Confident Simon Whitlock has vowed to relish the daunting challenge of facing the world’s top two players in the same night as the race to reach Premier League Darts finals night hots up.
The 44-year-old Australian is involved in a double-header at the NIA in Birmingham on Thursday night, taking on 16-times World Champion and world number one Phil Taylor and current league leader and world number two Michael van Gerwen.
But, after back-to-back victories over Robert Thornton and Andy Hamilton, ‘The Wizard’ is approaching the dual assignment with excitement.
“The reason we all love professional darts is for nights like this,” said Whitlock, the world number five.
“To play the top two players in the world rankings is as tough as it comes and I know I will have to be at my very best to get the right results.
“But I’ve had two successive victories now so I’m feeling good and looking forward to the challenge.
“I feel I’m getting stronger as the Premier League season goes on so hopefully I can continue that run for the next three weeks and push for the play-offs.”
The top four players after Newcastle on May 9 will qualify for finals night in London a week later.
Whitlock is currently seventh in the table, three points adrift of Taylor in fourth spot, but with a game in hand on all but one of the players above him.
“I probably need to win three or four of my last five games to stand a realistic chance of qualifying,” he added.
“It’s a tough challenge but the last two weeks have put me right back in contention.”
Whitlock features in the second and fifth matches at Birmingham.
Article courtesy of Simon Whitlock’s sponsors LEYLAND PAINTS
Image courtesy of Lawrence Lustig/PDC