Daryl Gurney Shocks Michael van Gerwen with Whitewash Win at World Grand Prix

Daryl Gurney produced a stunning upset on Day Two of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, whitewashing six-time champion Michael van Gerwen to book his place in the second round on Tuesday, October 8. The Northern Irishman’s flawless performance in Leicester saw him win six straight legs to eliminate the Dutch icon, advancing to a last-16 clash against Joe Cullen.

The 2017 World Grand Prix champion Gurney was clinical throughout, hitting six of his nine attempts at a finishing double, while Van Gerwen struggled to find any rhythm. Gurney remained grounded in his emphatic victory: “There’s not many players that will beat Michael van Gerwen 6-0, but I won’t get carried away. I’ve been playing well over the last couple of months, beating players I haven’t in years.”

Gurney will now face Cullen, who staged an impressive comeback to defeat an in-form Chris Dobey. After Dobey took the opening set with a brilliant 160 checkout, Cullen roared back, winning five consecutive legs and sealing the win with a 110 finish.

Smith and Wright Also Crash Out

World number two Michael Smith was another high-profile casualty of the night, losing a dramatic last-leg decider to 2016 runner-up Gary Anderson. Despite taking the first set, Smith squandered two match darts as Anderson battled back to seal victory in the third set, gaining revenge for his defeat to Smith at the World Matchplay earlier this year.

Anderson, who boasts the highest seasonal average on the PDC ProTour, expressed his confidence after the match: “I’ve probably played better this year than I have at any point in the last decade. Everything I look at, I’m hitting, and I’m under no pressure.”

Peter Wright, the 2018 runner-up, also exited the tournament after losing to two-time champion James Wade. Wade, making his 20th consecutive World Grand Prix appearance, fought back from a set down, winning six of the last seven legs to secure his place in the last 16. “I’m genuinely enjoying the game again,” said Wade, adding, “Peter is one of the greatest dart players ever, so I’m very happy to get through.”

Price Survives Noppert Scare

Gerwyn Price narrowly avoided an early exit, overcoming 2021 semi-finalist Danny Noppert in a deciding-set thriller. Price appeared to be cruising after taking five of the first six legs, but Noppert responded with checkouts of 126 and 84 to level the match. Price held his nerve, however, to claim the final three legs and advance.

Elsewhere, Dimitri Van den Bergh saw off Luke Woodhouse in a high-quality contest, averaging 97 and landing five 180s. After losing the first set, Van den Bergh fired back with a 104 average in the second set before finishing the job with a 132 checkout in the deciding set. He will face two-time runner-up Dave Chisnall, who completed a dominant 2-0 whitewash of Cameron Menzies.

Belgium’s Mike De Decker also advanced to round two after a hard-fought win over Damon Heta. De Decker capitalized on Heta’s missed match dart, sealing the win with a dramatic final leg to set up a second-round clash.

Second Round Action Begins Wednesday

The BoyleSports World Grand Prix continues on Wednesday, October 9, with four second-round matches. Reigning champion Luke Humphries begins his title defense against Ricardo Pietreczko, while 2021 champion Jonny Clayton faces Ross Smith, who delivered a standout performance in the opening round. Fourth seed Rob Cross takes on Martin Schindler, and 2022 runner-up Nathan Aspinall faces Ryan Joyce.

The tournament is broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, with coverage available through PDC’s global broadcast partners, including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland-based subscribers).