The Best Leg Of All Time

The 2023 PDC World Darts Final between Michael Smith and three time world champion Michael Van Gerwen turned on a match play moment in what is simply known as the ‘Best Leg Of All Time’. 

The 9 dart finish is the ultimate in darts as it is the fewest number of throws required to get from 501 to zero and finishing on a double. To this point there had only ever been thirteen 9-dart finishes in 20 years and only Adrian Lewis had ever done one in a world final.

It was early in the 2023 final with Dutchman Van Gerwen having won the first set and the score was level at one leg each in the second set. Van Gerwen scores the maximum 180 with his first three darts and Englishman Smith matches him.

Van Gerwen then scores two treble 20s and then opts for treble 19 to keep the nine dart finish alive. Amazingly Michael Smith keeps neck and neck with a second 180 that leaves both players still on a 9-darter.

Van Gerwen has the advantage of going first and makes a treble 20, and then another to set up the double 12 finish, but his dart goes agonisingly wide.

Check the video below and you will see Smith commiserate with a ‘low 5’ to Van Gerwen as he heads back from the oche in a classy gesture of sportsmanship.

Smith then gives the crowd what they want with a treble 20, followed by treble 19 and then makes the double 12 out shot to send the crowd into ecstasy.

It may have only given him a 2-1 lead in the second set, but the boost from this match play moment spurred Michael Smith on to take his first PDC World Darts title 7-4 in his third final.

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