Luke Littler has bolstered his trophy cabinet with the UK Open, complementing his World Championship and Premier League titles this season, and now has his sights set on overtaking Luke Humphries for the world No. 1 ranking following his latest triumph.
At just 18, Littler, nicknamed “Luke the Nuke,” claimed his fifth major TV title in under 10 months by storming to the Ladbrokes UK Open crown. He obliterated James Wade 11-2 in the final, crushing “The Machine’s” resurgence and pocketing £110,000. This victory propelled his Professional Darts Corporation order of merit earnings to an impressive £1.25 million.
That figure excludes the £315,000 he banked from last May’s Premier League, as those winnings don’t count toward the two-year ranking system. With Humphries’ lead shrinking after an early exit, the top spot is tantalizingly close for Littler, who sees a golden opportunity ahead.
“Luke’s defending big money at the World Championship,” Littler said. “If he doesn’t hold onto it, that’s my shot at No. 1. I’ll aim to block him in ranking events too. It’s definitely in reach now. After he went out in the quarters here, people thought I’d take it—but I still had to finish the job.”
He added, “I’ve always said I want every major at least once. That’s another checked off, so now it’s onto Brighton for the Premier League Thursday.”
Littler’s meteoric rise, ignited at Ally Pally earlier this year, shows no signs of slowing. During a break in his semi-final win over Jonny Clayton in Minehead, he learned of Manchester United’s loss, admitting it “spurred me on” to conquer the tournament often likened to darts’ FA Cup.
Even he’s stunned by his own consistency. “Am I surprising myself? Yeah,” he confessed. “It’s only my second year on Tour. I’m still learning onstage, but my finishing—it’s all confidence. I can tell players don’t want to face me. I’ll take on anyone. One title just fuels the hunger for more.”
Littler’s mastery was evident as he dismantled Wade, a three-time UK Open champ. Despite battling discomfort to beat Josh Rock in the semis, Wade couldn’t withstand the young titan, slipping to No. 12 in the rankings. Humphries, meanwhile, holds firm at No. 1 with £1.89 million.
