Welshman Gerwyn Price delighted the partisan home crowd with a 6-3 victory over Nathan Aspinall to claim top billing on Night Two of the Cazoo Premier League at the Cardiff International Arena.
The Iceman – often given a rough ride by fans around the PDC circuit – was inspired by the vocal support all evening to see off the challenges of Chris Dobey and Michael Van Gerwen to reach the final.
Price, world champion behind closed doors at Alexandra Palace in 2021, took a firm grip against The Asp with two breaks of throw and a hold to lead 4-1 before closing out a memorable win which puts him second in the overall league standings.
THE PRIDE OF WELSH DARTS!!! 🏴
Gerywn Price is the champion in Cardiff as he beats Nathan Aspinall 6-3 to prove his prowess in the Welsh capital.
What a night and what an atmosphere 🙌
📺 https://t.co/kx9ccUMQvU | #PLDarts pic.twitter.com/JsT6S9be6V
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 9, 2023
“Honestly, I love them (the crowd) because it is not very often I get this,” Price told Sky Sports on stage following his victory.
“I am sucking it all up. I am taking every double, every treble because I have got 14 weeks of Hell coming up, so than you very much.
“I am not scared (to play) with the crowd against me, but these got me over the line against Chris, Michael and Nathan.
“I am not in the best of form, so they have won me this today. Can we play in Cardiff every week, or Swansea and Wrexham?”
Dutchman Michael Van Gerwen faced jeers from the home crowd (Zac Goodwin/PA)
In the semi-finals, defending Premier League champion Van Gerwen had recovered from 5-3 down against Price and then threatened to silence the boo boys as he threw for the match.
The Dutchman, though, missed both tops and then double 10 which allowed Price back at the board to hit his finish as the arena erupted.
Aspinall, meanwhile, landed a 136 check-out to cap a 6-4 win over world champion Michael Smith, who himself had scored three ton-plus finishes.
Earlier in the quarter-finals, Price thrived in the atmosphere as he saw off Night One winner Dobey 6-5.
IT'S PRICE'S NIGHT IN CARDIFF!🏴
Gerwyn Price raises the roof in the Welsh capital as he reigns supreme on Night Two!
📺 https://t.co/kx9ccUMQvU | #PLDarts pic.twitter.com/9QvAoiZrDf
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 9, 2023
The Welshman produced a fine 12-dart finish to edge out Masters champion Dobey in a last-leg decider.
In the first match of the evening, Smith saw off another home favourite Jonny Clayton 6-3 to hand the 2021 Premier League winner his second defeat of this year’s competition.
Aspinall hit seven 180s and averaged 105.2 as he recorded a 6-3 victory over Peter Wright, leaving the two-time world champion also yet to pick up a point.
Van Gerwen, who was had reached the final on Night One in Belfast, beat Dimitri Van Den Bergh for the second week in a row, coming through 6-4 against the Belgian.
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