Michael van Gerwen

Michael van Gerwen (Dutch: [ˈmɑikəl vɑŋ ˈɣɛrʋə(n)]; born 25 April 1989) is a Dutch professional darts player. He is currently the World No. 3, having been the World No. 1 from 2014 to 2021. He is also a three-time PDC World Champion, having won the title in 2014, 2017 and 2019. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, Van Gerwen is the second most successful player in PDC history, behind Phil Taylor. As of 15 October 2024 he has won the most PDC Pro Tour events, with 91. Van Gerwen has won 157 PDC titles, and 164 professional singles titles worldwide.

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 age 24, van Gerwen became the then-youngest winner of the PDC World Championship. Van Gerwen is one of only five players to win the PDC World Championship more than once. He holds the record for the highest three-dart average in a televised darts match, with 123.4.