top is Michael van Gerwen's fight to stay within touching distance of his rampant rivals, with the Dutchman staring at the possibility of dropping outside the top four in a matter of weeks.
Van Gerwen is currently third in the Order of Merit with £646,250 in prize money after winning just the Nordic Masters and a Players Championship event since the start of 2021.
"He has lost that aura of invincibility, he doesn't win as much now," said Webster. "He's still making a good career for himself, Michael van Gerwen we judge on winning, unfortunately if he isn't winning he's a failure, he'll admit that himself.
"I think if you ask a couple of the players, players go and play him now and say they aren't as intimidated as they were in the past because there's a bit more change out of Michael van Gerwen these days.
"He's playing well but it's not those dominant displays he used to put in, he just needs to click into gear.
"I think if he won one of these Premier League nights that would do him the world of good and you'd think he'd pick off one of them sooner rather than later. But I think he has lost that aura of invincibility, definitely."
Night 4 - Westpoint Exeter
Thursday, March 3
Quarter-Finals
Jonny Clayton vs Michael van Gerwen
Michael Smith vs Joe Cullen
Gerwyn Price vs Peter Wright
James Wade vs Gary Anderson
