Darts star Michael van Gerwen has rubbish snooker icon Shaun Murphy’s claim that he has previously hit a nine-darter in hilarious fashion.
Stars from the worlds of darts, snooker and golf came together to compete in an event billed the Paddy Power Perfect Challenge, which saw Murphy steal the show with the only perfect performance throughout the two hours.
After missing the brown for a 147 break earlier in the day, he potted it later on to break 147 and put snooker ahead, with darts duo Van Gerwen and Luke Humphries not coming close.
MVG hit six perfect darts at one stage, while Matt Wallace and Ross Fisher failed in their bids to bag a hole in one on the golf course, though came close on more than one occasion.
In the build-up, snooker and Murphy, alongside Mark Williams, was second favourite to win with darts the most likely. The snooker star, though, had claimed in the build-up to the event that he had once hit a nine-darter, being the only person to achieve the feat as well as a 147 break and hole in one.
That came up during the event when the snooker star took to the darts board to try and show his counterparts how it was done, but it backfired when his poor performance led to a bashing from Van Gerwen.
Michael van Gerwen has rubbished a snooker star’s claim that he once hit a nine-darter
Stars from darts, snooker and golf came together to take on Paddy Power’s Perfect Challenge
Shaun Murphy, the only star to complete his challenge, claimed to have succeeded in all three
‘What happens if I hit a 180 here?’ Murphy asked, using the three-time world champion’s darts as he approached the oche. He then proceeded to miss the board completely with two of his darts.
‘Where was it you hit the nine darter?’ Van Gerwen asked after watching his opponent for the day throw a few darts. ‘I would like to know this story.’
Emma Paton, Sky Sports anchor and host of the event, chipped in: ‘It was in his local club.’
After Murphy nodded, Van Gerwen replied, laughing: ‘Was it 301 or 101?’
Darts is, of course, played starting from 501, with nine darts the fewest number a player can finish a leg with.
If it was from 301 players would need six, and just two for 101.
‘They all seem pretty easy to me,’ Murphy had jokingly said in a Paddy Power advert leading up to the event. ‘As I’ve said before, it’s a club of one, and that club is me. It’s just what I do to be fair.
‘I’ve done thousands of things that most people could only dream of. There was the 300 at 10-pin bowling. I also got six wickets in an over and a perfect 10 in gymnastics an hour later.’
Matt Wallace and Ross Fisher came close in the golf challenge but failed to clock a hole in one
Murphy, meanwhile, struggled on the darts board but showed his class on the snooker table
He continued to joke that he has ridden a dolphin in the Atlantic and beaten Max Verstappen in a Skoda.
When time was up, however, he said: ‘What we have proved, the three of them are all very difficult.’ The darts and snooker stars performed in Manchester, while the golf took place in Boreham Wood.
Paddy Power announced last week they would again be donating £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for every 180 scored during the World Championship as part of their BIGGER 180 campaign.
They will also add a £180,000 bonus every time a player hits a nine-darter. The prize will be split equally between Prostate Cancer UK, the player who throws the perfect leg, and a fan in the crowd at the Ally Pally.
