Gerwyn Price insists he will not be weighed down by the expectation that comes with being world number one in the 2021 Unibet Premier League.
Price comes into his fourth Premier League appearance as the world's top player for the first time, as he looks to reach the Play-Offs for the first time on the back of two fifth-placed finishes.
Having claimed glory at the World Championship, the Welshman completed his stratospheric rise from amateur to number one in just seven years, but Price is relishing his new tag.
"I hope I can carry this baton as well as Michael has. I want to go out and enjoy myself; I've done what I wanted to do but I want to pick up more trophies," said Price.
"It's a big effort and to be number one over two years, with the standard of darts as it is now, is crazy - unbelievable.
"I think it's even more difficult than winning the World Championship to become world number one, but knowing how big the prize money is when you win the World Championship then you've obviously got a chance to become world number one.
"It wasn't something that I thought would be possible when I first started, but those dreams that I started dreaming - possibly 12 months ago when I knew it was a reality I could reach number one and I could win the World Championship - have come true.
"I won the World Grand Prix and a few other events and I knew that Michael was defending £500,000 at the end of the year, so I knew that it was possible."
Price's opening assignment in this year's Premier League will see him face Gary Anderson in a rematch of January's Alexandra Palace decider.
Price had produced one of the most clinical displays ever seen in a World Championship final for much of the tie, although he had to recover from missing a dozen match darts before finally securing the Sid Waddell Trophy.
"I've never felt pressure like it before - I've won other majors before, but my arm went to jelly!" Price reflected.
"It was tough to get over the winning line for the first time but I've experienced it now.
"I'd never been in that situation and didn't know how to deal with it. All day I was fine but an hour before, the nerves started kicking in.
"Once I won my first set, I was happy. Gary could possibly have been two sets up and it would have been a totally different game, but I don't think I was ever behind and I was putting Gary under a lot of pressure and felt really comfortable.
"At the end, my emotions were everywhere. I bombed a lot of opportunities but I'm glad that Gary gave me another opportunity and I got that double five in the end."
The Unibet Premier League will be broadcast through Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, RTL7 in the Netherlands, DAZN in various worldwide territories including exclusively in America, as well as through the PDC's global broadcast partners and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers outside of the UK, Ireland, Netherlands & USA.
Play will begin at 1900 BST each night.
2021 Unibet Premier League
Night One - Monday April 5
Nathan Aspinall v Glen Durrant
Rob Cross v Jose de Sousa
Peter Wright v Jonny Clayton
Gerwyn Price v Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Night Two - Tuesday April 6
Gary Anderson v Jose de Sousa
Jonny Clayton v Glen Durrant
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price v Rob Cross
Night Three - Wednesday April 7
Rob Cross v Michael van Gerwen
Glen Durrant v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Peter Wright v Gary Anderson
Nathan Aspinall v Gerwyn Price
Jose de Sousa v Jonny Clayton
Night Four - Thursday April 8
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Peter Wright
Jonny Clayton v Rob Cross
Jose de Sousa v Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price v Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson v Glen Durrant
Night Five - Friday April 9
Gary Anderson v Jonny Clayton
Peter Wright v Rob Cross
Michael van Gerwen v Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price v Glen Durrant
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Jose de Sousa