Michael van Gerwen has been eliminated from the Dutch Darts Championship after a 6-5 loss to William O’Connor. The result, coming in the second round of the event, saw the Dutch favourite unexpectedly exit while the Irish player progressed to the next stage of the competition.
The match was decided by a single leg as O’Connor secured the 6-5 victory over van Gerwen. The narrow scoreline reflected a tightly contested contest in which both players exchanged leads, with O’Connor ultimately taking the winning leg to move forward in the draw. The outcome alters the composition of contenders remaining in the tournament.
Van Gerwen’s early departure removes one of the pre-tournament favourites from contention and opens opportunities for other competitors across the field. The event, organised under the auspices of the Professional Darts Corporation, continues with a reshaped draw that now includes O’Connor among its advancing players. The match also attracted attention within the broader darts community for its close finish.
O’Connor, representing Ireland, will face a new opponent in the following round as the championship progresses. The tournament remains on schedule to determine a champion in the coming rounds, with remaining fixtures set to decide which players advance deeper into the competition and which nations will be represented in the latter stages, including the host nation, the Netherlands.
