Million Pound van Gerwen's Munich Triumph!

MILLION POUND MVG CLAIMS GERMAN DARTS MASTERS TITLE
 

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN created a slice of history with his third successive PDC European Tour victory at the German Darts Masters, defeating John Henderson 6-5 in the final taking him above £1 million on the PDC Order of Merit.

The Dutch star's incredible year has already seen him win the German Darts Championship and Gibraltar Darts Trophy, and he continued his unbeaten run on the European Tour stage by scooping the £25,000 first prize once again.

Van Gerwen delighted capacity crowds at the Ballhausforum in Munich throughout the Easter weekend, defeating Gary Stone, surviving one match dart against Jamie Caven and then overcoming William O'Connor and Peter Wright to reach the final.

The world number one had looked set to storm to victory when he won the opening three legs in an explosive start to the decider, only for Henderson to fire his challenge with a 147 checkout.

The Scot - roared on by the Munich crowd - then took out a 13-darter and tops to level the contest, with van Gerwen responding with legs of 12 and 14 darts to move 5-3 up.

Henderson then finished 126 and 98 to take the final into a deciding leg, but van Gerwen was too strong with the advantage of throw as a 14-darter sealed another triumph.

"This is a brilliant win for me," said van Gerwen. "John played really well throughout the tournament and it was very difficult in the final.

"This will boost John's confidence for the rest of the year now and he made me work very hard, but I'm really glad that I'm the one holding the winner's trophy.

"I'm delighted to win this and it continues a great year for me. I want to keep this going now because I'm playing well and loving my darts."

Van Gerwen's win sees him become only the second player - behind Phil Taylor - to reach £1 million in prize money on the PDC Order of Merit, which is based on prize money won in ranking events across a two-year period.

"It's a fantastic achievement for me to reach the £1 million barrier and I'm really glad that I've done it," added the 25-year-old. "You need to work really hard for it and have great support, and I'm practising hard and enjoying myself.

"I love darts and it feels great for me."

Henderson's run to the final was his best-ever on the PDC circuit, having reached his only previous semi-final in a Players Championship in Germany in 2011.

Henderson - a quarter-finalist in last year's German Darts Masters - had battled through the UK Qualifier just to win his spot in Munich, and overcame Cristo Reyes and Michael Smith to reach Monday's finals day.

He won through to the last eight with a brilliant whitewash of Andrew Gilding before averaging 107 in a 6-1 quarter-final defeat of Brendan Dolan before then seeing off Adrian Lewis 6-4 in the semis.

The £10,000 prize money won by Henderson puts him in a strong position to qualify for the year's TV majors, including July's World Matchplay, and was a huge boost to the Scot's confidence.

"I've had an amazing weekend but Michael was too good for me in the final," said Henderson. "The crowd were fantastic and I wouldn't have got into the final without their support, but I played some really good darts too.

"It's been one of the best weekends of my career and I want to build on this now."

World number four Lewis followed up Thursday's escape from elimination in the Betway Premier League with a run to the semi-finals in Munich, including a quarter-final whitewash of James Wade in a clinical display.

Peter Wright bounced back from his Premier League exit in style as he also reached the semis, edging out Robert Thornton 6-5 in a thrilling quarter-final.

Wade, Thornton and Brendan Dolan were joined in the last eight by Ireland's William O'Connor, who produced some superb darts during the weekend and took out three ton-plus finishes in giving van Gerwen a scare in their quarter-final.

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German Darts Masters
Ballhausforum, Dolce Hotel, Munich
Monday April 6
Evening Session
Quarter-Finals
James Wade 0-6 Adrian Lewis
Brendan Dolan 1-6 John Henderson
Peter Wright 6-5 Robert Thornton
William O'Connor 4-6 Michael van Gerwen

Semi-Finals
Adrian Lewis 4-6 John Henderson
Peter Wright 1-6 Michael van Gerwen

Final
John Henderson 5-6 Michael van Gerwen

All games are the best of 11 legs. Monday's games are played in draw bracket order as per above.

Match Information
Quarter-Finals
Adrian Lewis swept into the German Darts Masters semi-finals with a superb 6-0 whitewash of James Wade, denying the left-hander a dart at a double in the contest.

Lewis landed a 180 and tops to take the opening leg and fired in a 171 score as tops broke in leg two before a 14-darter moved him three legs clear.

Lewis then took out 107 on tops for another break, tops to win the fifth leg and double 15 to seal his semi-final place with a 102.48 average.

John Henderson romped through to the last four with a 107 average as he defeated Brendan Dolan 6-1.

The Scot hit double five to win the opening leg and also scored a 177 in the second, but Dolan's third-dart double 16 saw the Northern Irish ace level.

Henderson, though, found another gear to reel off the next five legs, hitting a 180 in each, three 14-darters and a 13-darter to book his first European Tour semi-final.

Peter Wright edged out Robert Thornton in an 11-leg thriller as he moved into the semis with a 6-5 victory in a game which featured four ton-plus finishes.

Thornton opened the game with a 104 checkout before Wright levelled and then broke with an 89 checkout - but missed doubles in the next allowed the former UK Open champion in to level.

Thornton's 13-darter was cancelled out by Wright on double 16 before a 150 checkout put the Ayrshire ace 4-3 up - only for his opponent to take out 107 and 130 in back-to-back legs to move ahead.

Thornton landed a 180 in a 13-darter to force a deciding leg, but he was unable to take out 96 for the win as Wright stepped in to take out 60 on tops to progess.

Michael van Gerwen completed the semi-final line-up, but had to come from 3-1 down to defeat Irish ace William O'Connor, who took out three ton-plus finishes.

Both players landed 180s in the opening leg before O'Connor took out 115, and though van Gerwen levelled the Irishman finished double 15 and 133 to move 3-1 up.

Van Gerwen produced back-to-back 13-darters as he leveled before tops and double eight moved him 5-3 up - with O'Connor's 146 finish keeping his hopes alive briefly only to see the Dutchman complete the win by finishing 130 on the bullseye.

Semi-Finals
John Henderson won through to his first-ever PDC final with a memorable 6-4 win over Adrian Lewis.

Henderson, a quarter-finalist in last year's German Darts Masters, had reached his only previous semi-final on his debut in a Players Championship in German in 2011, but ensured that he will compete for the £25,000 first prize later in the night by seeing off the world number four.

Lewis punished two missed doubles to take the opening leg against the throw and then finished 70 in two darts to double his lead.

Henderson fired his challenge with a 180 and double 19 before producing back-to-back 14-dart legs to move 3-2 up.

Lewis levelled with a 101 checkout, but Henderson added another 14-darter and landed a 177 to set up double 12 as he took a 5-3 advantage.

Lewis traded 180s with Henderson in leg nine before taking out a superb 106 to hit back, but he missed double ten to force a deciding leg as the Scot stepped in on tops for the win.

Michael van Gerwen powered into the final, and remains on course for a third successive European Tour win this year, after producing a 113.63 average in a blistering 6-1 win over Peter Wright.

The Dutch star landed a 180 in a 12-darter to open the game and then broke throw with the aid of another maximum in an 11-darter, before the duo swapped 180s in leg three as double eight gave him a 3-0 lead.

Wright finished 136 to hit back, but van Gerwen posted 177 scores in each of the next two legs before sealing the win on tops.

Final - Leg-by-leg
John Henderson v Michael van Gerwen
0-0 - Michael van Gerwen wins the bull and will throw first.
0-1 - The Dutchman opens with scores of 140 and 180 before finishing tops for a 14-darter.
0-2 - Double 16 sees van Gerwen break throw to double his lead.
0-3 - van Gerwen opens with two 180s, and though a nine-darter chance goes begging he wins the leg in 12 to move halfway to victory.
1-3 - Henderson hits back with a superb 147 checkout.
2-3 - van Gerwen misses double 18 to finish 76, and Henderson takes out double 12 for a 13-darter to break throw.
3-3 - Henderson levels by hitting tops, after van Gerwen missed the same bed to take out 74.
3-4 - van Gerwen regains the lead, hitting a 180 and taking out 96 for a 12-darter.
3-5 - van Gerwen moves a leg away from the title by posting tops for a 14-dart finish.
4-5 - Henderson finishes 126 on double six to keep alive his hopes with another superb checkout - the Munich crowd are chanting "Highlander, Highlander" in support of their new hero!
5-5 - Henderson takes out 98 on double 19 to send the game into a decider!
5-6 - van Gerwen, with the advantage of throw, is too strong in the final leg and posts tops for a 14-darter to take the title.

Match Stats
Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final