Irish beginner Michael Flynn says his shock victory over three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen is a “large second” in his profession.
Flynn beat Van Gerwen 6-4 in Monday’s first spherical of the third Gamers Championship of 2025 in Rosmalen, the Netherlands.
The 32-year-old, who works in social care in County Limerick in his day job, was solely added to the PDC occasion’s entry record on Sunday morning after a variety of withdrawals.
It meant a three-hour sprint by automobile from his dwelling within the west of Eire to Dublin airport to catch a flight to the Netherlands to make sure he reached the event in time.
Flynn – nicknamed ‘the Flyer’ – is ranked eleventh on the Problem Tour, which is used as a reserve record for Gamers Championship occasions.
“MVG wasn’t the identify you wish to see as your first opponent – you’d hope for a neater sport,” Flynn informed RAYNAE Sport.
“I knew my type was good coming into the event however to beat a three-time world champion is an enormous second in my profession.”
Flynn’s common of 92.41 within the match was decrease than Van Gerwen’s 97.01 however he held his nerve on the essential moments.
Van Gerwen’s look on the Autotron Centre in Rosmalen was the 35-year-old Dutchman’s first on this 12 months’s Gamers Championship.
Flynn was crushed 6-4 by Poland’s Tytus Kanik within the subsequent spherical however acknowledged his victory over Van Gerwen, who completed runner-up to Luke Littler within the 2025 PDC World Championship, will give him an enormous raise.
He added: “If you find yourself taking part in somebody like Van Gerwen it’s a must to tune in from the get-go. It sort of opened my eyes to the skilled circuit, the usual it’s a must to be at from the off if you wish to get a win.
“It’s going to give me confidence transferring ahead and reveals me my sport is there if I can proceed it and take it again to the Problem Tour.”
World quantity 10 Chris Dobey gained the general event with a cushty 8-4 victory over Dutch outsider Jelle Klaasen within the ultimate.
There are 34 Gamers Championship occasions throughout the 12 months. The second a part of the Rosmalen double-header will happen on Tuesday, with the competitors’s finals held in Minehead from 21 to 23 November.
