Dirk van Duijvenbode has been tipped to be included in the Premier League Darts lineup after eliminating Gerwyn Price from the Masters on his way to the quarter-finals.
The Dutchman was in impressive form against the below-par Price, winning 10-8 in Milton Keynes. He was leading the final leg when 'The Iceman' applied some pressure by hitting a 180, but Van Duijvenbode was the one who kept his cool to produce a treble 16, double 18 finish to win the match and seal his place in the last eight.
He turned to give a big roar in celebration to the crowd after his victory, and the fan-favourite was getting plenty of love on social media too, as supporters backed him to be one of the wildcard picks for the Premier League on current form.
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One fan was adamant, reacting to Van Duijvenbode's win, writing: "Just played himself into the Premier League." Other fans concurred, with one stating: "Premier League is about entertainment, he is the most entertaining player in darts get him in."
Another added: "There’s no way this man doesn’t get into the prem." The Premier League gets under way in Belfast on Thursday and involves eight players – the top four from the PDC's Order of Merit, plus four wildcards.
Who should the wilcard picks for the Premier League be? Have your say in the comments below.
As things stand, Michael Smith, Peter Wright, Michael van Gerwen and Price would get the four allocated PDC slots, while Van Duijvenbode is currently 13th on the list, but playing his way into contention for a wildcard pick.
Speaking after his win, Van Duijvenbode said: "Normally I don't beat him [Price], so I'm just happy that I beat him. I think I was 5-3 up then he hit two big finishes to keep him in the game, because it easily could have been 7-2 or 7-3 up, that's what he always used to do against me. I know what he can do. He never collapses under pressure, I'm just happy that I won in the end."
Asked about his thoughts on his next round tie against Chris Dobey, Van Duijvenbode said honestly: "I don't feel that confident at the moment. I need to be at my best to beat Chris Dobey, I've been watching his game this afternoon, he looked very solid. He's been playing very well."
Meanwhile, Price was well off his usual standards and posted a message to his Instagram account after the defeat, which read: "Surprised how I played in patches considering, I battled but wasn't to be. Home to the family and mainly my bed until the foreseeable. Good luck all."
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