Luke Littler Shines Again with First Players Championship Win of the Season to book Minehead place
Luke Littler Shines Again with First Players Championship Win of the Season to book Minehead place
Luke Littler continued his remarkable run of form on Wednesday, delivering another series of dazzling performances to capture his first Players Championship title of the season. The victory not only underlined his position as one of darts’ brightest young stars but also secured his qualification for next month’s Players Championship Finals in Minehead.
Fresh off his triumph at the World Grand Prix just days earlier, the reigning World Champion carried that momentum straight into Wigan’s Robin Park Leisure Centre, where Players Championship 32 unfolded. Despite starting the day outside the provisional qualification spots for Minehead, Littler responded in emphatic fashion, powering through a demanding field to claim the £12,000 top prize and reinforce his reputation as the game’s most exciting talent.
Early Rounds and Rising Intensity
Littler’s campaign began with back-to-back 6–4 victories over Dylan Slevin and Jeffrey de Graaf, steadying his rhythm before finding another gear. A whitewash over Adam Lipscombe, achieved with a superb 102 average, booked his place in the last 16 and showcased the confidence that has defined his recent form.
The 17-year-old prodigy then demonstrated his composure under pressure. Against Adam Hunt, he reeled off consecutive 130, 120, and 146 checkouts to overturn an early deficit, storming back to seal another dramatic win. In the quarter-finals, Littler produced a similar comeback story, turning a 3–1 disadvantage into a 5–3 victory over Rhys Griffin, displaying once again the fighting spirit that has become his trademark.
Bunting Falls in High-Class Semi-Final
The semi-final against Stephen Bunting, the tournament’s top seed, was a clash worthy of any major stage. Bunting, fresh from a string of consistent performances, raced into a 4–2 lead before Littler unleashed five consecutive winning legs to complete a 7–4 success. The standard was exceptional—Littler averaged 109 to Bunting’s 107—in a contest that left fans and pundits alike in awe of both players’ quality.
Dominant in the Final
The final brought an unexpected opponent in Dennie Olde Kalter, a Dutch player who had endured a torrid start to his ProTour season, losing his first 20 matches of the year. Yet Olde Kalter’s run to the final was a story of resilience, having dispatched several high-profile names along the way.
The Dutchman struck first with a clinical 121 checkout, but Littler immediately struck back with a 12-darter and followed it with 152 and 101 finishes to take command at 3–1. Olde Kalter briefly halted the momentum, but the young Englishman soon pulled clear, reeling off back-to-back 11-dart legs and another 101 finish to move within touching distance of victory.
Moments later, Littler sealed the win in style, registering his tenth 180 of the final before polishing off a 72 combination to clinch the title with a staggering 110.73 average—one of the highest recorded on the ProTour this season.
Post-Match Reflections
“I’m really happy to come away with a win,” Littler said afterward, smiling but ever the perfectionist. “I’m a bit angry it was only a 15-darter to finish with, because I knew my average felt really good! At the start of the day, it was just about getting through the early stages and believing in myself. I know I’ve got the capabilities to come from behind in matches—and that’s what I did again today.”
The win lifts Littler well above the qualification cut-off for Minehead—£11,000 clear, with two events remaining—and reinforces his growing reputation as the sport’s next global superstar.
Olde Kalter’s Breakthrough and Other Highlights
While Littler dominated the headlines, it was also a breakthrough performance for Olde Kalter, who earned a well-deserved £10,000 runner-up prize. Having endured a difficult ProTour season, losing 25 of his 29 opening matches, the Dutchman finally found his rhythm in Wigan. His path to the final included victories over fellow countrymen Marvin van Velzen, Niels Zonneveld, and Dirk van Duijvenbode, before stunning wins against Scott Waites and Nathan Aspinall. A 7–3 semi-final triumph over Jermaine Wattimena capped a remarkable day.
Elsewhere, Stephen Bunting reached the semi-finals for the second consecutive day, while Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson produced a perfect nine-dart leg in his opening-round victory—just 24 hours after Aspinall’s own double nine-dart feat.
Looking Ahead
The PDC ProTour season now heads toward its climax, with Players Championships 33 and 34 returning to Wigan on October 29–30. The final qualification race for Minehead promises further intrigue, with Luke Humphries and Peter Wright both seeking to secure their spots in the 64-player lineup. Meanwhile, seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen is expected to miss the double-header for family reasons, likely ruling him out of next month’s finals.
As for Littler, this latest triumph cements his status as the man to beat on the oche—a teenager rewriting darts history one tournament at a time.
Luke Littler Shines Again with First Players Championship Win of the Season to book Minehead place
2025 Players Championship 32
Robin Park Leisure Centre, Wigan
Wednesday October 15
Last 16
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Niko Springer
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Cor Dekker
Luke Littler 6-4 Adam Hunt
Rhys Griffin 6-4 Mickey Mansell
Chris Dobey 6-2 Ritchie Edhouse
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Rob Cross
Dennie Olde Kalter 6-1 Scott Waites
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Damon Heta
Quarter-Finals
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Wessel Nijman
Luke Littler 6-3 Rhys Griffin
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Chris Dobey
Dennie Olde Kalter 6-4 Nathan Aspinall
Semi-Finals
Luke Littler 7-4 Stephen Bunting
Dennie Olde Kalter 7-3 Jermaine Wattimena
Final
Luke Littler 8-2 Dennie Olde Kalter
Nine-Darter!
Andreas Harrysson hit a nine-darter in his Round One tie against Radek Szaganski.
