Luke Littler bounced back from his recent defeats to pick up a vital Players Championship 32 title in Wigan.
Off the back of his World Youth Championship semi-final defeat to Beau Greaves and an early Players Championship 31 loss to Ritchie Edhouse, Littler responded with an outright victory to qualify for next month’s Finals in Minehead.
Having beaten Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semi-finals on Wednesday, Littler went on to defeat unheralded Dutch player Dennie Olde Kalter 8-2 in the final.
The boost is a timely one for the newly-crowned World Grand Prix champion, who had been scrambling to reach November’s Players Championship Finals after Tuesday’s first-round exit in Wigan in Event 31 left him outside the 64 qualification spots with three events to go.
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The Love The Darts podcast panel discuss the rules around the World Youth Championship and whether Littler was right to compete in it
Littler’s 6-4 defeat to reigning European champion Edhouse in Event 31 – which was ultimately won by Jermaine Wattimena – put him 73rd in the Players Championship standings, £2,500 adrift of the 64th-ranked Niko Springer.
But The Nuke’s title win at Event 32 elevated him to 34th in the standings and sent him though ahead of the regular Players Championship campaign concluding with back-to-back tournaments on October 29 and 30, also in Wigan, with the Finals in Minehead across November 21-23.
“That’s always in the back of my mind [qualification for Players Championship Finals] and I’m on social media with some people saying I’m not going to make it. There you go, I’ve won it today,” Littler said following victory.
“I’ll maybe play the last two events out, I’ll see how I feel.
“You’ve just got to believe yourself. I know I have the capabilities to come from behind, and that happened again today. I’m learning as the days go on.
“I didn’t win [at the World Youth Championship], obviously a lot of people were happy, but I just thought I’d come and get used to playing first to five, first to six. That’s what I’ve done today and yesterday.”
Busy few days for Littler on and off the board
Littler beat beat Humphries in the World Grand Prix final on Sunday, before losing to Greaves in the World Youth Championship semi-finals a day later.
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Highlights of the World Grand Prix final match between Littler and Luke Humphries
Before Littler’s defeat to Edhouse on Tuesday, it was announced that the 18-year-old would now be managed by Target Darts, his darts supplier during his rise to the top.
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Just one day after winning the World Grand Prix, Littler lost to Beau Greaves 6-5 in the World Youth Championship semi-finals
Littler split from ZXF Sports ahead of the World Grand Prix in Leicester after being with that management company since 2020.
Writing on X, Littler said about strengthening his bond with Target: “Target have been with me from the start and proud to have them managing me now. Onwards with the best brand in the game.”
Littler’s World Grand Prix triumph earned him a fourth PDC major title of 2025 and seventh of his career, with the teenager now out to defend his Grand Slam of Darts crown when that competition is held in Wolverhampton from November 8-16, live on Sky Sports.
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Will we see Greaves at Ally Pally after Littler victory?
How do you earn money in Players Championship events?
Each Players Championship event has a first prize of £15,000 and offers £10,000 to the runner-up, with semi-finalists earning £5,000, quarter finalists £3,500 and £2,500 available to those losing in the last 16.
Those eliminated in the last 32 collect £1,500 and a second-round exit earns £1,000, while those knocked out in the first round – or choosing not to feature – earn no money.
Gerwyn Price tops the Order of Merit after winning four Players Championship titles this year, with Damon Heta, Ross Smith, Gian van Veen and Event 31 champion Wattimena rounding out the top five.
Players Championship 32 results – final rounds
Final
Luke Littler 8-2 Dennie Olde Kalter
Semi-Finals
Luke Littler 7-4 Stephen Bunting
Dennie Olde Kalter 7-3 Jermaine Wattimena
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
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
Watch the Grand Slam of Darts live on Sky Sports from November 8-16, before the World Darts Championship runs from December 11-January 3. Stream darts and more contract-free with NOW.
