LITTLER AT RISK OF LOSING YEAR-TO-DATE NO1 SPOT

LUKE LITTLER is at risk of surrendering top spot in the year-to-date Order of Merit despite his stunning run of televised success.

The world No.1 has banked a staggering £260,000 in ranking prize money this season after winning every PDC Premier event so far.

But, Littler, 19, has featured in just two ProTour events this year – the Belgian Darts Open and Polish Darts Open – after opting for a reduced schedule.

That has opened the door for Wessel Nijman, who has climbed to second in the year-to-date standings with £246,000 thanks to an incredible haul of six Players Championship titles and two European Tour crowns.

The Dutch star has struggled to translate that form onto the major stage, winning just one match all year, but his dominance on the floor has propelled him within touching distance of Littler.

Nijman now trails The Nuke by just £14,000 and could leapfrog him after Littler withdrew from Players Championships 23 and 24 in Leicester.

The world No.14 has produced one of the most dominant campaigns in recent memory, with his relentless success behind closed doors drawing comparisons to Michael van Gerwen's peak on the floor a decade ago.

Nijman has reached seven of the 22 Players Championship finals this season, making him a strong favourite to overtake Littler next week if he continues his remarkable run.

Meanwhile, Littler is under no threat of losing his world No.1 ranking, which is calculated over a rolling two-year period.

The Warrington whizkid has amassed an incredible £2.9295million in ranking prize money and is on course to become the first player in darts history to break the £3million mark.

His nearest challenger, Luke Humphries, trails by a staggering £1.198million, underlining the sizeable gap at the top of the standings.

Words: Aaron Nijjar

Image: Taylor Lanning