PETER WRIGHT is hoping that history can repeat itself in the Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals this weekend as he aims to claim his third TV title of 2017.
The Scot has enjoyed a superb year so far, with his 11 tournament victories including triumphs in the UK Open and German Darts Masters to claim his first big-stage wins.
The World Series of Darts Finals gives Wright another chance to claim glory, and after being the runner-up to Michael van Gerwen for the past two years he is aiming to go all the way - as he did in the UK Open.
"I got to the UK Open Final two years on the trot and then finally won it, so I want to do it again at Braehead," said Wright, the number three seed this weekend.
"I’ll probably play Michael in the semi-finals this time, so I'll get rid of him then! Michael’s not quite on his game that he’s been on in the past and when someone’s like that quite on form you jump on top of them.
"It happens to every single darts player on the circuit. A sniff of weakness and they jump all over you. Michael’s got to be very careful."
Colourful Wright will be banking on the support of the Scottish crowd at the Braehead Arena, and he said: "Every time in Glasgow the crowds are behind me 120 per cent which is fantastic.
"It's off-putting for the other guys who have got to play me, but I've got to put up with that when I go to Holland and other places around the world. It's nice to be on your home ground and the crowd are behind you."
Wright's regular changes of dart style has led to him being labelled as the sport's tinker-man, but having won the German Darts Masters with a brand new set recently he is aiming to stick with the successful barrels.
"It would have been nice using these darts all year long to be honest," he said. "It would have been a lot easier, I would have won a lot more tournaments - but you live and learn!"
Wright's success this year has seen him overtake fellow Scot Gary Anderson as the world number two, and he has now set his sights on catching Van Gerwen at the top of the PDC Order of Merit in future.
Wright added: "We've been working it out that, if I win then next couple of tournaments, I could get very close to world number one by the end of the year, or early next year.
"That's been my target for some time to be number one but, obviously, that's next year's plan. But if i can do it earlier, I'll do it earlier.
"I did that in the Premier League, I got into that a year earlier than I thought it would so I can do it again."
Tickets for the Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals are still available through www.braehead-arena.co.uk or 0844 499 1700.