Wayne Mardle
Darts Expert & Columnist @Wayne501Mardle
Premier League Darts: Wayne Mardle can't believe Chris Dobey wasn't nervous playing Michael van Gerwen in Belfast final
Wayne Mardle: "Tonight proves the outsider of the pack is not necessarily the outsider of the pack" I The Cardiff International Arena hosts the second of 17 individual venues on Thursday, February 9 with the play-offs returning to The O2 in London on Thursday, May 25
Last Updated: 03/02/23 6:31am
Wayne Mardle found it "mind-boggling" that Premier League debutant 'Hollywood' Chris Dobey wasn't nervous playing Michael van Gerwen in Thursday's Belfast final.
Newly-crowned Masters champion Dobey stunned the field with a hat-trick of victories at a sell-out SSE Arena to cap off a life-changing seven days.
The 32-year-old from Bedlington kicked off Night One with a 6-3 defeat of Peter Wright, before seeing off Nathan Aspinall 6-4 to reach the final.
Dobey landed a 170 checkout in the second leg before stunning six-time defending champion Van Gerwen with a sensational 160 checkout in a deciding leg shoot-out.
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"You've either got it or you haven't in terms of that ability and because he knows he's got the ability, that panic hasn't set in because he knows he can win," said Sky Sports' analyst, Mardle.
"That Masters win is going to be the catalyst for we don't know, but it's a catalyst for tonight most definitely.
"Now he's settled in the Premier League. I'm going to say Michael van Gerwen has settled and probably Dimitri Van den Bergh. The others? Maybe not, but that was an amazing win.
"I thought he was nervy in the last leg because he was hitting 60, then missing, 60 first dart, then missing. But then left the 160 and he didn't look nervy one bit.
"Every mistake Michael van Gerwen made, Chris Dobey punished him and at the moment things are going his way but he's creating that for himself."
Mardle continued: "I love seeing new winners, especially talented players that are finally getting their just desserts. We saw it in the worlds with Michael Smith and now Chris Dobey.
"He's been a great player for a long time but those little small increments of quality and consistency, it's not even the consistency. He's better. His all-round game is better. This is what happens so good luck to him."
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Dobey, who was only announced in the Premier League field on Monday, capped a memorable night with a Hollywood ending. The 160 finish in Thursday night's final left Mardle totally gobsmacked.
"He knows his own ability and like he said, he wasn't nervous which is just mind-boggling to me. Yeah, crack on Chris," said 'Hawaii 501'.
"I still think Michael van Gerwen is still the man to beat though and they know he's still the man to beat, but tonight proves the outsider of the pack is not necessarily the outsider of the pack."
2023 Premier League Schedule
| Night 2 | Cardiff International Arena | February 9 |
| Night 3 | OVO Hydro, Glasgow | February 16 |
| Night 4 | 3Arena, Dublin | February 23 |
| Night 5 | Westpoint Exeter | March 2 |
| Night 6 | The Brighton Centre | March 9 |
| Night 7 | Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham | March 16 |
| Night 8 | Utilita Arena, Newcastle | March 23 |
| Night 9 | Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin | March 30 |
| Night 10 | Utilita Arena, Birmingham | April 6 |
| Night 11 | M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool | April 13 |
| Night 12 | Rotterdam Ahoy | April 20 |
| Night 13 | First Direct Arena, Leeds | April 27 |
| Night 14 | AO Arena, Manchester | May 4 |
| Night 15 | Utilita Arena, Sheffield | May 11 |
| Night 16 | P&J Live, Aberdeen | May 18 |
| Play-Offs | The O2, London | May 25 |
We're back for more Premier League Darts action from the Cardiff International Arena on Thursday, February 9 - live on Sky Sports Arena from 7pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 7.30pm.
