Jonny Clayton overcomes gout to win Premier League night six in Nottingham
The Welshman could barely walk as he limped around the stage.
Jonny Clayton overcame gout in his ankle to win night six of the Premier League in Nottingham.
The Welshman could barely walk as he limped around the stage after being diagnosed with the inflammatory arthritis condition, but there was nothing wrong with his throw after a virtuoso display.
He destroyed Luke Humphries 6-1 in the final, having earlier seen off Michael van Gerwen and Stephen Bunting to register a second nightly win.
That moves him eight points clear at the summit of the table and he is already looking a good bet to make the play-offs at the O2 in London.
“I wasn’t expecting much tonight, I have got to be honest, I am suffering with gout, it’s in my ankles,” he said on stage.
“Tonight was a little bit difficult because every time I sat down, my foot was kind of stiffening up. So it was getting worse.
“I am in pain, it is hard to walk, luckily it is not in my arm and the darts were going in OK. I am a happy man.”
Humphries was denied his first nightly win of the year, but did at least end his hoodoo against great rival Luke Littler in the semi-final.
Humphries had lost his last five games against the teenager going back to last May, but beat him in a last-leg decider.
Littler had entered the arena for the last-four clash by reminding the locals of Nottingham Forest’s losing score in their Europa League tie a mile up the road at the City Ground.
But, like Vitor Pereira’s team, Littler’s night ended in defeat.
Littler had earlier won the match of the night as he beat Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals.
It was a high-quality encounter where both men peppered the treble 20 bed but the teenager continued his dominance over Price, claiming an 11th win in their last 12 meetings by winning a last-leg decider.
Josh Rock’s miserable debut campaign continued as he was hammered 6-1 by fellow struggler Bunting, meaning he has lost all six of his matches.
