Three of the four play-off spaces have been taken in the penultimate round of the Premier League. Michael Van Gerwen only needed a point to take the first place whilst wins for Phil Taylor and Raymond Van Barneveld placed them on the cusp of progression. Andy Hamilton's earlier defeat at the hands of Van Gerwen meant that he can't make the play-offs but he later assured Taylor and Van Barneveld of their places by beating James Wade, who lost twice. This leaves Wade, Robert Thornton and Simon Whitlock battling it out in Newcastle for the final place.
History will be made in the Premier League regardless of which Dutchman tops the table as it will be the first Premier League ever that Taylor has failed to top the standings. Van Gerwen is the most likely to finish top but if he loses next week and Van Barneveld wins both of his games, Barney would leapfrog his younger countryman. A win for Wade next week and he claims the final place in the playoffs whereas Thornton has the unenviable take of trying to beat both Dutchman to guarantee qualification. Although if Wade does lose his final match, Thornton would only need to gain a point to level with The Machine and The Thorn also currently has a four leg advantage in the difference column. Whitlock must hope that Wade and Thornton lose their matches in order for him to steal the final spot in the O2.
The night in Liverpool began with Van Gerwen eliminating Hamilton in order to seal his progression. Van Gerwen quickly took a 2-0 lead after Hamilton missed three darts to take the second leg. But The Hammer responded and after six perfect darts in the fourth leg, he took out-84 to level the match. Van Gerwen managed to find a crucial break in leg eight which gave him a 5-3 lead. The Dutchman then earned the vital point in the next leg after both players had missed two darts to win it earlier. A 106-checkout did keep Hamilton alive for another leg but Van Gerwen wasn't going to throw another lead away, like last week, and he finished the job with a 7-4 victory.
Whitlock knew that a defeat against Wade would also end his chances of a play-off place but the Australian managed to emulate his 7-4 victory when the pair met in week six. Back then, there was six ton plus checkouts between and Whitlock began tonight with a stunning 130-finish on the bull. Whitlock had a dart to make it 3-0 but he recovered with a 126-checkout in the fourth leg to re-establish a two leg lead. Whitlock then missed two darts to make it 4-1, which could have easily been 5-0, but again The Wizard prevented Wade from gaining any momentum by taking out-108 to go 4-2 in front. Whitlock managed to break ahead further and guarantee a point at 6-3. He also had two darts to win 7-3 but had to settle for 7-4 via a 116-checkout, his fourth ton plus finish of the night.
Taylor avenged his earlier defeat against Thornton in week nine by delivering a thrashing to the Scot. Taylor was most definitely in the zone with a place in the play-offs in his grasp and a 164-checkout in the third leg helped him on the way to a 4-0 lead. Taylor looked set to make it five after two 180s left him with a two darter, but Thornton managed to hit a 138-checkout to finally post a leg on the board. Thornton then managed to make it 5-2 before Taylor took the following two legs to win at a canter.
Van Barneveld managed to keep level with Taylor with another good performance and victory over Adrian Lewis. In the beginning, Lewis looked like he had regained some form and kept pace with Barney at 2-2. A 106-checkout from the Dutchman made it 3-2 before he managed to get a crucial after Lewis missed a colossal six darts to restore parity. Barneveld would miss two darts to take a point in the ninth leg but he would take the next two legs to win the match 7-4 and did so with a 102-average.
Wade and Hamilton took to the stage and it was this result which sets up a dramatic night in Newcastle. A win for Wade would place him a step closer to the play-offs whilst a defeat would seal Taylor and Van Barneveld's places. Hamilton managed to find a crucial break in the third leg after Wade missed a dart at tops for a 145-checkout. A 110-checkout from Hamilton made it 3-1 before Wade moved to within a leg, checking out ten after initially hitting six perfect darts. But that would be the last leg he would win as a much more up for it Hamilton took the next four legs to romps home 7-2. Table after week-13:
1. Michael Van Gerwen PL15 22 +28
2. Phil Taylor PL15 19 +22
3. Raymond Van Barneveld PL14 19 +18
4. James Wade PL15 16 +6
5. Robert Thornton PL14 15 +10
6. Simon Whitlock PL14 14 -3
7. Andy Hamilton PL15 12 -10
8. Adrian Lewis PL14 7 -27
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