Premier League Darts 2016 Results: Scores, Standings, Schedule After Rotterdam
A loud and formidable crowd in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, greeted the superstars of Premier League Darts on Thursday as the competition made its first-ever visit to continental Europe.
Michael van Gerwen beat Phil Taylor 7-5 in the main event of the evening, with Mighty Mike finishing top of the league as the atmosphere overwhelmed the darts players.
The Dutch crowd lifted the roof off the Rotterdam Ahoy on Night 15 as the regular season concluded on Thursday.
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Raymond van Barneveld walked out to a hero's reception in his home country but had to settle for a hard-fought 6-6 draw.
Adrian Lewis clinched a place in the play-offs after a 7-2 win against world champion Gary Anderson. The Flying Scotsman makes up the final four to play at the O2 in London.
James Wade opened the night by sweeping Robert Thornton aside, winning 7-3.
Here are the confirmed results from the Netherlands and the latest schedule:
| Robert Thornton vs. James Wade | 3-7 |
| Peter Wright vs. Raymond van Barneveld | 6-6 |
| Adrian Lewis vs. Gary Anderson | 7-2 |
| Phil Taylor vs. Michael van Gerwen | 5-7 |
| Thursday, May 19 | Play-Offs | London |
Here are the final standings via the PDC:
Amazing Crowd Arrive for Night 15
Van Gerwen will never have heard a noise like he did Thursday, as the home crowd cheered the opening darts thrown from his hands in a thrilling match, but two 180s in a row were not enough in the first leg as Taylor held his throw in a psychological blow.
However, Mighty Mike pulled it back to 1-1 as the crowd got on The Power's back. The Dutchman then broke his opponent's throw to go 2-1 up—as Taylor struggled to play through the incredible noise levels.
The Power turned to the crowd and punched the air as he made it 2-2, and the legend dug deep to grab a 3-2 lead. It was soon 3-3 as MvG appeared inspired after an erratic start, and the battle followed the script to make it four legs apiece.
Taylor suddenly looked under pressure as he slowed down his game, tempting Van Gerwen to find another gear and take the lead with a brilliant 164 checkout and bull's-eye.
The finish damaged The Power's resolve, and his form looked compromised, despite flashes of genius. Taylor won a 10th leg to level once again. But Van Gerwen is in a class of his own when he is in the zone, and he rushed to a 7-5 win to top the table.
The PDC shared footage of the winning darts:
Van Barneveld failed to bring his best game to Rotterdam but scrapped a 6-6 draw against a robust Peter Wright.
As always, Snakebite played to the crowd, but the audience were certified as the Barney Army—as this amazing footage shows, via the PDC:
Wright initially missed six darts at a double before claiming the opening leg, with Barney clearly more nervous in front of a tremendous home support mirroring a football crowd.
The home favourite hit back to finish a 120 to level with another ton-plus checkout, but Van Barneveld was clearly out of form and confidence.
Wright skipped ahead of his opponent to take a 6-5 lead as he searched for victory. However, the crowd once again came into play, as they jeered when the Scot was throwing for the victory.
The moment allowed Barney a chance of a strained draw, and the legend completed a 121 checkout and bull's-eye finish to turn his countrymen delirious.
3 Dart Analyst provided stats from the match:
Wade was in fine form on Thursday night as the Dutch fans warmly applauded an excellent display from the Machine against the Thorn.
The crowd cheered a 160 checkout from Wade to the rafters as both men started in strong form.
The Englishman strung the legs together, keeping Thornton at bay and at a safe reach.
Wade took a 4-4 advantage and never looked back, sealing a 7-4 win to canter over the finish line and take the points on offer.
The player said it was one of the greatest atmospheres he has ever played in after the match, via PDC:
Lewis produced a vintage display to easily beat Anderson, and both men will now feature in the play-offs to determine the 2016 champion.
Jackpop produced his best darts for a number of weeks as he raced to a 5-2 lead, suffocating Anderson's time at the oche with flowing skill and precision.
The full auditorium in Rotterdam proved how far the sport has come in the past decade, and the atmosphere rivalled the top team sports in the world.
Van Gerwen will surely be the favourite to lift the title in London, but the top four players in the world will be in attendance in what promises to be one of the greatest nights in darts history.
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