Peter Wright (5/1 to win The Masters – outright) says he is focused on achieving more in 2022 on the back of a World Championship and Matchplay double last year.
Snakebite had another phenomenal year in 2021 and elevated himself to one of the game’s greats with some magnificent performances.
In July, he defeated Dimitri van den Bergh to win the Matchplay at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens – his first time lifting the Phil Taylor Trophy.
Just before the World Championship, he beat Ryan Searle in a last-leg decider to win the Players Championship Finals in Minehead and then he claimed the big prize for the second time.
Wright survived Scares against Damon Heta and Callan Rydz before storming to victory against Michael Smith in the final.
Those achievements have landed him the gong of PDC Players of the Year, beating fellow nominees Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price, and James Wade (Masters outright – Price 4/1, Clayton 7/1, Wade 25/1) to the award.
Wright says he wants to emulate the achievements of Taylor and continue winning in 2022, starting with the Masters in Milton Keynes this weekend.
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“Jonny [Clayton] had an amazing year, but I think winning the two biggest ranking TV tournaments probably won me this award; thank you to the selection panel for selecting me,” he said.
“It’s nice to get recognition for your achievements over the last year, and now I want more in 2022.
“Phil [Taylor] always had that hunger to win more, and a few years ago, I couldn’t understand it, but now I’ve got that same hunger to add as many titles to my name as I can.”
The world’s top 24 players will compete in Masters this year, with Wright looking to win for a second time and Clayton seeking to defend his crown.
The top eight players in the world enter in round two, with those ranked below entering in Friday’s first round.
Wright will play the winner of Dirk van Duijvenbode or Simon Whitlock in round two.
Clayton faces the prospect of Van den Bergh or Ian White in round two, while a matchup against Searle or Mervyn King awaits Price, who still remains world number one.
Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen (Outright 4/1) will face either Devon Petersen or Luke Humphries in round two as he aims to get 2022 off to a flyer after failing to win a televised tournament in 2021 – the first time that has happened for a decade.
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