The 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League was a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation.

The tournament kicked off at the Echo Arena Liverpool, which hosted the biggest ever crowd for a PDC event of almost 8,000 in 2008.

New venues in Edinburgh and Exeter joined some of the UK's biggest arenas, including Belfast's Odyssey Arena, Manchester's MEN Arena, Birmingham's National Indoor Arena, the Sheffield Arena and Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena.

The tournament came to a conclusion with the play-offs on Monday 25 May at the Wembley Arena – coinciding with the Football League play-offs at the neighbouring Wembley Stadium over the same weekend. Phil Taylor was defending his Whyte & Mackay Premier League title once again, however he failed to retain it after losing to Mervyn King 10–6 in the semi-finals. James Wade beat King 13–8 in the final, to claim the £125,000 first prize and the first Premier League not to be claimed by Taylor.

Qualification The top six players from the PDC Order of Merit following the 2009 PDC World Darts Championship were confirmed on 5 January. Jelle Klaasen and Wayne Mardle were named as the two Sky Sports wild card selections on 9 January.

Qualifiers are as follows:

Phil Taylor James Wade Raymond van Barneveld John Part Terry Jenkins Mervyn King Wayne Mardle Jelle Klaasen

Venues Fifteen venues were used in the 2009 Premier League, with the only changes from 2008 being Edinburgh and Exeter replacing Plymouth and Bournemouth.

Liverpool Edinburgh Coventry Belfast Newcastle Echo Arena Liverpool5 February Royal Highland Showground12 February Ricoh Arena19 February Odyssey Arena26 February Metro Radio Arena5 March Manchester Brighton Birmingham Glasgow Exeter MEN Arena12 March Brighton Centre19 March National Indoor Arena26 March SECC2 April Westpoint Arena9 April Nottingham Aberdeen Sheffield Cardiff London Trent FM Arena16 April AECC23 April Sheffield Arena30 April Cardiff International Arena7 May Wembley Arena25 May

Prize money The prize fund increased again with the top prize now reaching £125,000, and the total prize fund rising to £400,000.

Stage Prize money Winner £125,000 Runner-up £65,000 Semi-finalists (x2) £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 £400,000

Results Players in italics are challengers, and games involving them are best of 12 legs, not best of 14 as the regular matches, and they also don't count towards the standings.

League stage

5 February – Week 1 Echo Arena, Liverpool PlayerLegsPlayer James Wade 93.12 7 – 7 John Part 88.23 Jelle Klaasen 97.50 7 – 7 Terry Jenkins 96.95 Mervyn King 97.63 8 – 1 Wayne Mardle 85.76 96.55 4 – 8 Phil Taylor 107.50 High Checkout: Raymond van Barneveld 161

12 February – Week 2 Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh PlayerLegsPlayer John Part 92.43 7 – 7 99.87 Wayne Mardle 88.62 7 – 7 Terry Jenkins 95.82 Phil Taylor 101.94 8 – 2 Jelle Klaasen 82.41 James Wade 90.56 1 – 8 Mervyn King 104.00 High Checkout: Wayne Mardle 160

19 February – Week 3 Ricoh Arena, Coventry PlayerLegsPlayer Terry Jenkins 99.36 7 – 7 Phil Taylor 101.86 103.19 4 – 8 James Wade 107.77 Mervyn King 103.09 8 – 2 John Part 94.98 Jelle Klaasen 88.49 6 – 8 Wayne Mardle 88.29 High Checkout: Wayne Mardle 156

26 February – Week 4 Odyssey Arena, Belfast PlayerLegsPlayer John Part 87.90 8 – 1 Wayne Mardle 88.68 Mervyn King 97.61 8 – 4 Jelle Klaasen 88.38 James Wade 105.35 8 – 4 Phil Taylor 104.69 Terry Jenkins 101.71 6 – 8 106.51 High Checkout: Jelle Klaasen 158

5 March – Week 5 Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle upon Tyne PlayerLegsPlayer Jelle Klaasen 94.51 6 – 8 James Wade 91.46 Phil Taylor 106.36 7 – 7 Mervyn King 102.97 Wayne Mardle 90.76 7 – 7 95.70 John Part 92.14 8 – 5 Terry Jenkins 92.62 High Checkout: James Wade 170

12 March – Week 6 MEN Arena, Manchester PlayerLegsPlayer 105.82 8 – 3 Mervyn King 100.80 Jelle Klaasen 90.57 7 – 7 John Part 88.63 Terry Jenkins 94.97 5 – 8 James Wade 92.50 Phil Taylor 99.17 8 – 4 Wayne Mardle 90.44 High Checkout: Jelle Klaasen 170

19 March – Week 7 Brighton Centre, Brighton PlayerLegsPlayer Mervyn King 89.27 5 – 8 Terry Jenkins 94.92 Wayne Mardle 91.31 3 – 8 James Wade 98.74 91.51 8 – 3 Jelle Klaasen 85.99 Phil Taylor 104.05 8 – 3 John Part 95.14 High Checkout: Phil Taylor 170

26 March – Week 8 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham PlayerLegsPlayer Wayne Mardle 85.06 2 – 8 Mervyn King 96.24 Terry Jenkins 89.88 6 – 8 Jelle Klaasen 95.40 John Part 99.28 7 – 7 James Wade 99.22 Phil Taylor 101.32 8 – 2 96.76 High Checkout: Mervyn King 126

2 April – Week 9 SECC, Glasgow PlayerLegsPlayer 103.32 8 – 1 John Part 94.75 Terry Jenkins 92.74 8 – 2 Wayne Mardle 87.00 Jelle Klaasen 93.43 6 – 8 Phil Taylor 101.31 Mervyn King 86.50 8 – 3 James Wade 84.55 High Checkout: Mervyn King 119

9 April – Week 10 Westpoint Arena, Exeter PlayerLegsPlayer John Part 88.95 8 – 6 Mervyn King 87.43 Phil Taylor 97.51 7 – 7 Terry Jenkins 94.89 James Wade 100.45 8 – 5 98.58 John Part † 90.67 7 – 7 Jelle Klaasen 89.47 High Checkout: John Part 150

16 April – Week 11 Trent FM Arena, Nottingham PlayerLegsPlayer Jelle Klaasen 97.23 7 – 7 Mervyn King † 95.80 James Wade 108.17 8 – 1 Terry Jenkins 95.71 Mervyn King 97.62 7 – 7 96.84 Phil Taylor 103.85 7 – 7 James Wade † 94.18 High Checkout: James Wade 145

23 April – Week 12 AECC, Aberdeen PlayerLegsPlayer James Wade 105.26 7 – 2 Robert Thornton 86.59 Terry Jenkins 97.18 7 – 7 Mervyn King 99.42 Jelle Klaasen 89.70 5 – 8 96.88 John Part 100.05 3 – 8 Phil Taylor 116.01* High Checkout: Phil Taylor 161

30 April – Week 13 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield PlayerLegsPlayer 101.86 7 – 5 Adrian Lewis 98.70 Phil Taylor 98.94 7 – 4 Dennis Priestley 97.31 Terry Jenkins 98.87 8 – 3 John Part 83.33 James Wade 102.00 8 – 4 Jelle Klaasen 90.23 High Checkout: James Wade 170

7 May – Week 14 Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff PlayerLegsPlayer Jelle Klaasen 94.90 7 – 3 Mark Webster 84.72 John Part 93.54 4 – 7 Gary Anderson 107.40 93.76 7 – 7 Terry Jenkins 93.61 Mervyn King 95.49 2 – 8 Phil Taylor 106.74 High Checkout: Gary Anderson 121

Notes † – Wayne Mardle didn't play in week ten because of a virus. John Part played two matches in week ten, with Mardle due to play two matches in week eleven, giving Part the night off that week. However, Mardle was rushed into hospital with mumps on 15 April, which ruled him out of week eleven. This meant that Mervyn King and James Wade each played twice during week eleven, with Mardle now due to play five matches in the last three weeks. Mardle had been due to play two matches in both weeks thirteen and fourteen, which would give King the night off in Sheffield, and Wade the night off in Cardiff. However, Mardle was re-admitted to hospital, ruling him out of week twelve, and in accordance with tournament regulations after missing three consecutive Premier League match nights, was removed from the tournament. Mardle's match results from the tournament were also annulled, hurting some of the remaining players more than others. Following Mardle's removal from the tournament, in order for each remaining night to have four matches, there was a series of challenge matches featuring Robert Thornton, Adrian Lewis, Dennis Priestley, Mark Webster and Gary Anderson.

* – Phil Taylor's average of 116.01 was, at the time, the highest recorded three-dart average in televised darts history. He broke his own record of 114.53, set against Wes Newton during the 2008 UK Open.

Play-offs – 25 May Wembley Arena, London Score Semi-finals (best of 19 legs) Phil Taylor 95.78 6 – 10 Mervyn King 89.86 James Wade 97.93 10 – 8 95.26 Final (best of 25 legs) Mervyn King 85.83 8 – 13 James Wade 90.38 High Checkout: Mervyn King 156 (Final)

Table and Streaks Table

PosNamePldWDLPtsLFLA+/-LWAT100+140+180sAHC1 Phil Taylor12741188858+302919412856104.431702 James Wade W12732178166+15281811144397.44170312534137671+5251881224399.131674 Mervyn King RU12444127670+6282031143796.671305 Terry Jenkins1225597483−9262071294695.891416 John Part1225596386−2318180722592.381507 Jelle Klaasen1214766690−2426173933391.24170 Top four qualify 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 colspan=2 colspan=2 James Wade colspan=2 Raymond van Barneveld colspan=2 colspan=2 Mervyn King colspan=2 Terry Jenkins colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2 rowspan=9 John Part colspan=2 Jelle Klaasen colspan=2 colspan=2 Wayne Mardle colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=3 rowspan=5 Robert Thornton colspan=13 colspan=2 Adrian Lewis align=center colspan=14 Dennis Priestley align=center colspan=14 Mark Webster align=center colspan=15 Gary Anderson align=center colspan=15 NB: W = Won; D = Drawn; L = Lost; N/A = Did Not Play; – indicates match did not count towards final standings

Player statistics

The following statistics are only for league stage games that contributed to the final standings. Annulled fixtures, challenge matches and play-offs are not included.

Phil Taylor Longest unbeaten run: 6 Most consecutive wins: 3 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 1 Longest without a win: 3 Biggest victory: 8–2 (v. Jelle Klaasen, v. Raymond van Barneveld and v. Mervyn King) Biggest defeat: 4–8 (v. James Wade)

James Wade Longest unbeaten run: 5 Most consecutive wins: 4 Most consecutive draws: 1 Most consecutive losses: 1 Longest without a win: 2 Biggest victory: 8–1 (v. Terry Jenkins) Biggest defeat: 1–8 (v. Mervyn King)

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

Mervyn King Longest unbeaten run: 4 Most consecutive wins: 3 Most consecutive draws: 3 Most consecutive losses: 2 Longest without a win: 5 Biggest victory: 8–1 (v. James Wade) Biggest defeat: 2–8 (v. Phil Taylor)

Terry Jenkins Longest unbeaten run: 3 Most consecutive wins: 1 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 3 Longest without a win: 5 Biggest victory: 8–3 (v. John Part) Biggest defeat: 1–8 (v. James Wade)

John Part Longest unbeaten run: 2 Most consecutive wins: 1 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 2 Longest without a win: 4 Biggest victory: 8–5 (v. Terry Jenkins) Biggest defeat: 1–8 (v. Raymond van Barneveld)

Jelle Klaasen Longest unbeaten run: 2 Most consecutive wins: 1 Most consecutive draws: 2 Most consecutive losses: 3 Longest without a win: 6 Biggest victory: 8–6 (v. Terry Jenkins) Biggest defeat: 2–8 (v. Phil Taylor)

References

External links