Tuesday May 12th 2026
David Sharp playing against Michael Van Gerwen
Written by Midlothian View Sport Reporter, Nyo Logan
Midlothian darts professional David Sharp says confidence continues to grow on the PDC circuit after producing several standout moments during Players Championship events 13 and 14 in Hildesheim, Germany including a strong display against three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen.
The week almost started in disastrous fashion after Sharp’s darts equipment was temporarily lost by the airline travelling to Germany after the flight had reportedly been oversold, leaving his case behind in Scotland.
With his darts and equipment only arriving hours before play was due to begin, he admitted it was far from ideal preparation heading into the opening event.
“It definitely wasn’t the ideal start to the week. When we arrived in Germany my case with all my darts equipment and clothes hadn’t made the flight, so I had to head to a sports shop to sort out suitable gear just in case it didn’t turn up in time.”
He added “Thankfully the airline managed to get the bag delivered to the hotel a few hours before play started because I didn’t really fancy borrowing darts and wearing my new outfit on the ProTour stage.”
Despite the disruption, the Bonnyrigg-based player responded impressively in Players Championship 13 with a 6–3 first-round victory over highly-rated 18-year-old Belgian prospect Yorick Hofkens.
Hofkens looked on course for a nine-dart finish during the match after finding himself eight darts into perfection before narrowly missing double 12. Sharp went on to take the leg and continued his clinical finishing throughout the contest.
He opened with a brilliant 128 checkout to take the opening leg and immediately settle into the match. With the game finely poised later on, he then produced one of the moments of the contest with a superb 160 finish while Hofkens waited on 40, giving himself a crucial 5–3 advantage.
He wrapped up the victory in style, pinning a 102 checkout to complete an impressive 6–3 win.
“Delighted to get a win on the ProTour after the last couple of defeats in the first round,” said Sharp.
“I had a few ton-plus checkouts which always helps your confidence, only to go and wire loads of darts at doubles in the next match.”
His run came to an end in the second round with a 6–3 defeat to the Netherlands’ Christian Kist. Despite the scoreline, he again showed strong scoring power, but missed opportunities on the doubles proved costly.
Players Championship 14 then handed him one of the toughest draws possible as he faced Dutch superstar Michael van Gerwen in the opening round.
He made a blistering start, racing into a 3–1 lead while averaging around 130 in the opening stages of the contest. However, Van Gerwen showed his class to win five consecutive legs and take the match 6–3 despite Sharp finishing with a ton-plus average himself.
“Played some great stuff, especially early on against MVG, but in the end it was not enough as he switched gears in the last part of the match,” Sharp said.
“It was a great game played in the right manner. After the game he was very complimentary about how I played.”
He admitted competing regularly against some of the sport’s biggest names is still something he is adjusting to during his debut season as a professional.
“Going from watching these guys on the TV to competing with them week in, week out is very surreal, but it’s an opportunity I am loving,” he added.
Currently sitting around 116 in the world rankings, Sharp remains focused on climbing the PDC Order of Merit and securing qualification for the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace later this year.
With Players Championship events 15 and 16 taking place this week in Leicester, he says the relentless nature of the tour means there is little time to dwell on results.
“Quick turnaround means you don’t have a lot of time to dwell on results, you need to dust yourself down and move on,” he said.
“It’s all about building consistency now. I know the level I’m capable of producing, so the aim over the next two events is to put full performances together and give myself chances to make deeper runs.“
David also thanked his sponsors at the Ship Inn Dalkeith for their continued backing during his first year on tour and confirmed further sponsorship opportunities remain available for local businesses looking to support his professional journey.
With confidence continuing to grow against some of the sport’s biggest names, Sharp will head into Players Championship events 15 and 16 believing he can continue climbing the rankings and establish himself further on the PDC professional dart circuit.
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