Players Championship 8: Michael van Gerwen wins in Germany to scoop first ProTour title of 2022
- Sean Fisher
- 27 March 2022
The Dutchman put on a masterful performance in Niedernhausen to deny Martin Schindler a title on home soil.
After narrowly missing out on another Premier League darts win in Rotterdam last Thursday, Michael van Gerwen responded in style to scoop the Players Championship 8.
The three-time world champion had too much for Germany's Martin Schindler, who battled through to reach his maiden Players Championship final.
Van Gerwen managed a 102.5 average on the night, as the 32-year-old put on a dominant display to seal an 8-4 victory.
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β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 27, 2022
It's a first Players Championship title of 2022 for Michael van Gerwen who completes a sensational 8-4 victory over the impressive Martin Schindler!
What a day of darts for Mighty Mike π pic.twitter.com/idzUqSSA8L
Schindler started nervously, and missed the bull for a chance to hold in the opening leg. Van Gerwen quickly punished his mistake, taking a 2-0 lead with checkouts of 54 and 90.
Van Gerwen then hit consecutive 180's in the following leg to pile on the pressure and take a 3-0 lead, but Schindler clawed his way back into it with a 56 checkout to make it 3-1.
The promising 25-year-old then was given a great opportunity to win the following leg, but missed a 74 checkout, which was swiftly punished by the world No.3.
An error-strewn sixth leg was eventually cleaned up by Van Gerwen, but Schindler responded well with a 114 checkout to make it 5-2.
Mistakes continued to creep in as Van Gerwen made it 6-2 with a double eight, and then Schindler landed a double eight of his own to make it 6-3.
Momentum looked to be building for the German, who made it 6-4 with a double nine, but a remarkable 126 checkout left Van Gerwen one away from victory, and he returned in the following leg and sealed the win with a double 20.
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β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) March 27, 2022
Hear from Michael van Gerwen after his victory at Players Championship 8, taking home his first Players Championship title of the year after a stunning 8-4 victory in the final. pic.twitter.com/R6n52LJS4k
Following the match, Van Gerwen said, "I think I did the right things at the right moments and that makes you win finals like this.
"I didn't play phenomenal but I think I did okay today.
"You want to keep pushing and keep performing well and that takes a lot of energy out of you, but I'm not here to play a few rounds, I want to win these tournaments. It gives you more confidence and more energy.
"The only medicine for getting back on track is winning games and winning tournaments. That's the only thing you can do.
"I was hanging in there and I never gave up, and I think today my focus was there and absolute will to win was there, and that's the only thing that matters."
The year's Players Championships continue next weekend with a treble-header from April 1-3 in Barnsley, with Β£300,000 in prize money on offer across the three days.
