Woof, Woof! . . . Old Dog Jonny Clayton is leaving his Rivals Howling at the Moon

The 51-year-old Carmarthenshire hero declared himself an “old dog” still capable of mixing it with the very best.

Clayton underlined that point in emphatic fashion in Rotterdam on Thursday night, battling past Luke Littler 6-4 in the final to secure back-to-back nightly wins and extend his lead at the top of the table. 

Meanwhile, fellow Welshman Gerwyn Price remains third in the standings despite another quarter-final exit.

READ MORE: Jonny Clayton Tells Luke Littler it's Time to Chase the Ferret

The evening belonged to Clayton, whose composure and clinical finishing once again set him apart. 

After falling 2-0 behind to a fast-starting Littler – who is less than half Clayton’s age - he gradually took control, punishing missed opportunities and delivering when it mattered most.

Reflecting on his victory—and perhaps the motivation behind it—Clayton said: “I don’t know what happened there. I had to do something special because it is my 20th anniversary tonight and I did forget so maybe this makes it all right.

“I started out slow but, the chances, you’ve got to take, and I’ve taken them again tonight, and that’s all that counts. 

“Luke’s an amazing darts player. But this old dog has got some life in him yet.”

READ MORE: Ice Cool Gerwyn Price Chilled and Waiting for Premier League Finals Night

That sentiment has defined Clayton’s recent surge. Written off by some earlier in the campaign, he has responded with consistency, turning criticism into fuel. 

“I don't watch many games back but I watched last week's game against Michael [van Gerwen] back and it hurt a little bit when someone said I was favourite to finish bottom - that really hurt and annoyed me,” he said.

“I've been here three times before and I've done finals night so hopefully I can prove them wrong.

“Definitely [it has given him some fuel]. They might be looking at some other people. They've got the wrong person.”

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His run to the title in Rotterdam was far from straightforward. Clayton opened with a convincing 6-2 win over home favourite Michael van Gerwen, silencing the crowd early, before edging past Josh Rock 6-5 in a tense semi-final.

Littler, meanwhile, had to navigate a hostile atmosphere throughout the night, with Dutch fans still reacting to his recent exchange with Gian van Veen. 

Despite the boos, the teenager impressed—defeating Price in the quarter-finals and then overcoming Luke Humphries in a dramatic 6-5 semi-final.

He even acknowledged the reception, saying: “Exactly what I expected, the boos and whistles, but I knew as soon as I got on stage I could do my job.”

But Clayton proved a step too far. While Littler’s scoring bursts kept him competitive, his finishing let him down, hitting just four of 15 attempts at doubles. 

In contrast, Clayton’s efficiency—particularly a 60% checkout rate—made the difference.

The victory leaves Clayton five points clear at the summit, with Littler in second and Price holding onto third place. 

With a significant gap to those outside the top four, both Price, Clayton and Littler look well on course for finals night at the O2 Arena.