Newly-crowned World Grand Prix champion Luke Littler is scrambling to reach November’s Players Championship Finals after a first-round exit in Wigan left him outside the 64 qualification spots with three events to go.
Littler’s 6-4 defeat to reigning European champion Ritchie Edhouse in Event 31 – which was ultimately won by Jermaine Wattimena – means he sits 73rd in the Players Championship standings, £2,500 adrift of the 64th-ranked Niko Springer.
‘The Nuke’, who averaged 106.45 versus Edhouse, will hope for a deeper run at Event 32 on Wednesday before the regular Players Championship campaign concludes with back-to-back tournaments on October 29 and 30, also in Wigan.
Luke Littler’s hopes of qualifying for November’s Players Championship Finals are hanging by a thread
First prize or a runner-up finish in the remaining events should all but guarantee Littler’s spot at the Players Championship Finals in Minehead across November 21-23.
Nathan Aspinall – beaten 8-2 by Wattimena in the final after losing eight straight legs – was outside the top 64 at the start of Event 31 but his run on Tuesday, which included nine-dart finishes against Steve Lennon in round two and Lukas Wenig in round four, has propelled him to 43rd.
Michael van Gerwen is in jeopardy of missing the Players Championship Finals for the first time, though, with the Dutchman 93rd in the standings after a 6-4 loss to Dom Taylor in round one.
Michael van Gerwen needs to win Players Championship Event 32 to reach the Finals in Minehead in November
Van Gerwen must now make Wednesday’s final at the very least to secure his spot in Minehead as he will miss the last two events on the ProTour due to a pre-arranged commitment.
World No 1 Luke Humphries is not safe either, sitting 56th in the Players Championship rankings after a second-round exit.
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 Beau Greaves in the World Youth Championship semi-finals a day later.
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Highlights of Littler’s 6-1 drubbing of world No 1 Luke Humphries in the World Grand Prix final
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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
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.
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.
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 Gian van Veen, Ross Smith, Damon Heta and Event 31 champion Wattimena rounding out the top five.
Jermaine Wattimena claimed his maiden PDC ranking title with a win over Lukas Wenig in Hildesheim
Wattimena, whose success in Wigan on Tuesday included routing Niels Zonneveld 7-0 in the semi-finals after surviving six match darts in his win over Christian Kist in the first round, said: “I cannot describe how good I feel.
“After the first match I played amazing, so I am really happy with this win. I have beaten some brilliant players today. I have more belief in myself now, and I think I’m a dangerous player for everyone!”
Wattimena’s title was his second on the ProTour this term, after triumphing at Players Championship 23 in July.
Players Championship 31 results – final rounds
Final
Jermaine Wattimena 8-2 Nathan Aspinall
Semi-finals
Nathan Aspinall 7-3 Stephen Bunting
Jermaine Wattimena 7-0 Niels Zonneveld
Quarter-finals
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Wessel Nijman
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 James Wade
Niels Zonneveld 6-2 Joe Hunt
Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 Chris Landman
Last 16
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Robert Grundy
Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Lukas Wenig
James Wade 6-4 Richard Veenstra
Joe Hunt 6-5 Andreas Harrysson
Niels Zonneveld 6-5 Damon Heta
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Martin Schindler
Chris Landman 6-4 Cam Crabtree
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.
