Dutch darts whiz Michael van Gerwen says he wants to do things his own way on the pro circuit. Photo / Nick Reed
Dutch darts whiz Michael van Gerwen says he wants to do things his own way on the pro circuit. Photo / Nick Reed
World No1 Michael van Gerwen has eyes on the prize in Auckland, reports Chris Rattue.
World darts No1 Michael van Gerwen prides himself on a relentless will to win.
The one-time teenage sensation overcame a tough start to his professional career to become the game's best player. And he is only the November Grand Slam tournament short of his career aim to have won all nine tournaments he rates as biggest titles, an astonishing feat for a player so young.
But the 26-year-old Dutchman, the youngest Professional Darts Corporation world champion, won't ever bother taking up one challenge - the record of the still-competitive legend Phil "The Power" Taylor.
Van Gerwen, Taylor and world champ Gary Anderson headline an elite field in the three-day PDC Darts Masters which starts at West Auckland's Trusts Arena tonight.
The 55-year-old Taylor, the tournament's top seed, has 16 world titles among his incredible 80-plus major wins, and over 200 titles in total. Career earnings stand - hold your breath - at nearly $16 million and still rising, although not at the former Taylor rate. So much for the old image of a sport played in smoke-filled bars.
Van Gerwen has achieved so much at a young age that some dare to suggest he could chase Taylor down. But the former apprentice tiler will have none of that.
"I don't want to be the next Phil Taylor - I'm Michael van Gerwen and I want to do what I'm good at, my own way," he says.
"No one will catch that man, his number of titles. When he was the main man, everyone was miles behind him. Everyone said 'wow, he is like a robot', but we have all raised the standard and are all doing that now."
Van Gerwen has been drawn against Kiwi Rob Szabo in tonight's first round, where the big guns play the Oceania and New Zealand qualifiers. Szabo won his five minutes of fame by giving Taylor a scare at the world championships in late 2013. Van Gerwen - the son of a catering worker mother and truck driver father from the town of Boxtel - won the World Masters at 17 before hitting tough times. The big guns used a few mind games on the dangerous newcomer, and he began to despair at continual defeats against players he knew he should beat.
But van Gerwen cracked the top 10 in late 2012, won his first world title last year, and fired by his self-belief stormed past allcomers including Taylor.
"It's not about the money for me, it's about winning tournaments," he says.
"There are a lot of darts players on the circuit who say they played okay, had a great time. Not me - I'm only happy when I win. That is how it is supposed to be. I always say I can do better than this. It's never good enough.
"I always want to win, even if it is a game of Monopoly. It's just in my genes. Confidence is really important and you need to be mentally stronger than everyone else.
"When I first came through, of course the really good players took the piss out of me, but I take the piss out of them now by beating them. It's just winding each other up, in a nice way."
On the Auckland tournament, van Gerwen says: "Of course I want to win everything and I didn't go too well in Australia. You can't be at your best for 365 days a year. There is a lot of pressure on me and sometimes it is easier than others.
"This is a major opportunity for global darts, the tour, all the players and staff, and for the crowd. It's going to be fantastic."
Another Kiwi qualifier to watch for tonight is Mark Cleaver, from the Taranaki town of Stratford, who plays world No4 Peter Wright.
Top seeds
Phil 'The Power' Taylor comes into the Auckland leg of the tournament in great form. Photo / Getty Images
His 16 world titles are the very large tip of an enormous iceberg. Rose from a poor background to become a true sports legend. His high-class consistency crushed allcomers for a long time, although the aura of invincibility has probably gone. In great form, winning in Perth and Sydney.
Michael 'Mighty Mike' van Gerwen (Holland)
Seed: 2 World ranking: 1 Age: 26
Taylor's heir apparent. A teenage sensation, which created a lot of pressure for him and the big boys didn't make it easy for the young challenger. Took a few years to deal with that but now the man to beat in world darts. Watch for the fist pumps.
Peter 'Snakebite' Wright (Scotland)
Seed: 3 World ranking: 4 Age: 45
The colourful showman, in reality a shy man who comes to life on stage. Enjoying an amazing run after a long hiatus doing odd jobs when he couldn't make ends meet via darts. Yet to win a significant tournament, though - his best was losing the 2014 world final to van Gerwen.
A great mate of Taylor and the pair have an on-stage rapport. The big man is part of a Stoke lineage started by Eric Bristow and carried on by Taylor. Emerged from Taylor's shadow with 2011/12 world titles.
Gary 'Flying Scotsman' Anderson (Scotland)
Seed: 5 World ranking: 2 Age: 44
Won his first world title in January. A late darts starter at 24, a laid-back character of immense natural talent. His career has got a second wind after he struggled with the deaths of his younger brother and father.
James 'The Machine' Wade (England)
Seed: 6 World ranking: 6 Age: 32
A winner of big titles since 2007 but has had a few disciplinary issues and went public over his battle with clinical depression, bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Quirky fact: the former mechanic couldn't settle on a nickname. The Machine is the fourth.
Adored by the "Barney Army", the leader of the Dutch darts revolution is an emotional player who can take defeat hard. Won four world titles from 1998 to 2005 and the former postman still delivers a major title now and then.
Stephen 'The Bullet' Bunting (England)
Seed: 8 World ranking: 19 Age: 30
Joined the PDC tour last year from the rival, less glamorous BDO where he was the champ. Revels in his likeness to the character Peter Griffin from the animated show Family Guy. Also known for his fast throwing style.
