Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen (Dutch: [ˈmɑikəl vɑn ˈɣɛrʋə(n)]; born 25 April 1989) is a Dutch professional darts player. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the world, having been No. 1 from 2014 to 2021. He is also a three-time PDC World Champion, having won the title in 2014, 2017 and 2019. Van Gerwen is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Van Gerwen began playing darts at the age of 13. He won the 2006 World Masters and threw a televised nine-dart finish at the 2007 Masters of Darts, becoming the youngest player to do both, aged 17. However, after this initial burst onto the darting scene, van Gerwen struggled for consistent form until his breakthrough year in 2012. Improving from world number 38 at the start of 2012 to number four at the beginning of 2013, he won his first major PDC title at the World Grand Prix and reached the final at the 2013 World Championship. In 2014, at the age of 24, van Gerwen became the youngest winner of the PDC World Championship, a record he still holds, as well as being one of only five players to win it more than once. He also holds the record for the highest three-dart average in a televised darts match, with 123.4.

He dominated darts in subsequent years, winning 18 tournaments in 2015 and 25 in 2016. Van Gerwen is the second most successful player in PDC history, behind Phil Taylor. He has won the most PDC Pro Tour events, winning 88 as of March 2024 and as of 31 October 2023 he has won 159 singles titles, and 153 PDC titles, worldwide.