Michael van Gerwen has fired an ominous warning to his rivals after claiming World Series of Darts glory at last weekend’s PalmerBet Queensland Darts Masters.
Van Gerwen kicked off this year’s World Series roadshow Down Under with victory in Townsville, defeating world number one Gerwyn Price in a repeat of last month’s Betfred World Matchplay final.
Price punished a sluggish start from Van Gerwen to establish a 4-1 lead in Saturday’s showpiece, only for the three-time World Champion to win seven of the next eight legs to scoop the £20,000 top prize.
The Dutchman was below-par in wins over Bailey Marsh and Haupai Puha earlier in the tournament, but after converting all seven attempts at double in his semi-final win over Joe Cullen, Van Gerwen produced the goods against Price.
“I feel amazing,” said Van Gerwen, who averaged 99.87, hit five 180s and landed two ton-plus finishes in his comeback win over the Welshman.
“I think I did well, especially in the last few legs of the final, when I had to play really well.
“Gerwyn is a fantastic player, so to beat him in a final like this feels good.
“I still felt a little bit flat at the beginning of the day, but the more I played, my absolute will to win was there.
“That is really important, especially when you are up against top players like Joe Cullen and Gerwyn Price.”
"I said I wanted to win minimum one of three and after winning the first one... the hunger won't stop"
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) August 13, 2022
Hear from Michael van Gerwen following his victory in Townsville as he became the @PalmerbetAU Queensland Darts Master ? pic.twitter.com/xoFoq73u9v
Van Gerwen has enjoyed a terrific 2022 campaign so far, following up his sixth Cazoo Premier League success with a third Betfred World Matchplay crown in July.
The 33-year-old has also claimed two Players Championship wins and a hat-trick of European Tour titles, and he’s brimming with confidence as he bids to extend his haul over the coming weeks.
“I’m not doing too badly lately, so I need to keep that confidence going,” added the world number three.
“I believe in my own game. Everything is going well at the moment, and I’m starting to win those 50/50 legs and games again. I feel good at the moment, but you have to keep doing it.”
Van Gerwen’s victory in Queensland was his 17th World Series of Darts triumph, more than double the tally boasted by Phil Taylor, who is second on the all-time list with eight titles.
The Dutch star will bid to maintain his winning run at this week’s PalmerBet New South Wales Darts Masters, before he defends his TAB New Zealand Darts Masters crown in Hamilton from August 26-27.
“I’ve got a great record in World Series tournaments, but I’m not finished yet,” declared Van Gerwen, who will be the second seed in Wollongong this weekend.
“This is the start of this year’s tour and there is a lot more to come, but you need to conserve your energy and make sure you do the right things at the right moments.
“I said before the trip that I wanted to win minimum one of three World Series [titles] and after winning the first one, the hunger won't stop. I’m looking forward to the next one.”