Raymond van Barneveld has revealed that winning the Premier League last year was one of the biggest achievements of his career.
The Dutchman defeated Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen on finals night to lift his first Premier League crown, and ahead of the start of his title defence, the five-time world champion has insisted that he feels relaxed as he prepares for his opener against Adrian Lewis.
The 47-year-old told PDC.tv: "It's a very special tournament and it was one of the biggest achievements in my career to win the Premier League last year.
"I can't wait for this game because Leeds is an amazing venue and it was absolutely fantastic playing there last year. The crowds were great and I think the Premier League is the best thing the PDC have ever done.
"The pressure is different than being in a knockout game, so you can relax and enjoy the games - although the main aim for everyone is to avoid being in the bottom two, and then target the playoffs."
Van Barneveld prepared for the tournament by finishing runner-up to Van Gerwen at last week's Masters event.
Darren Plant
