Michael van Gerwen returned to winning ways in Wigan on Tuesday, defeating long-standing adversary Gerwyn Price 8-4 to triumph at Players Championship 27.
Van Gerwen won through a star-studded 128 player-field at Wigan's Robin Park Leisure Centre, just seven days on from his chastening whitewash defeat to Daryl Gurney at the BoyleSports World Grand Prix.
The 35-year-old claimed victories at Players Championship 21 and the Hungarian Darts Trophy last month, only to be struck down by illness that also hampered his World Grand Prix campaign.
However, the Dutchman bounced back to clinch his third PDC ranking title in the space of a month, as he joins Luke Littler, Damon Heta, Chris Dobey and Gary Anderson in claiming multiple Players Championship titles in 2024.
“I was away for three weeks with different problems [illnesses],” recalled Van Gerwen, who survived match darts in three matches throughout the afternoon.
“It is frustrating but it is what it is. Sometimes health comes first, and I’m glad I won today.
“My energy levels have to be a little bit better, but overall I can’t complain, because these ProTours are very difficult, especially when you’ve already been doing this for 18 or 19 years.
“I have played this game for a long time, but I love it. I love what I do, and I think that’s the key.
“I am still able to keep myself motivated for the next tournaments, and you need to keep battling and keep fighting.”
Van Gerwen followed up a hard-fought first round victory against Dylan Slevin with a deciding-leg win against Scott Williams, in a repeat of their World Championship quarter-final on New Year’s Day.
Following an emphatic 6-2 success against James Wade, Van Gerwen then edged out Luke Woodhouse and Jonny Clayton in last-leg shoot-outs, recovering from 5-2 adrift to sink Clayton.
This set up an all-Dutch affair against Wessel Nijman in the semi-finals, but Van Gerwen proved too strong for his younger compatriot, winning five consecutive legs to move through to a showdown against Price.
The Welshman seized the early initiative in Tuesday’s showpiece, establishing 2-0 and 3-2 leads before Van Gerwen turned the tide with a brilliant burst of combination finishing.
The three-time World Champion converted 88, 72, 142 and 112 checkouts to storm 6-3 ahead, before dismissing a 12-darter from Price in the penultimate leg to cap off a clinical display.
However, Price also enjoyed a welcome return to form in Wigan, registering a trio of ton-plus averages to advance to his first Players Championship final since November 2023.
The 2021 World Champion opened proceedings with a brace of 6-1 wins against Robert Owen and Thibault Tricole, which he backed up with ton-topping averages to see off James Hurrell and Madars Razma.
Price then defied a 104 average from Damon Heta to wrap up a comprehensive 6-1 success, before reeling off three consecutive legs to complete a 7-4 victory over Ryan Searle in the semi-finals.
Searle averaged 106 in his quarter-final demolition of Keane Barry and accounted for Rob Cross in his run to the last four, having produced a nine-darter against Jermaine Wattimena in round three.
Searle’s perfect leg was the 47th nine-darter landed on the PDC circuit in 2024 – a new record – and his nine-dart exploits helped him overturn a 5-4 deficit to prevail with a 104 average.
Dutch star Nijman joined Searle in the semi-finals, although his bid to win a second Players Championship title in as many weeks was thwarted by a merciless Van Gerwen.
Nijman – a winner of seven Development Tour titles in 2024 – averaged 113.50 in his first round thumping of Berry van Peer, while he also defeated established trio Danny Noppert, Martin Schindler and Stephen Bunting.
Bunting was aiming to progress to a fourth successive ProTour final, but he had to settle for a quarter-final showing alongside Clayton, Heta and Irish youngster Barry.