Littler Steams Into Minhead Finals Day

Reigning World Champion Luke Littler stormed into the final day of battle in Minehead with a performance so sublime, so outrageously polished, that it sent shockwaves bouncing around the Butlins complex.

The teenage titan remains firmly on course to capture one of the only two PDC majors still missing from his rapidly expanding empire — and on tonight’s evidence, he looks in the mood to seize it with both hands.

Twelve months ago, The Nuke fell at the final hurdle, toppled by Luke Humphries in the Players Championship showpiece.

This time, he’s marching with vengeance in his veins, and Ricardo Pietreczko discovered that the hard way. The German burst out of the blocks, stunning the crowd with a 4–2 lead, but once Littler flicked the switch, strapped on the jet boosters and found that irresistible gear only he seems to possess… the match turned into a one-way avalanche.

World number one mode: activated. Outcome: inevitable.

Gerwyn Price joined him in the last 16 with a professional, ice-cold dismantling of a lacklustre Martin Schindler. The Welshman barely broke a sweat in his victory, ending all German hopes of a maiden PDC major champion for another weekend.

Meanwhile, Nathan Aspinall and Danny Noppert produced an absolute scorcher on the main stage, a chaotic, momentum-swinging blockbuster that eventually swung the Asp’s way, 10–8.

Lurking ominously in the shadows — as he so often does — is James Wade. The Machine once again inserted himself into the business end by clinically engineering a win over Andrew Gilding.

The last surviving former champion, Daryl Gurney, lived dangerously but refused to die, clinging on by his fingernails as Adam Lipscombe pushed him into a nerve-shredding last-leg shootout.

Jermaine Wattimena, playing the darts of his life, continued flying the Dutch flag with pride, edging the long haired battering ram Ryan Searle in a 10–8 thriller.

Chris Dobey also booked his ticket to Sunday after outmuscling the stubborn and spirited James Hurrell.

And the night’s last mention. Another Northern Irish triumph — the other half of the World Cup–winning duo, Josh Rock, coming through a heavyweight battle with Polish number one Krzysztof Ratajski, eventually sealing a 10–8 victory that capped off a chaotic session.

If Daryl Gurney fails to lift the trophy… we are guaranteed a brand-new Players Championship Finals winner. Minehead is poised, Sunday evening will reveal everything.

Evening Session

Round Three (Main Stage)

Gerwyn Price 10-6 Martin Schindler

Nathan Aspinall 10-8 Danny Noppert

Luke Littler 10-6 Ricardo Pietreczko

Josh Rock 10-8 Krzysztof Ratajski

Stage Two

Daryl Gurney 10-9 Adam Lipscombe

James Wade 10-6 Andrew Gilding

Jermaine Wattimena 10-8 Ryan Searle

Chris Dobey 10-5 James Hurrell

Sunday November 23