Wright who had a grinch themed outfit with fans back in for one night only admitted he was pleased to be through while saying of course improvement is needed.
"Obviously, there was a bit of pressure on me tonight," said Wright.
"Steve didn't play his game. It's a big ask to play well for two games in one night.
"I'm just happy to be safely through, but I know I wasn't at my best tonight.
"My last three darts at double ten were near enough exactly the same as the ones I threw to win it last year, which was strange.
"I'm happy with the darts. Now I'm going to use my days off to rest up and come back refreshed for the rest of the tournament."
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
𝙒𝙍𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙒𝙄𝙉𝙎
The reigning Champion Peter Wright is on the march again as he seals a 3-1 victory over Steve West!
Those darts at double ten are almost identical to his World Championship winning visit 🤯
Poetry.