Michael van Gerwen is on the verge of missing out on a major darts tournament for the first time due to a pesky holiday messing up his schedule. The Dutch darts star has been struggling to find his form this year ever since his defeat in the final of the World Darts Championship. This time, he was knocked out in the early rounds of the Grand Prix of Darts by Dirk van Duijvenbode, adding to his woes.
Potential Absence from Players Championship Finals
Van Gerwen’s streak of appearances in every edition of the Players Championship Finals since its inception in 2009 is in serious jeopardy. Currently placed outside the top 64 in the Players Championship rankings, he has missed several events which has put him in a precarious position. With only four tournaments left for him to qualify, the odds are not looking great for the darts maestro. To make matters worse, he will miss out on two of those tournaments because he is off enjoying a holiday in Dubai.
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures
In a candid interview on the Darts Draait Door podcast, Van Gerwen expressed his concern about the situation, stating that he will have to win one of the remaining tournaments to secure his spot. With his current ranking at joint 92nd and prize money of just £14,500, he needs to earn £8,000 to climb into a qualification position. Winning a single week guarantees a prize pot of £15,000, with the runner-up collecting £10,000. The pressure is on for Van Gerwen to pull off a miracle and salvage his chances of competing in the Players Championship Finals.
