Luke Littler, who secured the World Matchplay title last month, saw his prospects for the November Players Championship finals suffer a setback in Leicester. The 19-year-old was eliminated in the quarter-finals of PC27 by Jermaine Wattimena, who executed a 115 checkout in a tense last-leg decider to secure his first win in six PDC tour meetings against the teenager.
Despite the loss, Littler remained optimistic, sharing a brief “on the move” update on Instagram. The result is significant because the World Matchplay champion is attempting to complete a calendar sweep of ranking events this year. Having skipped the first 26 events on the circuit, Littler currently sits in 141st place on the Order of Merit after earning £4,000 on Tuesday.
To qualify for the finals in Minehead, Littler must break into the top 64. He is currently trailing the 64th-ranked player, Mario Vandenbogaerde, by £22,250. With tournament winners receiving £15,000 and runners-up taking home £10,000, the path to qualification remains challenging.
There are seven Players Championship events remaining, including one scheduled for Wednesday at the same venue. However, because Littler has previously indicated he intends to participate only in UK-based events, he likely has only three opportunities left to bridge the gap and secure his place in the season-ending tournament. The report also notes that littler, playing in his first Pro Tour event in 2026, was forced into a last-leg decider, and the Dutchman hit a 115 checkout to claim his first victory in six meetings against Littler on the PDC tour.
