LITTLER IGNORES CALLS TO CHANGE PDC RANKING SYSTEM

LUKE LITTLER has poured cold water on growing calls to change the PDC’s ranking system.

The PDC Order of Merit ranks players based on the prize money they earn from tournaments over a rolling two-year period.

World No.14 Gerwyn Price sparked the debate by blasting the PDC after the World Championship winner’s cheque doubled from £500,000 to a jaw-dropping £1million next year and warned it could “skew the rankings”.

It’s possible that someone who lifts the Sid Waddell Trophy at the start of 2026 could take a long break afterwards and barely drop out of the top five.

Three-times World Champ Michael van Gerwen then piled in, arguing the sport should copy tennis and switch back to a points-based system, giving bigger weighting to major titles.

But teen sensation Littler insists darts should “stick with the prize money” and even defended the current structure for those starting out.

He said: “It’s been the same for so many years — there’s no point changing it.

“Whoever wins the Worlds will be No. 1 for a long time for at least two years until the money comes off.

“But I think we should stick with it.

“Even on the Pro Tour, new Tour Card holders, if they get to the last 16 or quarterfinals, receive around five grand on their rankings, and they would be happy with that.

“Obviously they would not get as many points as they would prize money.

“So probably stick with the prize money.”

‘The Nuke’ averaged 105.38 and smashed in 10 out of 12 doubles to dispatch Wessel Nijman 10-4 in the last 16 of the Grand Slam.

World No.2 Littler extended his unbeaten Slam streak to 11 matches, and he now faces close friend Josh Rock in a repeat of their Matchplay classic.

He added: “Backstage we’ll always chat and have a laugh, but once we’re on stage we’re enemies and we’ve got to do our job.

“It’s going to be another great battle.

“I’m sure Josh will be back. I’ve got to expect it coming.

“I just want to play day after day.

“I played so well today and with it being first to 16 next, there’s more darts to be played, more time to get the average and doubles up.”

Littler also admitted he would not be disappointed if big rival Luke Humphries pulled out of the TV event with injury.

Cheshire thrower Humphries defied a crippling back spasm to overcome Dutch debutant Jurjen van der Velde on Wednesday night.

Humphries, who needs to win the major to hold off Littler in the race for world No.1, says he was in so much pain before the match he thought he was going to withdraw.

Littler continued: “If he did pull out, it wouldn’t disappoint me.

“He’s on the other side of the draw. We only meet in the final as one and two.

“He played very well for the first six legs averaging 117 somewhere around that.

“I’ve seen he’s getting therapies, so hopefully he’s back. But I’ve just got to focus on my side of the draw and my next opponent.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.