Michael van Gerwen facing fine after storming into World Darts Championship final
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After Hogmanay came Clogmanay - and Michael van Gerwen was never going to let the party fall flat. Easing into his seventh PDC World Championship final with a brutal 6-1 demolition of outclassed Chris Dobey, MVG needed just 49 minutes to seal his place in Friday's showpiece. From the first dart, Van Gerwen looked like a man in a hurry to end his six-year wait for a fourth title.
And in the pantheon of Dutch masters, he will be up there with Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Erik ten Hag if he lifts the Sid Waddell Trophy again at Alexandra Palace. Only Phil Taylor (16) and compatriot Raymond van Barneveld (five) had won more world titles than Clog Almighty.
No wonder his excitement got the better of him and he turned the air blue in his post-match TV interview. Van Gerwen blurted: “We are not even close to winning (a fourth title) yet. The target is still far away - I’m only in the final but I’ve won f*** all yet, so I need to make sure I do it in the final.
“This is my passion, this is my life, and I really enjoyed it tonight.” Van Gerwen is likely to be fined by the Darts Regulation Authority for his indiscretion. But any financial penalty would only make a small dent in the winner’s £500,000 jackpot if he lands a fourth title.
Since the last of his three world titles six years ago, Van Gerwen has invented an exotic range of ways to leave Ally Pally with regrets. He was well-beaten by Peter Wright in the final five years ago, followed by a shock 5-0 whitewash by Dave Chisnall under lockdown after rushing back from Holland at Christmas to beat borders with Europe being sealed.
