Darts

Michael Smith is the 2023 World Champion for the first time defeating Michael Van Gerwen 7-4 , Michael Smith also hit a nine darter after Michael Van Gerwen missed it on the same legs that's unbelievable he is also only the second player to hit a nine darter in the final after Lewis who beat Anderson in that 2011 final what a good omen that was.

Well done to Smith, bad luck van Gerwen.

Congrats to Michael Smith, Having watched highlights MVG was averaging higher than Smith at one point but it didn'r seem like missing that 9 darter rattled MVG too much and I guess had he got it he might not have lost, but a great final though and great sportmanship and respect shown when Smith won.
What were final averages?

Michael Smith 100.71
Michael Van Gerwen 99.58

I did half wonder after Smith won the Grand Slam Of Darts whether the floodgates might open and if he might start winning more regularly.
Might be a sign of things to come.
He is finding ways to win matches like never before and his confidence must be sky high.

It only takes one major , look at Peter Wright for example couldn't win a major now he is a 2-Times World Champion and he is a lot older then Michael Smith , Michael Smith could easily win 30 + majors and that's after losing 8 finals in a row as he is still young and it will be a long time before he retires.

A favourite clip of mine partly down to the Mardle commentary .

https://youtu.be/Za1T9P8XyTE

(09-01-2023 03:55 )Kingsmind Wrote:  Michael Smith could easily win 30 + majors and

Even Phil Taylor didn't "easily" win all his majors

Didn't really mean easy as in easy game just talking about how young he is that's why he's got a lot of majors left in him he is still young.

Still Taylor won 83 major titles in his career so he went way past the 30. (also including the 4 BDO titles)

Floodgates well and truly opened.
Now Michael Smith has won the Bahrain Darts Masters beating Gerwyn Price 8-6 in the final.