Michael van Gerwen is set to be £120,000 poorer in the PDC's Order of Merit following a crushing defeat at the World Grand Prix this week. The Dutchman, currently ranked third globally based on two-year tournament earnings, was shockingly knocked out of the competition 2-0 by Daryl Gurney, despite being a favourite to win. The six-time champion failed to make an impact against Gurney, not winning a single leg of the game.
It's the first time in 13 years he has failed to do so in a televised ranking match. Van Gerwen will lose £120,000 in the Order of Merit due to his early exit - as he won the competition two years ago with a 5-3 victory over Nathan Aspinall. MVG currently sits third in the rankings with a total cash sum of £902,000, while Michael Smith is in second (£1,061,750) and Luke Humphries tops the list (£1,674,250).
While the loss doesn't immediately affect his ranking, it could be a significant setback if he fails to regain momentum. In other matches, Smith was defeated 2-1 by Gary Anderson in the opening round, while Rob Cross ousted Luke Littler by the same score. World No.
1 Humphries will have high expectations with many top-class competitors already eliminated from the tournament, having beaten Stephen Bunting 2-1 in his opening game on Monday, reports the Express . He faces Ricardo Pietreczko in the second round this evening. Van Gerwen's recent performances have been a mixed bag, with the Dutchman clinching victories at the European Tour 11 and Players C.