The Nuke’s Grand Slam Dream: Will Littler Conquer All Majors and Return to the Floor?
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Luke Littler, the darts sensation, is currently on a historic quest to win every major PDC title in a single year. While already the reigning Players Championship Finals champion, ‘The Nuke’ has yet to compete in any Players Championship floor events this season. However, he’s hinted at a potential return to these smaller tournaments *if* he manages to win all remaining major championships. Despite this ambitious goal, Littler, along with other top players like Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen, continues to skip upcoming Players Championship events, leaving fans wondering if and when he’ll step back onto the ProTour floor.
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Littler’s Unstoppable Year and Ambitious Goal
At just 19 years old, Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler has taken the darts world by storm, currently holding the coveted position of PDC World Number One. He’s also the reigning champion of the Players Championship Finals, having defeated Nathan Aspinall 11-8 in last year’s thrilling showdown. Yet, despite his dominance, **Littler has conspicuously been absent from all Players Championship (PC) ‘floor events’ this year.** These events, often held over weekends, are crucial for players to earn ranking points and prize money, but they typically don’t attract the same television audience as major tournaments.
However, that could all change. Littler recently dropped a significant hint about a potential return to these ProTour events, but with a major condition. Speaking to Sky Sports after a World Cup victory, Littler stated: **”Who knows what’s next, obviously if I do win every major until the Players Championship finals then I will have to try and do it.”** This declaration, echoed by his World Cup teammate Luke Humphries, sets an incredibly ambitious target: to win every single major PDC title available in a single year.
The Road Ahead: What Majors Must ‘The Nuke’ Conquer?
To achieve this unprecedented ‘Grand Slam’ of darts, Littler still has a formidable challenge ahead. He has already secured several significant titles this year, demonstrating his incredible form. But the biggest tests are yet to come, with a packed schedule of high-stakes tournaments following the summer break.
The majors Littler needs to win to fulfill his dream include:
- **The World Matchplay:** Often called the ‘Summer of Darts’ major, known for its unique format and atmosphere.
- **The World Series of Darts Finals:** Culminating event for the global World Series tour.
- **The World Grand Prix:** Famous for its ‘double-in, double-out’ format, a true test of nerve.
- **The European Championship:** Bringing together the top players from the European Tour.
- **The Grand Slam of Darts:** Historically featuring champions from both PDC and BDO circuits, a unique cross-code event.
Should the world number one come close to sweeping these prestigious titles, **we might just see him back on the Players Championship floor for events 31, 32, 33, and 34, scheduled for late October and early November.** These would be the final opportunities for him to participate in the regular PC season before the Players Championship Finals.
Top Stars Continue to Skip Floor Events
Despite the tantalizing prospect of Littler’s return, the wait continues. ‘The Nuke’ has once again confirmed his withdrawal from the two upcoming Players Championship events taking place in Wigan this week. This decision is part of a growing trend among the sport’s elite.
**Littler is far from alone in skipping these ProTour stops.** The number of high-profile pull-outs is consistently approaching double digits for recent events, highlighting a strategic choice by many top players to prioritize rest, practice, or focus on major televised tournaments over the demanding, non-televised floor events.
Other notable players who have also withdrawn from upcoming events include:
- Luke Humphries (for PC21, specifically)
- Michael van Gerwen
- Gary Anderson
- Nathan Aspinall
- And many more top-ranked professionals.
This pattern raises questions about the future structure of the ProTour and how top players manage their demanding schedules. For now, darts fans eagerly await to see if Luke Littler can continue his extraordinary run in the major tournaments, and whether his success will indeed lead him back to the Players Championship floor later this year.
Source: Based on an article from Darts Planet TV.
