Phil Taylor
After regaining his World Championship crown after three years, Phil Taylor is back to his very best as he look to retain his Premier League title.
The Power has won the event six out of the eight times in has been staged so far, including the first four in a row.
It is also in this tournament that Taylor achieved perhaps his best moment of greatness as he hit two nine-darters during the one game - and that being in a final victory over James Wade.
It is a sign of how dominant Phil Taylor has been that a year in which he has won six top-level tournaments in 2012 was seen as not up to his usual standards.
After the disappointment of a second-round exit to Dave Chisnall at Alexandra Palace in 2012, the usual 'Is Taylor finished?' debate surfaced once again.
Major titles
World Championship (16 times), World Masters (once), World Matchplay (13 times), World Grand Prix (10 times), Grand Slam (four times), Premier League (six times), Las Vegas Desert Classic (five times), European Championship (four times), UK Open (four times), US Open (four times), Players' Championship Final (three times), World Cup (once)
But success in the World Cup (with Adrian Lewis), Premier League, World Matchplay, German Darts Championship, Championship League Darts and, most recently, Players Championship Finals gave an emphatic answer.
Defeat by Robert Thornton in the final of the UK Open though disappointing was also an improvement on 2011 and there have been nine-darters and the usual amount of ridiculously high ton-plus averages thrown in along the way.
By way of an example, the 117.35 he recorded in beating Simon Whitlock was the highest in the Premier League's history.
Fact box
- Date of birth: 13.08.60
- Birthplace: Stoke-on-Trent
- Nickname: The Power
- World Championship best: Winner (15 times)
- Walk-on music: The Power
Taylor has dominated this event since its inception, winning it 14 of the 20 times it has been staged to add to the two titles he had claimed before the game split into its two rival factions in 1992.
And with his former protege Lewis having won back-to-back titles, the 52-year-old was more determined than ever to reclaim the biggest crown of all.
Many doubted that Taylor could still produce the goods, and although he may not have shown the very best of his game of old, he showed he is still the biggest competitor around.
A nasty spat with Raymond van Barneveld at the end of their semi-final almost spoiled the tournament for Taylor, but he regained his composure to come from behind to beat Michael van Gerwen in the final.
