Super Sixth For Taylor

After 14 weeks of gruelling competition, Phil Taylor has once again emerged as the best, becoming the Premier League champion for a sixth time. He may have cruised through the league stage but finals night saw the Power taken all the way in both of his matches.

He would end up facing Simon Whitlock in the final and, after missing four darts at the double in the opening leg, the Australian found himself 3-0 down. This soon became 6-1 when Taylor managed a check-out of 89 via the bulls-eye before securing a 109 check-out, making it seem that the final was already over.

Even though the league phase and semi-finals saw the winner need eight legs, it was extended to ten for the final and this kept Whitlock's hopes alive. After going 7-2 behind, Whitlock reeled off five straight legs to level the match, recording a Shanghai 120 check-out in the 14th leg.  The would ultimately be all the fight the Aussie had left as Taylor won the following three legs to gain his crown.

The night started in supersonic fashion as Whitlock would face his nemesis Andy Hamilton in the first of the semi-finals. Hamilton instantly broke the throw with an impressive 130 check-out but Whitlock responded with an outstanding nine darter, the 29th televised feat. Hamilton made it three legs against throw by regaining the lead with a 112 check-out.

It soon became 4-1 before Whitlock did to Hamilton what the Hammer has been doing to the Wizard in recent matches. The Australian pulled it back to 4-3 before Hamilton would then secure a 110 check-out to take a 6-4 lead. But Whitlock won the following four legs to come back and win the match to see him progress.

It was just as close in the second semi-final where Taylor took on James Wade. Taylor equalised in the second leg with a 112 check-out before Wade made it 2-1 with a 104 finish. The fourth leg also went with throw before the Machine secured the first break to take a 4-2 lead.

But missed darts at the double went some way to seeing that Taylor would win the following four legs to turn the match around and lead 6-4. This time it Wade's turn to fight back and he soon levelled before Taylor took out a 149 in the penultimate leg and therefore went onto win 8-6.

There was also a chance to see the darting stars of the future during the break as Michael Van Gerwen faced James Hubbard in the Youth Championship final. The 19 year-old Englishman took a 3-0 lead before the more experienced Dutchman came to within a leg behind at 4-3. But Hubbard didn't capitulate and would win the next two legs to claim a £10,000 pay check and more importantly the Youth Championship crown.