Luke Littler is not participating in the 2025 Dutch Darts Championship, as reported by @DartsNews02 on X on May 19, 2025, with Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries leading the entries instead. While no official statement from Littler or the PDC explicitly confirms his reason for withdrawing, the most likely explanation is scheduling conflicts, given his demanding 2025 season. Littler’s commitments include the Premier League Darts, where he secured a record sixth nightly win in Sheffield on May 22, 2025, and is preparing for the play-offs against Gerwyn Price on May 29, 2025, at the O2 Arena. Additionally, he competed in exhibition matches, such as the MODUS Icons of Darts event in Norwich on May 16, 2025, and is gearing up for the World Cup of Darts in June.
Littler’s history of withdrawing from European Tour events, like the 2025 European Darts Grand Prix due to scheduling, suggests a similar rationale for the Dutch Darts Championship. His emotional response to hostile German crowds at the German Darts Grand Prix, where he vowed not to return to Germany until October, indicates crowd reception could influence his choices, though the Dutch event is in Rosmalen, Netherlands, not Germany. The championship’s timing, May 23-25, 2025, overlaps with his Premier League commitments and recovery from a vandalism incident involving his van in Norwich, which may have prompted him to prioritize rest or other events. Fans on X speculated about fatigue or strategic focus on bigger tournaments, but no concrete evidence confirms these theories.[]
