PDC drop Premier League darts hint as Clayton joins Price at tournament

Jonny Clayton’s hopes of landing a place in the 2023 Premier League darts line-up may have received a boost after he was added to the line-up for an upcoming PDC tournament.

Following a dramatic World Championship, which saw Michael Smith claim his maiden Ally Pally crown in stunning fashion, the opening World Series event of the year will take place next week, the first-ever Bahrain Darts Masters.

The seven other PDC representatives had already been confirmed, including Smith, Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price, whose future in the sport is the subject of debate after his antics at the Worlds, which saw him don a pair of ear-defenders during a match and then threaten to never play at the Ally Pally tournament again.

READ MORE: Michael Smith unveils plans for World Darts Championship trophy with wife ‘on the couch’

World Championship runner-up Michael van Gerwen will not be part of the field because of a pre-planned family holiday. Of the other players taking part in Bahrain, Luke Humphries, Dimitri Van den Bergh and Rob Cross are hoping to get picked for the Premier League, as is 2021 winner Clayton, who reached the last eight at the Worlds.

It would be a major surprise if World Series returnee Raymond van Barneveld makes the Premier League, despite his popularity and a strong end to the year.

Other players hoping to be selected are last year’s losing finalist Joe Cullen, Nathan Aspinall, Ross Smith and Dirk van Duijvenbode. Rising star Josh Rock is also being touted for a place despite only having one year of PDC Tour experience behind him.

The PDC will not confirm the Premier League line-up until the end of January and may leave one spot open until after the Masters, the tournament Cullen won last year to earn his place on the darting roadshow.

Which players would you like to see in the Premier League? Tell us in the comments section below

Bahrain Darts Masters line-up

PDC representatives
Michael Smith (England)
Peter Wright (Scotland)
Gerwyn Price (Wales)
Luke Humphries (England)
Rob Cross (England)
Jonny Clayton (Wales)
Dimitri Van den Bergh (Belgium)
Raymond van Barneveld (Netherlands)

Asian representatives
Paul Lim (Singapore)
Toru Suzuki (Japan)
Man Lok Leung (Hong Kong)
Yuki Yamada (Japan)
Nitin Kumar (India)
Alain Abiabi (Philippines)
Bassim Mahmood (Bahrain)
Abdulnaser Yusuf (Bahrain)

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