PDC Players Championship Finals: Michael van Gerwen beats Rob Cross to win seventh title
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Victory has earned Michael van Gerwen the £100,000 top prize
Michael van Gerwen beat Rob Cross 11-6 to win his seventh PDC Players Championship Finals title in 10 years.
The 33-year-old Dutchman threw the 2022 tournament's only nine-dart finish - the third in its history - and a 170 checkout in the final.
Van Gerwen averaged 99.92 and made eight 180s, with his victory over England's Cross also marking his 150th PDC title.
"I'm here to win tournaments," he told ITV Sport in Minehead.
"I love winning, I love performing on the stage, and then to produce something extra, something special in a final like this, it gives me a lot of energy."
Van Gerwen had earlier beaten England's Luke Humphries 11-5 in his semi-final, in which he won eight of the last 10 legs and averaged 101.59.
He then defeated Cross to secure his fifth televised title of 2022, with the World Grand Prix, the Premier League and World Matchplay among his victories.
"It's been an amazing weekend but it was Michael's night," said Cross. "Mike was phenomenal.
"Once I started to find my feet and find a few 180s, it could have been a little bit different but I missed chances and missed doubles."
The Players Championship is the last major tournament before the PDC World Darts Championship, which takes place at Alexandra Palace from 15 December-3 January.
Van Gerwen is a three-time PDC world champion, last winning the crown in 2019.
"If people want to beat me, they have to play well. If I play my game, they cannot beat me and they know it," he added.
"But I have to show what I can, whether it's Gerwyn Price, Peter Wright, whoever, I want to show what I can. I'm there, I did my thing this year, I've won a lot of tournaments and now I have to show it also at the World Championship. That's what it is."
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