Besides a considerable cash prize, ‘The Ferret’ also secured the last place in the Premier League Darts by winning the 2021 Ladbrokes Masters.
by Isti Miskolczy
Photo courtesy of Lawrence Lustig/PDC
Welshman Jonny Clayton defeated Mervyn King from England 11-8 in the finals of the 2021 Darts Ladbrokes Masters, thus also claimed the last spot in the draw of the Premier League Darts that will start around Easter in Cardiff. Clayton also won £60,000, with runner-up King having to settle for £25,000.
This will be Clayton’s first full appearance in the Premier League, although in 2020 he made his debut as a challenger of Michael Smith. “To hear that (…) was a shock” he commented. “I am over the moon, absolutely chuffed to bits. I was hoping for a place in the Premier League – it’s amazing” he added.
Winning the 2021 Ladbrokes Masters is Clayton’s first single televised title, with previously winning the World Cup of Darts alongside compatriot, current world number one and 2021 world champion, Gerwyn Price – who was defeated 11-10 by Mervyn King in the semi-finals of the Masters. Clayton won a last leg shoot-out against 2020 World Champion Peter Wright in the other semi-final. The Ferret also sent Michael Van Gerwen home
Jonny Clayton will be joining Belgian Dimitri Van den Bergh and Portuguese Jose de Sousa in their Premier League Darts Debut upon the former winning the 2020 World Matchplay and the latter securing a victory in the 2020 Grand Slam of Darts.
As a result, the 10th and last spot in the draw of the 2021 Premier League Darts has been filled – which, however, was delayed due to coronavirus restrictions from the original start on the 4th of February. Thus the next televised PDC major will be the Ladbrokes UK Open on the same location as the Ladbrokes Masters: Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes.
