"That aura on the oche is something special": Michael van Gerwen seen as Clemens catalyst behind long-awaited ProTour title
PDCThursday, 16 July 2026 at 17:30
With his triumph at Players Championship 24, Gabriel Clemens wrote a piece of German darts history. After nine years on the PDC Tour, the “German Giant” finally won his first ranking title—and did so in spectacular fashion: In the final leg of the decider against Luke Woodhouse, Clemens checked out 170, the legendary “Big Fish,” to seal an 8-6 victory.
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In the latest episode of the podcast “Darts auf die 1”, the 42-year-old looked back on the emotional day together with Robert Marijanovic and Marcel Althaus. Clemens spoke about the respect for Michael van Gerwen, the dramatic finish to the final, and why, despite numerous setbacks, he never stopped believing this moment would come.
“I always believed in it”
Asked how his first PDC title feels, Clemens—true to form—kept it grounded. There was no great euphoria or overflowing emotion—relief dominated instead.
Gabriel Clemens won his first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 24 and has now spoken in detail about the historic success.
“I actually feel the same as always. Of course, it’s something special to finally win after such a long time and so many lost finals. But I basically always believed that one day everything would just click.”
Robert Marijanovic also followed the tournament day with great interest. The second-round win over Michael van Gerwen stood out for him in particular. “I saw you had to face MvG in round two. Beating him is always extremely tough. That aura is just there. In hindsight I was surprised: by the numbers, that was actually your weakest game of the day, right?”
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Clemens could see the point. Above all, the unique presence of the three-time world champion shaped the match. “I think so too. Afterward I went straight over to Lukas (Wenig) at the table and said: That was the toughest to play today. I don’t know why, but you just have so much respect for MvG. That aura on the oche is something special.”
On top of that came a match that could hardly have unfolded more unusually from the German’s perspective. “The game was totally strange. He doesn’t start well at all, then suddenly misses a 9-darter, then opens the next leg with two 180s again. And the very leg where he misses the 9-darter, I even end up winning.”
When prompted by Marcel Althaus, Clemens confirmed that van Gerwen had thrown eight perfect darts in that leg. The Dutchman then missed three darts at double 6 before Clemens took the leg with a 12-darter.
A tournament where everything clicked
While Marijanovic called the semifinal one of the “easiest” matches of the day, Clemens noted that even the quarterfinal against Mickey Mansell was far more relaxed than expected. “He just didn’t play well against me. Mickey Mansell is actually a very dangerous opponent, but he seemed a bit out of steam.”
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The key, in any case, was that his game had felt good not just on that one day. “Overall I’ve felt really good over the last three days. Even if I couldn’t get through at the European Tour Qualifiers again: I didn’t play under a 90 average in a single match. For more than ten games across three days, that’s definitely solid.”
Marijanovic also highlighted the consistent level. “Your tournament average was 95. That’s really strong. Considering your yearly average is just under 92, that was a very good day. On a purple patch day you’ve got even more in you, but this time everything just fit.”
“Typical that it was the 170”
The sporting tension returned in the final, though. After Clemens led 6-2, Luke Woodhouse battled back to 6-6.
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Marijanovic sensed that memories of previous final defeats were flashing through the German’s mind. “I felt like your look said: Please, not again.”
Clemens disagreed. “No, not really. Of course, thoughts like that are somewhere in the back of your mind. But there were still two legs to play and I told myself: Come on, two more legs, everything’s still there.”
There was still a moment that made him pause briefly. “When Luke makes it 6-3 instead of me going 7-2 up, you naturally think: You’d have been almost through there. But somehow with me it never goes without drama.”
That it was precisely the 170 that decided his first title fit the picture perfectly for Clemens. “It’s kind of typical that it ended with the 170.”
Marijanovic was sure the Big Fish may even have been necessary. “I had the feeling: If the bullseye doesn’t drop, you still lose that match.”
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Clemens couldn’t argue with that. “Could be, sure. He didn’t start that well, but in the middle of the match he was really strong. I definitely would’ve fancied him to take the 118.”
Marcel Althaus was thrilled by the moment as well. “I don’t think there’s a cooler way to win a first title than with a 170. There aren’t many who’ve taken their first title with a 170.”
A title despite the qualifying issues
For Althaus, Clemens gave German darts fans a special moment with his success. “I think you put a smile on a lot of German darts fans’ faces.”
Marijanovic also spoke of an almost surreal moment.
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“Many couldn’t really grasp it. The last final was two or three years ago. After that, nobody really knew where things were heading. And then suddenly this tournament win—of all things in a season where the European Tour Qualifiers aren’t working at all. That’s really your Achilles heel this year.”
Clemens took the ongoing qualifying problems in his usual relaxed manner. “It’s the same again: I’ve now played over 90 three times, others qualify with 85. That just can’t be helped,” he said with a laugh.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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