Michael van Gerwen will not win the first PDC ProTour title of the new season after being dumped out in the third round by new Tour Card holder Lewy Williams 6-5.
ADVERTISEMENT
Williams is making his ProTour debut today having captured a Tour Card last week but he is not a new face at all.
The Welsh youngster was famed for his giant killing at last year's UK Open reaching the Last 64 as a Riley's Amateur Qualifier with a victory over Jose de Sousa along the way.
He then reached a Challenge Tour final and hit a 117 average against Richie Burnett on the same tour last year.
Williams fell behind 2-0 against Van Gerwen, but with a 12-darter and a 13-darter, the Welshman won the three subsequent legs.
Then it was the Dutchman who managed to win three legs in a row.
The World Number Two could then finish it in the ninth leg, but missed two match darts.
ADVERTISEMENT
Williams came back to 5-4 and even made it 5-5 with a 90 checkout to force the decider.
Mighty Mike got another match dart in the deciding leg, but also missed this opportunity.
Then it was Williams who came back and smashed in a 111 finish after a poor middle section of the leg on his throw left him on seemingly the unthinkable.
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.
A dream debut on the ProTour for Lewis Williams!
The young Welshman has beaten Michael van Gerwen 6-5 to reach the Last 16, in his first ever event as a Tour Card holder