PDC Awards: Michael Smith named player of the year after his world championship exploits

sportinglife.com

02 February 2023

PDC Awards: Michael Smith named player of the year after his world championship exploits

Newly-crowned World Champion Smith, who also celebrated Grand Slam of Darts and US Darts Masters glory in 2022, pipped Michael van Gerwen to the prestigious award.

Smith received global acclaim following his Alexandra Palace exploits, which saw him land an astonishing nine-darter en route to victory over Van Gerwen in an epic final on January 3.

The 32-year-old also appeared in UK Open and European Championship finals in 2022, while celebrating three Players Championship wins and a European Tour success at the Dutch Darts Championship.

Smith’s treble success in the 2022 PDC Annual Awards also saw him crowned Selco Fans’ Player of the Year and PDPA Players’ Player of the Year.

The world number one received almost 60% of the vote from a record number of fans who took part in the Selco Fans’ Player of the Year poll, while he claimed 40% of the votes from his fellow professionals.

“To pick up three awards shows I’m doing something right!” joked Smith, who joins the likes of Van Gerwen, Phil Taylor, Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price in claiming multiple awards in one year.

“At the minute I’m on a massive rollercoaster and I’m loving every minute. I’ve put so much hard work in and I’m getting rewarded for it now.

“The fans’ award is one of the special ones, because they have lived it with me. They have felt the heartache I’ve felt, and they felt the joy when I won it. It feels really special.

“I won the Players’ Player of the Year in 2019, so to win my second one, I must be one of the players that people enjoy watching!

“I’m lost for words really. To win awards like this is amazing, but the hard work starts now. That was for 2022, and now I’ve got to work even harder in 2023.”

Elsewhere, Ross Smith, Luke Humphries and Josh Rock were also amongst the players recognised following their achievements over the last 12 months.

Ross Smith’s display in October’s European Championship final was judged the Toyo Tires Televised Performance of the Year, as the Kent star celebrated his first televised title in Dortmund.

The 34-year-old defeated his namesake Michael Smith in a thrilling final, averaging over 101, landing eight maximums and converting four ton-plus checkouts to close out a landmark 11-8 victory.

World number five Humphries was awarded ProTour Player of the Year after scooping five titles throughout 2022, which included four European Tour successes.

The 27-year-old claimed a maiden Players Championship crown, before lifting European Tour titles in Munich, Prague, Stuttgart and Trier to cap off a superb ProTour campaign where he earned £187,750 in prize money.

Elsewhere, emerging star Rock received the Moneybarn Best Newcomer and Winmau Young Player of the Year awards following a sensational breakthrough season in 2022.

Rock, who claimed five Development Tour titles and a maiden ProTour crown last term, announced his big stage arrival at November’s Grand Slam of Darts, landing a nine-dart finish in a titanic tussle against Van Gerwen.

The 21-year-old then lifted the Winmau World Youth Championship title just weeks later, before he continued his remarkable rise with a run to the last 16 on his Cazoo World Darts Championship debut.