Masters win gives darts ace Jonny a career dilemma
JONNY Clayton has become a fully fledged member of darts’ big league – and now faces arguably the toughest decision of his life.
The Pontyberem man enjoyed the biggest pay day of his career on Sunday when he stormed to the Ladbrokes Masters title and with it a cheque for £60,000.
Clayton, who began the tournament as a 150-1 outsider, beat Mervyn King 11-8 in the final at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.
It was his first individual televised PDC title.
As a result of his victory, the man known as the Ferret clinched the 10th and final spot in the Premier League. It will be his first appearance in the money-spinning event, though the exact start date remains unclear as a result of the ongoing coronavirus emergency.
Clayton only learned of his place as he prepared to lift the Masters trophy when the news was confirmed on stage.
“To hear that up there was a shock,” he admitted. “I’m over the moon, absolutely chuffed to bits.
“I was hoping for a place in the Premier League. It’s amazing.”
But he has some hard thinking to do before he takes up his spot in one of the sport’s most high-profile events.
Clayton also works as a plasterer with Carmarthenshire County Council, but will have to consider his options in the coming weeks.
“I don’t know if I’m going to finish work,” he said.
“Let’s see. I don’t know. “Maybe it is time. I need to give it my best shot that I’ve got so it’s a lot of hard thinking, big chats with wife Elen and the kids, so let’s see.”
The bookies may have written off his chances, but Clayton produced a series of stunning performances before seeing off King in the final.
Ironically, the final was perhaps the Welshman’s easiest match of the week as he pulled away while his experienced opponent lost his rhythm in the middle of the contest.
His first four matches had all gone to sudden-death finales.
In the opening round he defeated Jose de Sousa 6-5, then at the next stage he saw off tournament favourite and former world champion Michael van Gerwen 10-9.
Clayton then beat James Wade 10-9 in the quarter-finals and produced a superb comeback from 7-3 and 8-6 down to stun Peter Wright 11-10 in the semis.
He also found himself behind in the final against King – who had beaten Wales’s world champion Gerwyn Price in the last four – but fought back once more to run out a comfortable winner.
“To get over that winning line in my first individual final is an amazing feeling,” said Clayton. “It wasn’t the best of matches. We’ve both played better in this tournament, but that was to be expected given what was at stake.
“I was so glad I didn’t have to play another deciding leg.
“At one stage I thought Mervyn was going to take me all the way.
“He went to sleep for a couple of legs and I took advantage to go in front, and from there I played pretty consistent.”
Clayton’s victory caps a remarkable few months for Welsh darts.
In November he teamed up with Price to win the World Cup of Darts for Wales, while last month Price became world champion for the first time with victory over Gary Anderson in the final.
He took over the world No. 1 spot in the process.