EXCLUSIVE: Van Gerwen not planning to play any remaining Players Championship events this year

Van Gerwen played what look to be his last floor events of 2019 in Barnsley in May. Mighty Mike has only participated in six out of twenty Players Championship events so far this season. He entered four in February and two in May. Even with ten events remaining, it seems that the Dutchman's Players Championship race is run.

The world number one is not traveling to Hildesheim this weekend to take part in Players Championship 21 and 22. ''My daughter Zoë is celebrating her birthday'', the three-time world champion explained. Van Gerwen will also skip the two Pro Tour events in Dublin prior to the World Grand Prix. The 30-year-old has decided that he would prefer to attend the more lucrative exhibition events.

When asked if he would appear on the floor again this year, the answer was a firm "no". However, he left the door a little cracked for playing two Players Championship tournaments in September. "Maybe a weekend in September, but I'm not sure yet," Van Gerwen added.

Fellow darter Vincent van der Voort believes that his countryman does not play enough floor tournaments. According to the former UK Open finalist, Van Gerwen needs the Pro Tour tournaments to keep his form at a high level. Van Gerwen didn't echo Van der Voort's opinion.

''Talk is cheap afterwards. Last year I didn't play more than I do now, and my results were better than now. Of course it's easy to say, but you should always look for improvements.

''They [the Pro Tour events] are still very good tournaments for gaining rhythm. Maybe I have played too little here and there. But I am not going to say that I am performing less because I might play one or two fewer tournaments'', Van Gerwen concluded.