Latest news with #PDCOrderofMerit
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
European Darts Open 2025 order of play: full schedule and start times as Dave Chisnall defends title in Leverkusen
Gary Anderson and Peter Wright amongst the World champions hunting victory in Germany Dave Chisnall will begin his defence of the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Open against Cameron Menzies. The year's eighth European Tour event is now down to 32 players competing for the £30,000 top prize in Leverkusen after Friday's 16 first round matches. The 16 PDC Order of Merit Qualifiers will enter the tournament in Saturday's second round as reigning champion Chisnall sets his sights on a ninth European Tour crown with Jonny Clayton, Stephen Bunting, Michael Smith, Peter Wright, Nathan Aspinall and Gary Anderson amongst the big names joining for the second-round matches. Highlights on day one saw Niko Springer storm through by demolishing Dirk van Duijvenbode to set-up a clash with Chris Dobey. Sweden's Andreas Harrysson claimed the scalp of Raymond van Barneveld and will now face another former World Champion Smith, who is embroiled in a battle for World Matchplay qualification. Wessel Nijman, a semi-finalist in Rosmalen last weekend, swept aside the returning Brendan Dolan in his opener and his reward is a clash with two-time World Champion Gary Anderson. Following Saturday's second round, the third round will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final in a blockbuster evening session. Live coverage from the European Darts Open will be streamed on DAZN for viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and through the DAZN Darts channel on Pluto TV. Schedule of Play Saturday May 31 Second Round Afternoon Session 12 noon Ross Smith v Matt Campbell Ryan Searle v Andrew Gilding Damon Heta v Mickey Mansell Danny Noppert v Ritchie Edhouse Dave Chisnall v Cameron Menzies Gary Anderson v Wessel Nijman Mike De Decker v Ryan Joyce Gian van Veen v Daryl Gurney Evening Session 6pm Chris Dobey v Niko Springer James Wade v Lukas Wenig Peter Wright v Darryl Pilgrim Jonny Clayton v Jermaine Wattimena Michael Smith v Andreas Harrysson Nathan Aspinall v Bradley Brooks Martin Schindler v Ricardo Pietreczko Stephen Bunting v Luke Woodhouse Sunday June 1 Afternoon Session 12 noon Third Round Evening Session 6pm Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals WHERE TO WATCH: All European Tour events are streamed live through Viaplay in the UK and also on PDC TV.
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Premier League Darts prize money as Luke Humphries beats Luke Littler in final
The Premier League Darts Finals Night was a spectacle to remember. Young prodigy Luke Littler was set to defend his title at the O2 Arena in London, but fell short against Luke Humphries in a thrilling final. At just 18, Littler clinched the Premier League Darts title last year after being selected as one of four wildcards following his surprising performance at the 2024 World Darts Championship. He triumphed on four nights during his debut season before besting Michael Smith in the semi-finals and securing the title with an 11-7 victory over Humphries. 'The Nuke', the current world champion and UK Open winner this year, sits second in the PDC Order of Merit. He defeated Gerwyn Price in his semi-final, while Humphries overcame Nathan Aspinall, but it was Cool Hand who emerged victorious in the final with an 11-8 scoreline. Littler had previously topped the regular season standings with 45 points, winning six of the 16 weekly events, leading many to anticipate him finishing the job. He started strong against Humphries, only for his opponent to make a stunning comeback. The Premier League season boasts a total prize pot of £1million, with Humphries pocketing £275k for his win. Runner-up Littler will take home £125k for his efforts, while the losing semi-finalists will receive £85k each, reports the Mirror. The remaining four players in the eight-man league earned between £60k and £75k, with the money increasing by £5k increments based on their final league position. Teen darting sensation Luke Littler had already pocketed an additional £60k before tonight's showdown, having snagged a £10k bonus for each weekly win in the regular season. He sits comfortably on the PDC Order of Merit with earnings of £1.3m from ranked tournaments alone - a mere £573k shy of world number one Humphries. This impressive sum does not take into account Littler's prize money from events like Premier League Darts that aren't ranked, nor his sponsorship deal takings. On his trail to darts glory, Humphries joined the elite circle of Triple Crown winners following his first-ever Premier League success - a feat he shared with competitors Price and Aspinall, who were also vying for their inaugural victory in the prestigious 2025 play-offs. Littler must now set his sights on 2026 if he aims to join the ranks of the rare multi-time Premier League champions - a club currently boasting the likes of Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor, and Michael van Gerwen, with Van Gerwen towering at seven title victories. Humphries, basking in the glow of his triumph, expressed gratitude to Sky Sports: "This one means the world to me, that was the one I was missing," and acknowledged the difference it made to him: "It was the one I wanted, I have done it now. If I don't win another title, I am happy as I have done the three hardest ones to do." He went on to thank darting legend Phil Taylor for his invaluable guidance and support: "Phil Taylor has given me a lot of support over the last couple of weeks so, Phil, if you are watching, thank you. He gave me a lot of advice and that extra support. "I love Luke to bits. He is one of my best mates on tour and he is so good," he said of Littler. "He wasn't at his best tonight, neither was I. I thought the game was going to go away from me at 3-0 down. He is a great player, a great lad, and I will get in early before he trounces everyone."
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Premier League Darts Finals Night – How much will Luke Humphries get for win
The Premier League Darts Finals took place at the O2 Arena on Thursday Night, where Luke Littler's title defence coming to an end in the final against Luke Humphries The highly-anticipated Premier League Darts Finals Night will live long in the memory. Teenage sensation Luke Littler was aiming to defend his title at the O2 Arena in London, but he fell short against Luke Humphries in a dramatic final. The 18-year-old won the Premier League Darts title last year after being invited as one of four wildcards following his shock run at the 2024 World Darts Championship. Littler won four nights in his maiden campaign before defeating Michael Smith in the semi-finals and clinching the title with an 11-7 win over Humphries. 'The Nuke' is reigning world champion and won the UK Open this year, placing him second in the PDC Order of Merit. He beat Gerwyn Price in his semi-final this time around, while Humphries beat Nathan Aspinall, but it was Cool Hand who won the final by an 11-8 margin. Littler had earlier topped the regular season standings with 45 points, winning six of the 16 weekly events, and many expected him to complete the job. He made a fast start against Humphries, only for his rival to come roaring back. The Premier League season has a total £1million prize pot, with Humphries receiving £275k for his victory. Runner-up Littler will earn £125k for his efforts, with the losing semi-finalists pocketing £85k each. The remaining four players in the eight-man league earned between £60k and £75k, with the money rising by £5k increments depending on their final league position. Littler had already earned an extra £60k regardless of any results tonight, courtesy of the £10k bonus for weekly wins in the regular season. According to the PDC Order of Merit, the 18-year-old has earned £1.3m from ranked tournaments, placing him £573k behind world number one Humphries. This total does not take into account Littler's prize money from non-ranked events, such as Premier League Darts. It also doesn't include his earnings from sponsorship deals. Humphries was one of three men chasing a first ever Premier League triumph, and his success made him a triple crown winner. Remarkably, neither he, Price or Aspinall had ever won the competition going into the 2025 play-offs. Littler will have to wait until 2026 at the earliest to become a multi-time Premier League champion - something only achieved by Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen. However, the teenage sensation would still have a long way to go to match Van Gerwen's record seven title wins. Littler signed off the regular season with a nightly victory in Sheffield, besting Humphries in the final. His six nightly wins beat the previous record of four and also helped him set an all-time points tally. Responding to his Sheffield victory on Instagram, Littler said: 'Got the record, got top spot. O2 lets get it done.' Meanwhile, Humphries' focus was already on lifting the trophy, even before their most recent meeting. 'You know you have to raise your game against Luke,' Humphries said earlier this month. 'Winning in Leeds last week will give me great confidence, but the goal now is to be Premier League champion. Whatever happens in the next two weeks, that's my focus.'
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
How much Luke Littler could earn from Premier League Darts if he wins title
The eagerly awaited Premier League Darts Finals Night has arrived. Teen sensation Luke Littler is poised to defend his title at the O2 Arena in London tonight. Last year, the 18 year old secured the Premier League Darts title after receiving one of four wildcard invitations following his unexpected performance at the 2024 World Darts Championship. In his debut season, Littler triumphed on four nights before defeating Michael Smith in the semi-finals and clinching the title with an 11-7 victory over Luke Humphries. 'The Nuke', the reigning world champion and this year's UK Open winner, is second in the PDC Order of Merit. However, he faces a tough challenge to retain his Premier League title on Thursday evening, with Gerwyn Price, Nathan Aspinall and Humphries also competing in the play-offs. Littler topped the regular season standings with 45 points, winning six of the 16 weekly events, and will face fourth-placed Price in the semi-finals. The victor of their match will face either Aspinall or Humphries in the final, battling for the Premier League trophy and the top prize money. The Premier League season boasts a total £1million prize pot. The player who triumphs in the play-offs will pocket £275k, reports the Mirror. The runner-up will receive £125k for their efforts. Meanwhile, the losing semi-finalists will each take home £85k. The remaining four players in the eight-man league earned between £60k and £75k, with the money increasing by £5k increments depending on their final league position. Littler has bagged an extra £60k before any results tonight, thanks to the £10k bonus for weekly victories in the regular season. Per PDC Order of Merit stats, the 18 year old's racked up £1.3m from ranked tournaments, which sees him £573k shy of the world number one Humphries. This figure doesn't include Littler's earnings from non-ranked events like Premier League Darts, nor his sponsorship deals income. But, Littler's eyes are set on clinching his second Premier League champion title. Unlike him, the other three contenders in the play-offs haven't yet captured the title, despite having all previously reached the final. A win here would elevate Littler as just the fourth player to grab multiple Premier League championships, joining legends like Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor, and Michael van Gerwen. Still, he would have significant ground to cover to reach Van Gerwen's impressive seven trophies. Wrapping up the regular season, Littler celebrated topping the Sheffield night with a win over Humphries. His six nightly triumphs didn't just create a new record, surpassing the prior four, but also set a historic points record. After his Sheffield conquer, Littler took to Instagram stating: "Got the record, got top spot. O2 lets get it done." Meanwhile, Humphries already had his gaze fixed on the trophy, even ahead of their latest clash. "You know you have to raise your game against Luke," Humphries stated earlier this month. "Winning in Leeds last week will give me great confidence, but the goal now is to be Premier League champion. Whatever happens in the next two weeks, that's my focus."
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Nathan Aspinall's private message to wife about darts retirement after Luke Littler claim
Nathan Aspinall's private message to wife about darts retirement after Luke Littler claim Nathan Aspinall has shared exactly when he plans on walking away from darts, after weighing in on Luke Littler's future in the sport ahead of the Premier League Finals Night Nathan Aspinall says he wants to retire at the age of 45 (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) Nathan Aspinall has openly revealed his intentions to bow out from darts at the age of 45. Currently 33, the Stockport-born star, who goes by the moniker 'The Asp', ranks ninth in the PDC Order of Merit with earnings amounting to £496,000 over two years – an amount he looks to significantly enhance before retiring. Speaking with SportsBoom, Aspinall said: "45, and I'm off. "I've said to my partner if that's me, it is 45. If it's earlier than that, and we start making golfers' money and I've got 30 million in the bank – happy days, I'll be off sooner. But I don't think it's going to happen that quick. But yes, 45 is when I'd like to bugger off." With his 34th birthday approaching this July, Aspinall has just over 11 years to pursue financial security and clinch a victorious finish at the PDC World Championship – having narrowly missed out twice. Aspinall reached the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament in both 2019 and 2020, where he faced defeat to Michael Smith and Michael van Gerwen respectively. Aspinall's resume also boasts second-place finishes at esteemed events like the Grand Slam of Darts, World Grand Prix, Premier League, and World Series, reflecting his consistent high performance on the darting circuit. Despite not clinching a World Championship, Aspinall has certainly made his mark in other prestigious darts competitions. For instance, he took home the 2019 UK Open with a 11-5 win over Rob Cross and triumphed in the 2023 World Matchplay by beating Jonny Clayton 18-6. Aspinall will go for Premier League glory once again on Thursday (Image: Getty ) With aspirations running high, Aspinall is aiming to bag his first Premier League title on Thursday night as he prepares to take on world No. 1 Luke Humphries in the semi-finals at London's O2 Arena. Should he emerge victorious, Aspinall will go head-to-head with either Luke Littler or Gerwyn Price in the final. His ambitions come amidst recent comments suggesting that young sensation Littler might retire in just five years due to his early dominance – including a historic win against Van Gerwen in January that saw him become the youngest-ever PDC World Champion at just 17. However, Littler has dismissed any talk of retirement, saying (via the Express): "I don't know where he's got that from – don't worry, I'll be here in 10 years. It's crazy to even think about retiring. Luke Littler hopes to retain his Premier League crown (Image: PA ) "If I win 16 world titles like Phil [Taylor], I'll retire, but I'm not even thinking about retirement at the minute – the money is there to be won, especially the World Championship, but not only that. Everything has gone up. "It is all about what you're feeling, and I'm sure I'll be here for a long time." Littler, the reigning champion of the Premier League, is set to defend his title as he returns to the O2 tonight (Thursday). The 18-year-old secured his place at Finals Night after leading the league with a tally of 27 victories and just 10 defeats this season. Article continues below He will be aiming to capitalise on his impressive form to secure the grand prize of £275,000.
