LUKE LITTLER could be in “jeopardy” of missing out on the Players Championship Finals.
The world No1 has left himself with work to do after snubbing the opening 26 Players Championship events of the season.
Littler celebrates another big win as the teenage sensation continues his remarkable 2026 season Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Littler lets the emotions show as he keeps his bid for an unprecedented clean sweep alive Credit: Alamy
Littler, 19, has confirmed he will return for the final eight floor tournaments as he bids to qualify for Minehead and keep alive his dream of completing an unprecedented clean sweep of every major PDC title.
The teenage sensation currently sits £25,500 outside the qualification places, with Martin Schindler occupying the final top-64 spot in the Players Championship Order of Merit.
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Realistically, Littler will likely need to win one Players Championship title (£15,000) and reach at least another final (£10,000) to put himself in contention.
Despite dominating on the televised stage, the Warrington wonderkid has traditionally found the floor circuit a tougher test.
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He won just one of the 12 Players Championship events he entered last season after claiming three titles from 17 appearances in 2024.
Pundit Chris Murphy believes the quiet atmosphere could make qualification far from straightforward.
He told the Love the Darts Podcast: “There is probably a sense in which they’re harder for certain players, and it’s nothing really to do with the standard.
“It’s to do with the environment, the setting, no walk on, no build up. You’re not going to feel motivated.
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Littler lifts the World Darts Championship trophy after successfully defending his crown in January Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
“I think Littler is someone who probably does need to feel motivated to play five matches before lunchtime.
“Do you know what I mean? It’s very, very different, and it can be to certain players that are used to the razzmatazz, the big stage, maybe a bit of a grind.
“I don’t think it’s a certainty that if he goes to a couple, that he’ll qualify. He probably needs to win one and reach the final of another.“He can do that in two days, can’t he?”
Littler has already won the World Championship, Masters, UK Open, World Cup of Darts and World Matchplay this season.
No player, not even Phil Taylor, has ever completed a clean sweep of every major PDC title in a single campaign.
Sky Sports pundit Laura Turner believes the chance to make history should provide all the motivation Littler needs.
She added: “I’m not going to back against him right now. Let’s be honest.
“I mean, if you say about the motivation, I guess the motivation is there just to make sure he’s in with a shout of just doing the clean sweep.
Littler stands alongside darts legend Phil Taylor as the debate grows over whether the teenage superstar can emulate or even surpass ‘The Power’ Credit: Target Darts
“That then becomes the motivation. But I agree, having played on bigger stages compared to then having to play, it’s very quiet.
“It is a really quiet kind of environment. And it is, it’s game after game.
“You don’t have that luxury of, can I just have five minutes? They’re like, no, no, it is literally just, you’re back on, you’re back on, you’re back on.
“But he’s won there many a time before, he’s adept to it.”
Murphy believes Littler’s biggest obstacle will be avoiding the occasional below-par performance that can prove costly on the ProTour.
He continued: “I think that maybe the little bit of jeopardy is that what we have seen from Luke Littler when he plays on the ProTour is he can have an off match.
“Now, quite often he’ll win that match because his off match is better than most people’s best game.
“But that is, I suppose, the jeopardy that he’ll face.”
