He is the odds-on favourite with the bookmakers to claim what would be a record extending 6th Premier League crown in London.
And the question remains – can anyone switch off ‘The Power’ at the O2 on finals night?
Last year, Phil Taylor came unstuck against Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals after dominating the league stages of the competition.
And in 2012, it is the same story – 11 wins, two draws and just one defeat in 14 games....and he is 2/5 ON to win it again.
Of course this time, he comes up against Unicorn stablemate James Wade over the best of 15 legs.
“I really want the PL title back,” he said. “It is one of the big tournaments that I don’t have and I would like to put that right, but James is always a tough opponent and he is in the semi-finals on merit.”
Taylor added: “I know I slipped up badly in the semi-finals last year, so I know have to be totally focused.”
Taylor beat Wade in the PL finals of 2008 and 2010 (with the help of those two 9-darters!) but ‘The Machine’ took the PL crown in 2009.
Wade said: “I am positive and I am certainly not worried about Phil. He will go out and do what he always does, but if I can match him step for step, I am in with a shout.”
But in many ways, the star of the 2012 Premier League has been Team Unicorn ace Andy Hamilton.
To finish third in the group stages in his debut season is a terrific achievement.
And now he has his sights set on Simon Whitlock – again!
Remember, Whitlock has a real block when it comes to playing ‘The Hammer’ in big TV tournaments! The Aussie was 15-8 up in last year’s World Matchplay, before Hamilton won nine straight legs to complete the most amazing comeback in Blackpool history.
And he also came from 5 sets to 3 down to beat Whitlock 6-5 in the World Championship semi-finals!
Financially it has been a huge few months for Hamilton as well......£100,000 earned from the Alexandra Palace and a guarantee of at least £50,000 from the Premier League.
“I deserve to be here!” he said. “Nobody gave me a chance at the start and half-way through when I was bottom of the table, I was completely written off. That makes it even more special to get here and prove people wrong.”
Hamilton lost just once in eight weeks in the second half of the PL season to earn his play-off spot.
“I am a fighter and Simon does not like playing me, so hopefully that will be on his mind....but if I play well, I can beat anyone and I have done that over the last few weeks.”
The winner will take home a staggering £150,000 at the O2
And of course, there is also the little matter of the PDC Unicorn World Youth Final to be decided on Thursday.
Dutch ace Michael van Gerwen, who lost to Team Unicorn’s Arron Monk in last year’s final, is favourite to win on Thursday when he takes on James Hubbard for the prized title and a cheque for £15,000
PL semi-finals (best of 15 legs):
Phil Taylor v James Wade
Simon Whitlock v Andy Hamilton
PDC Unicorn World Youth Final (best of 11 legs):
Michael van Gerwen v James Hubbard
Premier League Final (best of 19 legs):
Taylor/Wade v Whitlock/Hamilton
By STUART PYKE
Photos courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC