VAN GERWEN WARNED OVER PARTY LIFESTYLE
05/05/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has been warned his current lifestyle “doesn’t go together” with competing at the very top.
The world No.4 icon slumped to a 6-3 defeat against Luke Humphries on Night 13 of the Premier League, averaging just 91.02 in a below-par display.
Mighty Mike currently sits fourth in the table but is only two points clear of Humphries and Gian van Veen with three nights of the regular season remaining.
MVG has been spotted partying in recent weeks and was recently caught in a heated argument with a man outside a bar while celebrating the Dutch public holiday King’s Day.
Former pro and close friend Vincent van der Voort believes too many inconsistencies are beginning to creep into Van Gerwen’s game and suggested his activities away from the oche could be playing a role.
He told Viaplay: “It just wasn’t good. Van Gerwen is a generational talent, he has won everything there is to win.
“But the way he’s going about it right now, it can’t be consistent.
“To then switch and play at the highest level again is also mentally very difficult.
“Because you’re in party mode, it’s all fun and games, and then suddenly on Wednesday you have to get on a plane and on Thursday you have to deliver a top performance.
“This life he’s living now doesn’t go together. We’ve watched it for four, five months. One week it’s good, the next week it honestly looks like it’s going absolutely nowhere.
“It’s not going to get better if you approach it this way. Anyone who wants to compete at the top has to live for it. If you can’t bring yourself to do that, it’s a tough story.
“On match day he does everything he needs to do to be good, just not around it.”
The three-time world champion is still waiting to claim his first ProTour title of the season, although he has enjoyed success on the World Series circuit after lifting the Bahrain Darts Masters crown.
Van Gerwen returns to action on Thursday in the Premier League and will face Luke Littler in Leeds.
Image by Taylor Lanning.
