The 2010 Whyte & Mackay Premier League was a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation; the sixth such running of the tournament.

The tournament began at The O2 Arena in London on 11 February, and finished at the Wembley Arena on 24 May.

Phil Taylor won in the final 10–8 against defending champion James Wade, where he also became the first player to hit two nine-dart finishes in a single match.

Qualification The top six players from the PDC Order of Merit following the 2010 PDC World Darts Championship were confirmed on 5 January. Simon Whitlock and Adrian Lewis were named as the two Sky Sports wild card selections; Whitlock being announced on 4 January and Lewis on 13 January.

PlayerAppearance inPremier LeagueConsecutiveStreakPrevious best performanceOrder of MeritRanking WC WC WC = Wild Card

Venues Fifteen venues were used for the 2010 Premier League, with the only change from 2009 being Bournemouth replacing Edinburgh after a one-year absence.

London Bournemouth Belfast Exeter Manchester The O2 Arena11 February Bournemouth International Centre18 February Odyssey Arena25 February Westpoint Arena4 March MEN Arena11 March Brighton Birmingham Cardiff Glasgow Sheffield Brighton Centre18 March National Indoor Arena25 March Cardiff International Arena1 April SECC8 April Sheffield Arena15 April Liverpool Aberdeen Newcastle upon Tyne Nottingham London Echo Arena22 April AECC29 April Metro Radio Arena6 May Trent FM Arena13 May Wembley Arena24 May

Prize money The prize money increased again with the total prize fund rising to £410,000, as a third place play-off was introduced, earning the winner of that an extra £10,000 to their £40,000 for reaching the play-offs.

Stage Prize money Winner £125,000 Runner-up £65,000 3rd place £50,000 4th place £40,000 5th place £32,500 6th place £30,000 7th place £27,500 8th place £25,000 High Checkout (per night) £1,000 Total £410,000

Results

League stage

11 February – week 1 The O2 Arena, London PlayerLegsPlayer Ronnie Baxter 93.80 7–7 Terry Jenkins 91.31 Mervyn King 101.39 8 – 5 Adrian Lewis 96.20 92.28 8 – 5 James Wade 90.44 Simon Whitlock 84.20 3 – 8 Phil Taylor 94.29 High Checkout: Mervyn King 124

18 February – week 2 Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth PlayerLegsPlayer Adrian Lewis 105.14 8 – 3 Raymond van Barneveld 99.35 Terry Jenkins 100.26 7–7 Simon Whitlock 96.37 Phil Taylor 99.67 8 – 6 Ronnie Baxter 96.01 James Wade 89.83 4 – 8 Mervyn King 91.26 High Checkout: Adrian Lewis 121

25 February – week 3 Odyssey Arena, Belfast PlayerLegsPlayer Mervyn King 97.89 6 – 8 Ronnie Baxter 97.11 Adrian Lewis 95.90 6 – 8 Terry Jenkins 92.11 Simon Whitlock 95.56 8 – 5 Raymond van Barneveld 92.32 Phil Taylor 104.44 8 – 2 James Wade 96.96 High Checkout: Ronnie Baxter 164

4 March – Week 4 Westpoint Arena, Exeter PlayerLegsPlayer James Wade 98.41 7–7 Adrian Lewis 102.98 Ronnie Baxter 97.51 8 – 6 Simon Whitlock 92.34 Mervyn King 98.74 8 – 5 Terry Jenkins 94.61 Phil Taylor 97.87 8 – 2 Raymond van Barneveld 89.85 High Checkout: James Wade 148

11 March – Week 5 MEN Arena, Manchester PlayerLegsPlayer James Wade 101.42 7–7 Ronnie Baxter 103.86 Phil Taylor 100.98 7–7 Mervyn King 99.45 Terry Jenkins 98.00 4 – 8 106.92 Adrian Lewis 83.64 4 – 8 Simon Whitlock 82.89 High Checkout: Phil Taylor 161

18 March – Week 6 Brighton Centre, Brighton PlayerLegsPlayer Phil Taylor 106.79 8 – 3 Terry Jenkins 98.40 Raymond van Barneveld 93.87 7–7 Mervyn King 92.99 Ronnie Baxter 102.52 6 – 8 Adrian Lewis 101.02 Simon Whitlock 91.13 4 – 8 James Wade 97.73 High Checkout: Simon Whitlock 170

25 March – Week 7 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham PlayerLegsPlayer Mervyn King 97.70 6 – 8 Simon Whitlock 102.18 James Wade 95.73 8 – 5 Terry Jenkins 89.47 Raymond van Barneveld 96.09 4 – 8 Ronnie Baxter 94.89 Adrian Lewis 97.89 4 – 8 Phil Taylor 105.25 High Checkout: Ronnie Baxter 164

1 April – Week 8 Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff PlayerLegsPlayer Terry Jenkins 90.24 2 – 8 Mervyn King 95.08 Simon Whitlock 91.43 5 – 8 Ronnie Baxter 94.10 Adrian Lewis 99.62 8 – 5 James Wade 95.66 Phil Taylor 97.64 8 – 2 Raymond van Barneveld 90.73 High Checkout: Ronnie Baxter 124

8 April – Week 9 SECC, Glasgow PlayerLegsPlayer Raymond van Barneveld 94.67 6 – 8 Adrian Lewis 101.64 Simon Whitlock 95.77 8 – 3 Terry Jenkins 88.80 Ronnie Baxter 87.13 4 – 8 Phil Taylor 94.14 Mervyn King 94.96 4 – 8 James Wade 99.64 High Checkout: Mervyn King 161

15 April – week 10 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield PlayerLegsPlayer Terry Jenkins 93.33 8 – 5 Adrian Lewis 91.88 Ronnie Baxter 95.36 7–7 Mervyn King94.15 James Wade 100.51 7–7 Phil Taylor 98.92 Raymond van Barneveld 99.85 6 – 8 Simon Whitlock 99.52 High Checkout: Simon Whitlock 154

22 April – week 11 Echo Arena, Liverpool PlayerLegsPlayer Terry Jenkins 98.03 8 – 4 Ronnie Baxter 95.23 James Wade 100.28 8 – 3 Raymond van Barneveld 95.96 Adrian Lewis 89.04 3 – 8 Mervyn King 93.71 Phil Taylor 103.62 8 – 5 Simon Whitlock 102.33 High Checkout: Phil Taylor 125

29 April – week 12 AECC, Aberdeen PlayerLegsPlayer Ronnie Baxter 87.79 7–7 James Wade 93.08 Mervyn King 89.98 1 – 8 Phil Taylor 100.44 98.43 8 – 6 Terry Jenkins 92.79 Simon Whitlock 97.65 7–7 Adrian Lewis 99.54 High Checkout: Terry Jenkins 146

Nine-dart finish The Premier League's second nine-dart finish occurred, when Raymond van Barneveld hit one during the second leg of his match against Terry Jenkins, checking out with T20, T19 and D12. Barneveld had also hit the first Premier League nine-dart finish in 2006 against Peter Manley.

6 May – week 13 Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle upon Tyne PlayerLegsPlayer Adrian Lewis 86.71 7–7 Ronnie Baxter 88.84 Mervyn King 81.27 5 – 8 97.43 James Wade 98.07 4 – 8 Simon Whitlock 97.84 Terry Jenkins 88.91 5 – 8 Phil Taylor 100.23 High Checkout: Mervyn King 130

13 May – week 14 Trent FM Arena, Nottingham PlayerLegsPlayer Terry Jenkins 97.78 5 – 8 James Wade 95.79 Ronnie Baxter 97.97 2 – 8 95.05 Simon Whitlock 104.60 8 – 2 Mervyn King 90.26 Phil Taylor 98.70 8 – 1 Adrian Lewis 93.61 High Checkout: Simon Whitlock 130

Play-offs – 24 May Wembley Arena, London Score Semi-finals (best of 15 legs) Simon Whitlock 92.69 6 – 8 James Wade 95.48 Phil Taylor 107.98 8 – 1 Mervyn King 90.20 Third place play-off (best of 15 legs) Simon Whitlock 96.13 7 – 8 Mervyn King 94.51 Final (best of 19 legs) James Wade 100.08 8 – 10 Phil Taylor 111.67 High Checkout: Phil Taylor 164 (Semi-Final) The play-offs were originally scheduled for 23 May, but due to a power cut in the area surrounding the Wembley Arena, they were postponed until 24 May.

Nine-dart finishes The finals night saw the second and third nine-dart finishes of the 2010 Premier League Darts, and the third and fourth in Premier League Darts overall, in the final between Phil Taylor and James Wade.

Trailing 1–0 after losing the throw in the first leg, Taylor responded with a 174 (T20, 2 T19s), 180 (3 T20s), and 147 (T20, T17, D18) to take the second leg against throw. This was Taylor's first nine-dart finish in the Premier League, having only been achieved previously by Raymond van Barneveld. This was also the first nine-dart finish in a televised final.

In the 15th leg he hit the second nine-dart finish of the night with two 180s and checked out on 141 (T20, T19, D12). This was the first time that the same player achieved two nine-dart finishes in one match. After the second nine-darter, Taylor made it 17 consecutive perfect darts, needing only T17 D18 for a third nine-darter and second on the trot, he missed the T17 by an inch, but still went on to win that leg in 10 darts, after then hitting T18, then returning to hit the D8 with his first dart.

Table and streaks

Table PosNamePldWDLPtsLFLA+/-LWAT100+140+180sAHC1 Phil Taylor W 1412202611052+584619214546100.211642 Simon Whitlock 14725169384+9382021244795.271703 James Wade RU14545148889−1292301235296.681484 Mervyn King 14536138588−3341971344494.201615 Ronnie Baxter14455138996−7362491383395.15164614518117893−15302191074495.911417 Adrian Lewis14437118197−16282121275696.061408 Terry Jenkins14329876101−25262551383993.86146 Top four qualified for Play-offs after Week 14.NB: LWAT = Legs Won Against Throw. Players separated by +/- leg difference if tied.

Streaks Player Week Play-offs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 SF F Simon Whitlock James Wade Mervyn King Ronnie Baxter Raymond van Barneveld Adrian Lewis Terry Jenkins NB: W = Won D = Drawn L = Lost

Player statistics The following statistics are for the league stage only. Playoffs are not included.

Phil Taylor Longest unbeaten run: 14 Most consecutive wins: 4 Most consecutive draws: 1 Most consecutive losses: 0 Longest without a win: 1 Biggest victory: 8-1 (v. Adrian Lewis) Biggest defeat: Player Undefeated

Simon Whitlock Longest unbeaten run: 3 Most consecutive wins: 2 Most consecutive draws: 1 Most consecutive losses: 1 Longest without a win: 2 Biggest victory: 8-2 (v. Mervyn King) Biggest defeat: 3-8 (v. Phil Taylor)

James Wade Longest unbeaten run: 4 Most consecutive wins: 2 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 3 Longest without a win: 5 Biggest victory: 8-3 (v. Raymond van Barneveld) Biggest defeat: 2-8 (v. Phil Taylor)

Mervyn King Longest unbeaten run: 3 Most consecutive wins: 2 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 3 Longest without a win: 3 Biggest victory: 8-2 (v. Terry Jenkins) Biggest defeat: 1-8 (v. Phil Taylor)

Ronnie Baxter Longest unbeaten run: 3 Most consecutive wins: 2 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 1 Longest without a win: 6 Biggest victory: 8-4 (v. Raymond van Barneveld) Biggest defeat: 2-8 (v. Raymond van Barneveld)

Raymond van Barneveld Longest unbeaten run: 2 Most consecutive wins: 2 Most consecutive draws: 1 Most consecutive losses: 5 Longest without a win: 6 Biggest victory: 8-2 (v. Ronnie Baxter) Biggest defeat: 2-8 (v. Phil Taylor (twice))

Adrian Lewis Longest unbeaten run: 2 Most consecutive wins: 2 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses:2 Longest without a win: 5 Biggest victory: 8-3 (v. Raymond van Barneveld) Biggest defeat: 1-8 (v. Phil Taylor)

Terry Jenkins Longest unbeaten run: 3 Most consecutive wins: 2 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 6 Longest without a win: 6 Biggest victory: 8-4 (v. Ronnie Baxter) Biggest defeat: 2-8 (v. Mervyn King)

References

External links Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts