Luke Littler successfully defended his World Matchplay title in Blackpool, achieving new tournament and final average records. The 19-year-old secured an 18-9 victory over Gerwyn Price, becoming the fourth player to win consecutive Matchplay titles.
Littler concluded the week with an average of 111.04, surpassing Phil Taylor‘s 2010 record of 106.31. In the final match, he recorded an average of 111.53, exceeding Taylor’s 2013 final average of 111.23 against Adrian Lewis.
The world number one’s performance earned him £225,000 in prize money, bringing his total earnings over the PDC‘s two-year order of merit to £3,143,500. This figure places him significantly ahead of Luke Humphries, who holds the second spot with £2.13m less.
Dominant Performance in the Final
Littler entered the final as the strong favourite. He established an early lead with a 167 finish in the fourth leg, securing a break and claiming the first mini-session 4-1. His dominant form continued, extending his lead to 8-2 with an average of 114.74, nearing Taylor’s record of 114.99 in any Matchplay game.
Despite a slight dip in his level during the subsequent two sessions, Littler still won both 3-2, moving closer to victory. He reached within two legs of the title after a 148 checkout, marking his sixth ton-plus finish in the final. A subsequent break and hold secured his fourth ranking title of the calendar year.
During the final, Littler also hit 12 180s, setting a new tournament record of 66 maximums, surpassing his own total from the previous year. This victory extends his impressive streak to 29 consecutive wins in matches of 20 or more legs. His last defeat in a match of this duration occurred in the 2024 World Championship final against Luke Humphries.
Price, who averaged 104.97 in the final, acknowledged Littler’s exceptional talent. He described Littler as “one in a million” and expressed his hope that no other player of similar calibre emerges, stating, “he’s ridiculous!”
Aiming for a Calendar Clean Sweep
Following his victory, Littler stated his ambition to achieve a clean sweep of all PDC ranking titles within the calendar year, a feat that has never been accomplished before. This goal presents a challenge, particularly concerning the Players Championship Finals in November.
To qualify for the Players Championship Finals, Littler would likely need to participate in and win some Pro Tour events. He has skipped the first 24 Pro Tour events and has already withdrawn from two scheduled for Hildesheim this week. This leaves only eight remaining events for him to compete in at Minehead.
A total of 64 players qualify for the Players Championship Finals, with the current 64th-ranked player having £22,750 in prize money. A win in a Pro Tour event is worth £15,000, and a runner-up finish yields £10,000, indicating the effort Littler needs to put in. Former BDO world champion Mark Webster expressed that he “half expects” Littler to achieve the clean sweep, noting that Littler’s game holds up in any format and scenario.
The next PDC ranked TV major is the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, scheduled from September 28 to October 4 at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester. Littler will return as the defending champion, having won the event last year against Luke Humphries.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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