Gerwyn Price issues worrying update after withdrawing from player championship event against Luke Littler
Welsh darts star Gerwyn Price, the former PDC World Champion and a perennial top-10 contender, has shared a concerning health update following his abrupt withdrawal from the Players Championship 24 event in Milton Keynes. The 40-year-old ‘Iceman’, who has battled recurring injuries throughout the 2025 season, posted a grim photo from a hospital waiting room on Instagram, revealing a red and swollen right hand—the same one that sidelined him earlier this year with a severe infection. “Just what I didn’t want, back to the hospital it is,” Price captioned the image, sparking worry among fans and peers as he faces potential surgery amid a crucial stretch of the PDC calendar.
The Withdrawal: A Sudden Absence Raises Alarms
Price was noticeably absent from the Players Championship 24 draw on Monday, August 26, despite being a heavy favorite with two World Series titles (Poland Darts Masters and Baltic Sea Darts Open) already in his 2025 trophy cabinet. The £10,000-per-event Pro Tour stop, part of a grueling 34-tournament slate qualifying players for the lucrative Players Championship Finals (£500,000 pot), saw Swedish qualifier Jeffrey de Graaf claim a historic 8-7 final win over Stephen Bunting—the first Scandinavian PDC ranking title.
The PDC confirmed Price’s non-participation but offered no initial details, leaving commentators like Wayne Mardle speculating on Sky Sports: “Gerwyn’s been ice-cold this year—hope it’s nothing serious.” Price’s absence dropped him from the Players Championship Order of Merit lead, with Dutch youngster Gian van Veen overtaking him by £1,500 after a quarter-final run at PC24. It marked his second Pro Tour miss in recent weeks, following a hospital dash for the same hand issue that forced him out of the Flanders Darts Trophy last month.
The Update: A Swollen Hand and Familiar Fears
On Tuesday afternoon, August 27, Price broke his silence with an Instagram post from a hospital corridor: A close-up of his right hand, visibly inflamed and red, bandaged at the base but throbbing with swelling. The caption—”Just what I didn’t want, back to the hospital it is”—paired with a weary emoji, painted a picture of frustration and fatigue. No timeline for recovery was given, but sources close to Price indicate doctors are assessing whether antibiotics or surgical drainage is needed, echoing a 2022 hand fracture that forced a Premier League withdrawal.
Price’s season has been a rollercoaster of highs and health hurdles. He surged to world No. 4 with £300,000+ in earnings, including a Hungarian Darts Trophy quarter-final run before a sudden illness withdrawal against Luke Littler last weekend (“Was really ill all day Sunday,” he later revealed). But chronic issues—a mysterious condition plaguing him “every two minutes” at the 2025 Worlds, plus the hand infection—have seen him miss key events like the World Cup of Darts in June. “Health comes first,” Price posted after Hungary, but this latest flare-up threatens his spot in the top eight for the World Grand Prix (October 6-12, £500,000 pot).
Fan and Peer Reaction: Support Pours In
The darts community rallied around Price, with X flooded by well-wishes. Fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton posted: “Get well, brother—ocher needs the Iceman.” Luke Littler, who benefited from Price’s Hungarian bye, added: “Thoughts with you, Gerwyn. Speedy recovery.” Fans trended #GetWellGerwyn, one tweeting: “Pricey’s fought through worse—hand infection won’t stop him.” PDC Tour Card holders like Ross Smith shared similar injury stories, emphasizing the sport’s physical toll: “Darts looks easy, but gripping that barrel with a dodgy hand? Brutal.”
Price’s resilience is legendary—bouncing back from a 2024 back spasm to win the World Series Finals—but at 40, the Welshman’s body is signaling caution. With nine Players Championships left to secure Finals qualification and the 2026 Worlds (£5 million pot) on the horizon, every day counts.
As Price awaits scans, the focus shifts to PC25 in Wigan this week. Get well soon, Iceman—the stage awaits your return.
