Peter Wright is world number one darts player after Gerwyn Price fails to reach UK Open final

By Sporting Life

Darts

Sun March 06, 2022 · 3y ago

Peter Wright is world number one for the first time in his illustrious career after Gerwyn Price failed to reach the UK Open final.

Snakebite has been agonisingly close to overtaking Price at the top of the PDC's Order of Merit since winning his second world title at the Ally Pally on January 3 - and victory over the Iceman in the second ranking event of the season closed the gap to less than £10,000.

Wright could have wrestled top spot off Price last Sunday when they met in the final of the International Darts Open, only for the Welshman to produce a blockbuster performance in an 8-4 victory.

Price, who was just £6,500 ahead of Wright in the Order of Merit before this weekend, was defending £40,000 from being UK Open runner-up two years ago so needed to reach the final once again to stay at the summit regardless of what Wright did.

A run to the semi-finals for Wright would have meant Price needed to win the UK Open but Snakebite fell in the sixth round to William O'Connor.

However Price was beaten my Michael Smith in a pulsating quarter-final on Sunday, meaning Wright could now celebrating reaching another career milestone.

𝗦𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙𝗙 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Gerwyn Price is OUT! ❌

Michael Smith produces a truly sensational performance to secure a spot in the semi-finals, defeating Gerwyn Price 10-7 in a dramatic encounter!

Sheer darting drama! 🤯#CazooUKOpen | Quarter-Finals pic.twitter.com/Q6xoAN6uxb
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 6, 2022