The infancy of a calendar year rarely tiptoes. It hurtles. One moment you are dismantling the Christmas tree, the next you are confronted by supermarket aisles awash with confectionery optimism and foil wrapped excess. Time, as ever, is indecently efficient.
The same accelerated rhythm governs life on the Professional Darts Corporation circuit. The confetti of the World Championship barely settled before the Players Championship caravan is already thundering through industrial estates in Hildesheim, Wigan and Leicester. Unless, of course, your name happens to be Luke Littler, in which case the Alexandra Palace afterglow lingers rather longer.
By the close of February, six floor events have already been negotiated – six relentless examinations of form, temperament and stamina. Patterns are emerging. Some expected, others deliciously improbable. This is not a referendum on reputation but a temperature check on trajectory. We focus solely on those who have contested the full allotment of events and having already dissected the sluggish beginnings of Raymond van Barneveld and Dimitri Van den Bergh elsewhere, we grant them diplomatic immunity here.
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For balance and intellectual integrity, we are focusing exclusively on those who have competed in the full quota of events. And given that the early season tribulations of Raymond van Barneveld and Dimitri Van den Bergh have already been scrutinised elsewhere, they are spared further dissection here.
Let us kick proceedings off with the pleasantly disruptive. Starting with a couple who, without yet being bona fide household names, have excelled beyond expectation:
Bullseyes
ADAM GAWLAS
The Czech prodigy has long exhibited tantalising promise – most notably in reaching the semi-final of the UK Open in a field almost as populous as a Wembley Stadium concert. Yet, for reasons difficult to quantify, he never truly accelerated from that breakthrough and, at the conclusion of 2024, relinquished his Tour Card status. The 24-year-old responded with admirable fortitude, capturing a MODUS Super Series title and commencing this campaign in invigorating fettle – none more so than a last four appearance in Germany on Event One and a series of assured performances in Euro Tour qualification bouts.
KEVIN DOETS
Operating from the same management stable as Gawlas, the Dutch born, Swedish resident has produced two outstanding quarter final runs. On another afternoon, given the quality and composure of his performances in those last eight ties, a better ending would not have flattered him. At the tail end of last year, Hawkeye advanced to the fourth round of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace, underlining that his upward trajectory is neither accidental nor ephemeral.
DAVID SHARP
Not all notable starts have to be winning event or pulling up tungsten trees. The Scotsman known as Razor was something of a surprise graduate from Q-School but has already reached a quarter final and bagged over half a dozen wins. It is vital for new players to pick up regularly and not be under too much early pressure.
Sharpy has also impressed enough to be signed to both Dunvegan darst management and Unicorn darts in the last few weeks.
Bounceouts
…. and now for a pair who haven’t really hit the heights many expected yet in 2025:
JUSTIN HOOD
Only a few months ago, the Somerset thrower was cultivating cult hero status at Ally Pally courtesy of his quarter final heroics and whimsical ambitions of opening a Chinese restaurant. Yet 2026 has not ignited quite as anticipated. Just four victories from six Players Championship appearances and not a single board win suggest a campaign still seeking combustion.
In Happy Feet’s defence, he was scarcely igniting the oche in the build up to his exploits in North London. A cursory glance at the form book suggested little to indicate that Hood was poised for such an expansive run. Few, if any, had earmarked him as a deep tournament protagonist. Viewed through that prism, his Pro Tour results to date feel far more coherent and altogether less perplexing.
JERMAINE WATTIMENA
The Machine Gun finally shattered a decade long drought last season by claiming his maiden PDC title, then promptly reinforced that breakthrough to complete the most accomplished campaign of his career to date. However, the early weeks of this season have felt decidedly more subdued, with Jermaine slipping from main event prominence back into a far more familiar undercard role.
Six events have yielded no board wins and two abrupt exits. The question now looms: was the previous campaign a genuine coming of age, convincing pundits and fans alike that he had evolved into a credible major title contender? Or was it merely a fleeting purple patch, a flash in the pan that briefly elevated Wattimena above his natural station before gravity restored the status quo? Time, as ever, will provide the definitive answer, but the early indicators lean uncomfortably toward the latter interpretation.
Elsewhere, matters have also proved inauspicious – a whitewash at the hands of Chris Dobey in his Winmau World Masters opener, followed by a comprehensive 6-1 defeat to Stephen Bunting at the Poland Darts Open. Early days though. It wasn’t until late in 2025 that the Dutchman blossomed.
PETER WRIGHT
Peter has eked out a couple of wins but still failed to get past the L64 so far. He seems to be no further forward in solving his current ills. For many it is sad to see such an illustrious and popular player struggle in such terms. For the benefit of his legions of fans we hope to see Snakebite turn the corner soon
SUMMARY
Still, this is of course just the embryonic stage of an expansive season. For the aforementioned names – and indeed many others – the narrative remains fluid, and we are a long way from activating any genuine panic stations.
—–ENDS—–
Images: PDC
