Jonny Clayton says he has to learnt to play through the pain barrier when his gout flares up.
The Welshman made light of the debilitating inflammatory arthritis condition as he won night six of the Premier League in Nottingham.
He could barely walk as he limped around the stage after he suffered a bout in his ankle.
The Ferret fires in Nottingham! 🏴
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 12, 2026
Jonny Clayton moves EIGHT points clear at the top of the table with his second nightly victory of the season at the Motorpoint Arena! 👏 pic.twitter.com/tntkTuGnUi
But there was nothing wrong with his arm as he powered past Michael van Gerwen, Stephen Bunting and Luke Humphries to claim a second nightly win and top the table by eight points.
It is a regular problem for Clayton, who takes daily medication, but he never knows how it will be from one day to the next.
“I do get flare-ups, so obviously I take medication every day,” he said.
“Funnily enough, it was in my elbow in my first year in the Premier League. So it’s moved now to my ankle.
“But I have to carry on. I don’t want to miss these nights.
“You just take your medication. I could go back to bed tonight, wake up tomorrow as if there’s nothing there. It is weird, proper weird.
“When it comes on, it gives you a warning and if you don’t catch it in time, then you know all about it. And obviously I know all about it now.”
Clayton, nicknamed ‘the Ferret’, said on Thursday night there was “no chance” he would be able to play the European Tour event in Germany and later officially pulled out.
Humphries also withdrew, leaving Michael van Gerwen as the top seed at the tournament.
World number one Luke Littler is not playing amid his ongoing boycott of events in Germany.
Jonny Clayton overcomes gout to win Premier League night six in Nottingham
Luke Humphries ends losing run against Luke Littler in Nottingham semi-final
Luke Littler’s dominance of Gerwyn Price continues in Nottingham thriller
The Premier League has been exposed in Europe and its elite have themselves to blame
Rory McIlroy back problems take toll in arduous Players Championship opening round
talkSPORT BET Cheltenham sign up offer 2026: Bet £5, get £15 in free Cheltenham bets
