Jonny Clayton came into the 2021 BoyleSports World Grand Prix knowing that he’d had a good year.

Since winning the World Cup with countryman and world number one Gerwyn Price, he’d also been victorious at The Masters, and won the biggest non-ranked title of the lot in the Premier League on his full league debut.

He’s also bagged a couple of Pro Tour titles, but there was always that nagging doubt. Could he finally do it in a ranked TV event, and help improve his world ranking?

Turns out, this week in Leicester, he could. And then some. In a final against the then reigning champion of this event, The Ferret produced some astonishing arrows, as he thrashed good friend Price 5-1 to claim his first ranked TV title.

While the Order of Merit suggests Clayton is the world number seven after this win, right now, he is the best darts player in the world.

Clinical Clayton sees off the field

Most of the week in Leicester, The Ferret has quietly gone about his business, and that strategy culminated in him lifting the beautiful trophy on Saturday night.

A comfortable round one victory against Callan Rydz, and a win against Jose De Sousa in the rematch of this year’s Premier League final, sealed a quarter final spot against Krzysztof Ratajski. There, despite playing the better of the two, he entered the fourth set trailing 2-1.

No matter. He proceeded to find some fantastic outshots, winning six of the next seven legs to secure a semi final spot, in which he overcame Danny Noppert to set up an all Welsh final against Price.

And did The Ferret save his best game for last. 63% on a starting double, often following up with one or two trebles. Sensational finishing, with checkouts of 170, 164, 110 during the match as The Iceman could not get a look at it.

But that only built up to a fabulous crescendo. In the final two legs of the match, Clayton started and ended on a sensational 152 , before finding a 116 checkout to wrap up the 5-1 victory and complete a fantastic week.

Clayton looks to follow Price with BoyleSports World Grand Prix win

We always do these analysis pieces after big TV tournaments. When Clayton won the Premier League, this writer suggested that if he increased his doubling percentage for tournaments to around 50%, it would not be his last TV title.

He did that this week, hitting over 60% of his checkouts in each of his first three games. While the doubles dropped off to 40% around 43% in the last two, that still gave him a checkout average of 51.8%.

Those finishes in the final, particularly the back to back 170 and 164 to win a third set when Price averaged 115, were spellbinding. They were among the highlights of a truly special performance that saw him lift the BoyleSports World Grand Prix title.

If there were any doubts that Clayton would give up his day job as a plasterer before this tournament, they’re gone now. The sheer volume of tournaments he’ll be involved in next year, not least a gruelling 16 week Premier League schedule, means he simply will not have the time to do both.

While not comparing the two, this is arguably the best year that anyone has had in the PDC since Michael van Gerwen’s 2016 run, when he won every TV title. The Ferret has now won five trophies this year, including three in front of the big cameras. He’s now level with Peter Wright for the most singles events won in 2021, although the Scotsman is one in front of him if you include the World Cup with John Henderson last month.

Now, can Clayton do what Price did this time last year, and complete a remarkable 2021 by lifting the World Darts Championship on Monday 3 January at the Alexandra Palace after winning the BoyleSports World Grand Prix?

Some people will say no. But, as we’ve been told time and time again.

Never, underestimate, a Ferret.