MICHAEL VAN GERWEN will have to put aside his friendship with Vincent van der Voort in the European Championship on Friday.
The Dutch duo have been drawn to face each other in the first round of the £200,000 tournament, which begins on Thursday at the Claus Event Center in Hoofddorp.
Van der Voort has acted as a mentor to 20-year-old van Gerwensince the duo, and Jelle Klaasen, joined the PDC in 2007.
And van Gerwen admits he will have to forget about their friendship when they meet in the best-of-11 leg first round on Friday night.
"We always travel together and he's important for me," admits van Gerwen. "He has more experience than me and we always work together and help each other out.
"We practice together and sometimes he will talk about things I can do better and I'll help him too.
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"It's the first time we've played each other in a major competition but I have to forget that," Michael van Gerwen |
"I'm never happy having to play a friend and it's the first time we've played each other in a major competition but I have to forget that.
"He has played Jelle before in the World Championship but this is our first time and it should be a good game."
Van Gerwen claimed victory in the 2006 World Masters but has yet to shine in a major PDC event, and is hoping to change that in the European Championship.
"Last weekend in our Players Championships in Nuland I didn't play very well, but the week before in the Championship League Darts I played well and reached the final," he said.
"It would be fantastic if I can win the European Championship, but my biggest target at the moment is the World Championship in December.
"We have the European Championship first and I want to play well in this tournament. It's got big prize money and I could win a place in the Grand Slam of Darts too."
Tickets for Thursday and Friday are still available and can also be purchased at the Claus Event Center on the night. Tickets are sold out for Saturday and Sunday.
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