Luke Littler's quest for a historic clean sweep of PDC majors in 2026 has suffered a setback, with the world No 1 now facing a battle to even qualify for the Players Championship Finals in November. The 19-year-old, who has won every major on the PDC circuit so far this year, crashed out of Players Championship 27 in the quarter-finals, losing 6-5 to Jermaine Wattimena, who went on to win the event.
The defeat means Littler must now finish inside the top 64 of the Players Championship Order of Merit to secure his spot at the Finals. With the season entering its final stretch, the pressure is mounting on the teenage sensation to deliver in the remaining Players Championship events to keep his dream of a perfect major haul alive.
Wattimena's victory over Littler was the highlight of his run to the title, as the Dutchman capitalised on a below-par display from the young star. Littler had been in imperious form throughout 2026, sweeping all before him in the sport's biggest tournaments, but this early exit has thrown his schedule into sharp focus.
All eyes will now be on Littler's next outing as he looks to climb the Order of Merit and ensure he is part of the field for the November Finals. The race is on, and the darting world will be watching closely to see if the teenager can overcome this latest hurdle in his remarkable season.