Jonny Clayton overcame a severe gout flare-up to win his second Premier League night in Nottingham, despite being barely able to walk. The Welshman, known as 'the Ferret', limped around the stage due to the inflammatory arthritis affecting his ankle, but his throwing arm remained unaffected as he defeated Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting, and Luke Humphries.
The victory moved Clayton eight points clear at the top of the league standings. Gout is a persistent issue for the darts star, who manages the condition with daily medication. He noted that the condition is unpredictable, having previously affected his elbow during his first Premier League season.
Following his win, Clayton said: 'I do get flare-ups, so obviously I take medication every day. Funnily enough, it was in my elbow in my first year in the Premier League. So it's moved now to my ankle. You just take your medication. I could go back to bed tonight, wake up tomorrow as if there's nothing there. It is weird, proper weird.'
Clayton stated there was 'no chance' he could play the European Tour event in Germany and later officially withdrew. Luke Humphries also pulled out, leaving Van Gerwen as the top seed. World number one Luke Littler is not playing due to his ongoing boycott of events in Germany.
