Michael van Gerwen
Encyclopedia
Michael van Gerwen is a Dutch professional darts
player, nicknamed Mighty Mike. He is the youngest player in history to win a major televised tournament in either the BDO or the PDC, winning the 2006 Winmau World Masters
at the age of 17. He is also the youngest player ever to compete at the BDO version of the World Professional Darts Championship
, competing in the 2007 tournament at the age of 17 years, 257 days.
having climbed as high as third, even before he reached his 18th birthday.
Michael reached the semi-finals of the Bavaria World Darts Trophy
in 2006. Despite losing to Martin Adams
, the Dutch youngster came within one dart of the perfect nine dart finish
, just missing double twelve. He did manage the highest possible checkout of 170 during the tournament.
He managed to eclipse that performance at the 2006 Winmau World Masters
by becoming the youngest ever champion. Having trailed 1–4 and 2–5 to Adams, he came back to win the title and take Eric Bristow
's record as the youngest ever winner at the age of 17 years 174 days.
His early career success led to inevitable speculation that he may join the other professional circuit of darts, the Professional Darts Corporation
. However, during the 2006 World Darts Trophy, van Gerwen held a press conference to make it clear that he wanted to stay with the BDO/WDF. http://www.bdodarts.com/MICHAEL%20VAN%20GERWEN%20PRESS%20RELEASE.shtml He also finished top of the DDF (Dutch Darts Federation) Rankings – which would have secured him a place at the PDC World Championship if he chose to accept. He had already committed to playing at Lakeside, so the place went to Rico Vonck
who finished second in the rankings.
Van Gerwen was the bookmakers pre-tournament favourite to win the 2007 Lakeside World title, but his hopes were ended in the first round by Gary Robson.
On the night of the 2007 BDO World Championship Final it was announced on Dutch television that van Gerwen, along with Jelle Klaasen
and Vincent van der Voort
would be switching to the Professional Darts Corporation.
. Although he was a BDO player he was eligible for certain PDC events in his home country even before he switched to the PDC. This included the Open Holland in 2006, in which he took the title.
He made his PDC debut on 20 January at the Stan James Players Championships in Gibraltar and beat Andy Hamilton before losing in the last 16 to fellow countryman Roland Scholten
. In the second Players Championship the following day, he beat Raymond van Barneveld
in the early rounds only to lose to Alan Warriner-Little
in the quarter finals.
He followed up his victory over van Barneveld by beating 13 times World Champion Phil Taylor by 3 sets to 0 on the opening night of the Masters of Darts
tournament. All three sets went to a deciding leg which van Gerwen clinched with 14, 12 and 12 darts. He went on to reach the semi-final of the tournament and achieved a perfect nine dart finish
against van Barneveld, but lost the match.
Michael has yet to deliver any success on in UK-televised tournaments, having made his debut at the 2007 UK Open
falling in the last 32 to Colin Osborne
. He failed to qualify for the 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic and was defeated in round two of the World Matchplay
in Blackpool by Ronnie Baxter 12–14, having been one leg from victory at 12–10. One of the Dutchman's more impressive achievements on Sky however came in a 2008 PDC World Darts Championship
first round defeat to Taylor; notably he had 1 dart to win the match and ultimately knock out the 13 time world champion, and end a phenomenal record of Taylor of reaching every PDC World Championship Final. However, Taylor's record was later ended in the Quarter Final losing 5–4 in sets to Wayne Mardle
.
Michael ended his long wait for a tournament victory by beating his Dutch compatriot Vincent van der Voort
6–3 in the final of the Players Championship in Taunton
on 11 April 2009 and earned him £6,000 towards the Order of Merit.
van Gerwen was defeated 6–4 by Arron Monk
in the final of the inaugural PDC Under-21 World Championship
during the 2011 PDC World Championship.
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
player, nicknamed Mighty Mike. He is the youngest player in history to win a major televised tournament in either the BDO or the PDC, winning the 2006 Winmau World Masters
Winmau World Masters
The Winmau World Masters is one of the longest running and most prestigious professional darts tournaments, which began in 1974 - even before the current World Professional Championship...
at the age of 17. He is also the youngest player ever to compete at the BDO version of the World Professional Darts Championship
World Professional Darts Championship
The World Professional Darts Championship is one of the most important tournaments in the darts calendar. Originally held as an annual event between 1978 and 1993, players then broke off into two separate organisations after a controversial split in the game...
, competing in the 2007 tournament at the age of 17 years, 257 days.
Youth career
Michael reached the final of the Primus Masters Youth event at the age of just 14 in 2003. He then started to amass youth titles in 2005 including the German Open, German Gold Cup, Norway Open, Northern Ireland Open, Swedish Open and the Dutch National Youth Championship which he also defended in 2006. He also won the Men's events in the Norway and Northern Ireland Opens in the same year that he took the youth titles.BDO career
He picked up several Open titles and rose up the BDO/WDF World RankingsDarts world rankings
Darts world rankings are a system which should determine a list of the best dart players in the world based on their performances in tournaments...
having climbed as high as third, even before he reached his 18th birthday.
Michael reached the semi-finals of the Bavaria World Darts Trophy
World Darts Trophy
The World Darts Trophy was a darts tournament held each September at De Vechtsebanen in Utrecht, Netherlands between 2002 and 2007. The tournament has a playing format comparable with the two World Championships, the BDO World Darts Championship and the PDC World Darts Championship...
in 2006. Despite losing to Martin Adams
Martin Adams
Martin Adams is an English international darts player. Nicknamed Wolfie or Mr BDO, he is BDO world ranked number one, three-time and reigning BDO World Champion and three-time World Masters champion...
, the Dutch youngster came within one dart of the perfect nine dart finish
Nine dart finish
A nine-dart finish is the ultimate checkout in the game of darts, constituting a perfect game. It is notoriously difficult to achieve, even by the game's top professionals...
, just missing double twelve. He did manage the highest possible checkout of 170 during the tournament.
He managed to eclipse that performance at the 2006 Winmau World Masters
2006 Winmau World Masters
The 2006 Winmau World Masters was a darts tournament held at Leisure World in Bridlington between October 13 and October 16, 2006. It also featured a qualifying event for the 2007 Lakeside World Professional Championship....
by becoming the youngest ever champion. Having trailed 1–4 and 2–5 to Adams, he came back to win the title and take Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow
Eric Bristow MBE is a British darts player, whose skill at the game in the 1980s helped turn it into a worldwide spectator sport.- Early career :...
's record as the youngest ever winner at the age of 17 years 174 days.
His early career success led to inevitable speculation that he may join the other professional circuit of darts, the Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
. However, during the 2006 World Darts Trophy, van Gerwen held a press conference to make it clear that he wanted to stay with the BDO/WDF. http://www.bdodarts.com/MICHAEL%20VAN%20GERWEN%20PRESS%20RELEASE.shtml He also finished top of the DDF (Dutch Darts Federation) Rankings – which would have secured him a place at the PDC World Championship if he chose to accept. He had already committed to playing at Lakeside, so the place went to Rico Vonck
Rico Vonck
Rico Vonck is a darts player, currently residing in Posterholt. He qualified for the 2007 PDC World Darts Championship having finished second in the DDF rankings...
who finished second in the rankings.
Van Gerwen was the bookmakers pre-tournament favourite to win the 2007 Lakeside World title, but his hopes were ended in the first round by Gary Robson.
On the night of the 2007 BDO World Championship Final it was announced on Dutch television that van Gerwen, along with Jelle Klaasen
Jelle Klaasen
Jelle Klaasen is a Dutch professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation and is the youngest darts player to win the World Darts Championship. His nickname is The Matador. He lives in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands...
and Vincent van der Voort
Vincent van der Voort
Vincent van der Voort is a professional darts player.-Playing style:Vincent is well known for his spasmodic style and machine-gun speed of play which has gained him a reputation in both the BDO and the PDC for being one of the more erratic throwers in the darting world...
would be switching to the Professional Darts Corporation.
PDC career
Michael started at 88 in the PDC World RankingsDarts world rankings
Darts world rankings are a system which should determine a list of the best dart players in the world based on their performances in tournaments...
. Although he was a BDO player he was eligible for certain PDC events in his home country even before he switched to the PDC. This included the Open Holland in 2006, in which he took the title.
He made his PDC debut on 20 January at the Stan James Players Championships in Gibraltar and beat Andy Hamilton before losing in the last 16 to fellow countryman Roland Scholten
Roland Scholten
Roland Scholten is a Dutch professional darts player who plays for the Professional Darts Corporation and formerly for the British Darts Organisation. He is nicknamed Tripod or The Flying Dutchman and uses Hey Ya by Outkast as his walk-on. He is currently ranked 45th in the PDC...
. In the second Players Championship the following day, he beat Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld , nickname Barney is a professional darts player. He is a five time World Darts Champion, and two time UK Open Champion. From January to June 2008, he was the PDC world number one ranked player...
in the early rounds only to lose to Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little is an English professional darts player. He currently lives in Crosby, Cumbria and plays with the nickname The Iceman...
in the quarter finals.
He followed up his victory over van Barneveld by beating 13 times World Champion Phil Taylor by 3 sets to 0 on the opening night of the Masters of Darts
Masters of Darts
The Masters of Darts has a unique place in darts history as it was the first televised tournament featuring the darts players of the two rival organisations, the British Darts Organisation and the Professional Darts Corporation since they separated in 1993...
tournament. All three sets went to a deciding leg which van Gerwen clinched with 14, 12 and 12 darts. He went on to reach the semi-final of the tournament and achieved a perfect nine dart finish
Nine dart finish
A nine-dart finish is the ultimate checkout in the game of darts, constituting a perfect game. It is notoriously difficult to achieve, even by the game's top professionals...
against van Barneveld, but lost the match.
Michael has yet to deliver any success on in UK-televised tournaments, having made his debut at the 2007 UK Open
2007 UK Open Darts
The 2007 Blue Square UK Open was the fifth year of the PDC darts tournament where, following numerous regional qualifying heats throughout Britain, players competed in a single elimination tournament to be crowned champion...
falling in the last 32 to Colin Osborne
Colin Osborne
Colin Osborne is an English darts player currently playing in Professional Darts Corporation events.-Darts career:Osborne has won two PDC Pro Tour events and he also managed to hit two perfect nine dart finishes in 2005...
. He failed to qualify for the 2007 Las Vegas Desert Classic and was defeated in round two of the World Matchplay
2007 World Matchplay Darts
The 2007 Stan James World Matchplay was the 14th annual staging of a professional darts tournament by the Professional Darts Corporation. It was held at its traditional home, the Winter Gardens, Blackpool between July 22 and July 29...
in Blackpool by Ronnie Baxter 12–14, having been one leg from victory at 12–10. One of the Dutchman's more impressive achievements on Sky however came in a 2008 PDC World Darts Championship
2008 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2008 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, sponsored by Ladbrokes, was the 15th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation...
first round defeat to Taylor; notably he had 1 dart to win the match and ultimately knock out the 13 time world champion, and end a phenomenal record of Taylor of reaching every PDC World Championship Final. However, Taylor's record was later ended in the Quarter Final losing 5–4 in sets to Wayne Mardle
Wayne Mardle
Wayne Mardle is a darts player for the Professional Darts Corporation, and former player in the BDO. He now lives in Romford...
.
Michael ended his long wait for a tournament victory by beating his Dutch compatriot Vincent van der Voort
Vincent van der Voort
Vincent van der Voort is a professional darts player.-Playing style:Vincent is well known for his spasmodic style and machine-gun speed of play which has gained him a reputation in both the BDO and the PDC for being one of the more erratic throwers in the darting world...
6–3 in the final of the Players Championship in Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
on 11 April 2009 and earned him £6,000 towards the Order of Merit.
van Gerwen was defeated 6–4 by Arron Monk
Arron Monk
Arron Monk is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events. He is the son of fellow professional darts player and former World Masters winner Colin Monk...
in the final of the inaugural PDC Under-21 World Championship
PDC Under-21 World Championship
The PDC World Youth Championship is a darts tournament organised by the Professional Darts Corporation, for darts players aged between 14 and 21...
during the 2011 PDC World Championship.
Winner (1)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 2006 | Winmau World Masters 2006 Winmau World Masters The 2006 Winmau World Masters was a darts tournament held at Leisure World in Bridlington between October 13 and October 16, 2006. It also featured a qualifying event for the 2007 Lakeside World Professional Championship.... |
 Martin AdamsMartin Adams Martin Adams is an English international darts player. Nicknamed Wolfie or Mr BDO, he is BDO world ranked number one, three-time and reigning BDO World Champion and three-time World Masters champion... |
7–5 |