Dutchman Gian van Veen shocked world number one Luke Humphries to win his first PDC title at the European Championship in Dortmund.
The 23-year-old beat countryman and four-time champion Michael van Gerwen 11-9 in the semi-finals before holding his nerve to come through a tense match with Humphries 11-10.
“I said it to my girlfriend when I walked on stage, whenever I win my first TV title I wouldn’t cry – and here I am crying,” Van Veen told ITV Sport.
“I will never forget this moment or even this crowd. It is phenomenal to win my first major in Germany.
“I said to Luke after the game, when he hit the bull to go 10-10, that is why he is world number one. That’s how amazing person Luke is. It is definitely a night to never forget.”
Jake Jarman won gold at the the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships as Great Britain claimed a one-two finish in the men’s floor final.
Jarman, who took the bronze medal in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finished top with a score of 14.866 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
His compatriot Luke Whitehouse followed closely behind to come second with 14.666 to secure his first medal at a World Championships, having won the past three European titles on floor.
Olympic champion Carlos Yulo of the Philippines rounded off the podium, taking bronze with 14.533.
Littler closed the gap on Humphries when he won the World Grand Prix earlier this month, saying afterwards: “Obviously, until I get that world number one spot, I will never call myself the best in the world.
“I don’t want to think about it too much, but I could be world number one before that World Championship.
“I’ve just got to keep chucking away and put as much pressure as I can on Luke.”
Littler begins his European Championship campaign against five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld, 58, on Friday.
Humphries, 30, faces Pole Krzysztof Ratajski in the first round and could potentially meet Littler in the quarter-finals.
A day after his Grand Prix victory, Littler was beaten in the World Youth Championship semi-finals by Beau Greaves, before he then won the Players Championship 32 event.
He has also announced a new management deal with Target Darts after splitting with Martin Foulds of ZXF Sports Management, who had managed him for five years.
Littler will hope to improve his recent record in Germany, where he has skipped some tournaments after facing a hostile reception from spectators. He was booed alongside Humphries when the pair lost to Germany at the World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt in June.
After the European Championship, there are two big tournaments before the World Championship starts on 11 December – the Grand Slam of Darts (8-16 November) and Players Championship Finals (21-23 November).
Nathan Aspinall threw two nine-dart finishes during the Players Championship 31 only to be blown away in the final – as Luke Littler suffered an early exit.
Aspinall, 34, produced perfect darts in a 6-4 victory over Irishman Steve Lennon in the second round, then repeated the feat in a 6-5 win over Germany’s Lukas Wenig in the last 16.
Englishman Aspinall had taken a 2-0 lead against Jermaine Wattimena of the Netherlands in the final in Wigan.
However, Wattimena reeled off eight legs on the bounce to clinically see off Aspinall and seal his second ranking title of the season.
The 18-year-old world champion is currently 67th in the Players Championship standings, external and has three events to secure his place in the top 64 to qualify for the finals.
Michael van Gerwen is also in danger of not qualifying after he was knocked out at the same stage with a 6-4 loss to Dom Taylor.
The Dutchman is 92nd in table and must now make the final in the Players Championship 32 on Wednesday to secure his spot because he is skipping the final two events because of a pre-booked holiday.
There are 34 Players Championship events across the year, with the competition’s finals held in Minehead from 21-23 November.
LUKE LITTLER is a whisker away from becoming world No.1 for the first time.
The teen sensation battered Luke Humphries in Sunday’s World Grand Prix final to slash the buffer ‘Cool Hand’ enjoyed at the top of the PDC Order of Merit.
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Littler is breathing down Humphries’ neckCredit: Getty
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Cool Hand’s lead at the top has been slashedCredit: Getty
Darts world rankings are determined by the amount of prize money a player has won in ranking tournaments over a rolling two-year period.
Littler was 16 years old and barely even on the radar two years ago.
He has racked up virtually all of his staggering £1,665,500 haul since bursting onto the scene at the 2024 World Darts Championship.
And that doesn’t even include the cash he’s banked at non-ranking events.
Humphries has been untouchable at the top of the standings for nigh on two years.
But the hiding he got from Littler in Leicester has cut the gap to just over £70,000.
Humphries will need a heroic effort to remain on top as he’s defending maximum winnings at the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship Finals next month.
Josh Rock and Danny Noppert are two of the other big winners from the World Grand Prix.
Rock, 24, is up from ninth to eighth in the world, having started the year 16th.
And Noppert has jumped from 13th to 10th after losing to Humphries in the semi-finals.
Luke Littler reveals he’s going solo after shock split from manager ahead of World Grand Prix
Damon Heta, Dave Chisnall and Peter Wright have all slipped further down the pecking order.
And there is more misery for 2023 world champion Michael Smith – who didn’t even qualify for the World Grand Prix – as he has dropped two places to 27th.
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Josh Rock is up to eighth in the worldCredit: Getty
Beau Greaves emerged victorious from a 6-5 thriller against Luke Littler as she became the first woman to reach the final of the World Youth Championship.
The 18-year-old had breezed through his three matches in the round-robin phase of the event, with wins over Dutchman Jeffrey Keen, Iceland’s Alexander Thorvaldsson and Belgium’s Matthias Moors.
However, the world champion put in a below-par last-16 display against fellow Englishman Charlie Manby.
Littler was on the brink of defeat at 5-3 down to the 20-year-old, before winning the next three legs, then rediscovered his touch in the quarter-finals with a 6-1 victory over Jamai van den Herik of the Netherlands.
Warrington teenager Littler found himself 2-1 down in the semi-final against Greaves but responded by winning three consecutive legs to seize the upper hand.
But three-time WDF women’s world champion Greaves – who is set to accept a PDC Tour card for 2026-27 – rallied to level the match at 4-4 and 5-5.
Greaves then blew Littler away in the decider as she threw an 11-dart leg – the 21-year-old from Doncaster sealing victory with a checkout of 80.
She will meet defending champion Gian van Veen in next month’s final after the Dutchman, 23, clinched a 6-4 win over Sebastian Bialecki of Poland in the other semi-final.
The World Youth Championship final will be played on 23 November in Minehead, before the Players Championship final on the same day.
Littler, who averaged 107.4 to Greaves’ 105, posted on Instagram after his defeat: “Fair play to Beau. All the best in Minehead. Some talent.”
Players aged between 16 and 24 are eligible to compete in the World Youth Championship.
Littler won the youth title in 2023 aged 16, a few weeks before he burst into the spotlight by finishing runner-up at the 2024 World Championship.
World champion Luke Littler clinically defeated world number one Luke Humphries 6-1 to win his first World Grand Prix title.
Littler, 18, was knocked out in the first round of the ‘double-in and double-out’ tournament on debut last year, but was more impressive throughout this campaign.
His average was lower than Humphries’ in the final, but he was ruthless throughout, winning five of his six sets in final-leg deciders to claim the £120,000 prize money.
It gives Littler his seventh PDC major televised title – the joint seventh-highest in history.
He has closed the gap between himself and leader Humphries to just over £70,000 at the top of the PDC’s order of merit as the two battle to arrive at December’s World Championships as world number one.
Cool Hand has lost just five sets on his way to tonight’s final.
Luke Humphries 2-0 Nathan Aspinall (first round)
Luke Humphries 3-1 Krzysztof Ratajski (second round)
Luke Humphries 3-1 Cameron Menzies (quarter-final)
Luke Humphries 5-3 Danny Noppert (semi-final)
Elite company
Luke Humphries has joined an exclusive club by making tonight’s final.
The world No1 has reached the final of the World Grand Prix three times in a row!
Only Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen have done that before.
Humphries beat Gerwyn Price two years ago and lost to Mike De Decker 12 months ago.
Head-to-head record
Luke Littler edges this match-up after 24 meetings.
‘I get too relaxed’
Luke Humphries came through a tense battle with Danny Noppert in the semi-final last night.
Cool Hand raced into the lead before the Dutchman staged a comeback.
Humphries held him off and has explained how he managed to re-find his range after a mid-match blip.
He said: “I just splashed my face with a bit of water and said, I’ve got to fire myself up.
“Sometimes the body gets a little bit too relaxed and I’m kind of just pushing the darts. I said to myself, ‘Now or never — you really have to show Danny you still want to win this.’
“Because if I come out 4–3 down thinking, ‘I’ve still got two sets, I can afford to lose this one,’ that’s the wrong mindset.
“I didn’t want to lose that set.
“I came out a bit more aggressive — come on, get my head on, get the energy level up and it seemed to work.”
Out for revenge
The last time Luke Littler played Luke Humphries, the teenage star won the New Zealand Masters final 8-4 in August.
But that was not enough to count as revenge for Littler as he brought up the 11-8 Premier League final defeat he suffered to Humphries in May.
He said: “That’s the last big one we met in, apart from New Zealand.
“But on the major stage, I owe him one tomorrow night.
“When it’s Luke Humphries in the opposite corner in a final, it feels even bigger.
“We’ve both beaten each other in major finals.
“But this one’s very different — double start.
“Whoever gets off first tomorrow probably wins.”
‘Biggest clash in darts’
We are nearly ready for the latest chapter of the two Luke rivalry.
And Littler knows it is the final everyone hoped for at the beginning of the week, saying: “I think me and Luke is the biggest game in darts.
“Whether it’s a final, a first round, or a semi-final, we bring the best out of each other.
“Another Luke vs Luke final doesn’t get boring.”
The Nuke’s comment comes after he labelled his match with last year’s champ Mike De Decker as “boring” due to the Belgian not playing his best.
Darts is heading to Saudi Arabia for the first time on January 19 and 20 next year.
When the snooker headed to the kingdom, entertainment chief Turki Alalshikh added a golden ball to the table to open up the possibility of a 167 super-maximum and a £1milion reward for players that achieve it.
Littler is hoping a new lucrative concept is added to darts like rewarding a nine-darter with a massive cheque.
Littler a ‘different animal’
Luke Littler’s semi-final opponent Jonny Clayton knows how big his task is tonight.
The Welshman said: “An honest answer is you have to be scared of him.
“The two Lukes, they’re both pushing the bar and the rest of us are following.
“Gezzy’s been putting in some awesome performances, and we’re all trying to keep up.
“But Luke [Littler] is the hottest player on the planet right now.
“He’s class, the world can see it. He’s a different animal.
“But we can all play darts. My first game on stage against Luke, I beat him. So you never know.”
Van Gerwen the inspiration
Danny Noppert is trying to emulate his compatriot Michael van Gerwen.
Ahead of his semi-final against Luke Humphries tonight, the world No13 revealed his admiration for MVG.
He said: “I try to be as good as Michael. But of course he’s the best player there’s ever been. I try to be like him, but not yet.”
Van Gerwen suffered a shock defeat to Dirk van Duijvenbode is round one.
De Decker responds to ‘boring’ claim
Luke Littler was not challenged in his round two victory over Mike De Decker and claimed the clash was “boring”.
The world champion said: “Mike didn’t play his best there and I just had to play along.
“It was a bit boring at times, obviously I expected something from the reigning champion, but he just couldn’t get those doubles to get him going on the scoring most of the time.
De Decker has now responded, saying: “That he found the match ‘boring’? Well, if that’s what he thinks… Good for him. That’s his opinion.”
Littler ‘definitely beatable’
Defending champion Mike De Decker was knocked out in the second round 3-0 by Luke Littler.
The Belgian struggled to land doubles at the start and it allowed The Nuke to cruise to a routine win.
Reflecting on his performance, De Decker said: “I was incredibly disappointed. Look at my average. After the second set, I saw on the screen that I’d thrown 8 out of 42 doubles or something.
“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing against. That way, you’ll have problems against anyone.
“It was just a bad match for me. He wasn’t great either, but it just didn’t fly.
“Those doubles just wouldn’t work. When you do that with this format it becomes difficult.
De Decker went on to add: “So Littler was definitely beatable. Everyone’s always beatable, sometimes it’s just harder than others.”
Rollercoaster of emotions
Luke Littler felt every emotion during last night’s quarter-final clash with Gerwyn Price.
World champion Luke Littler hit a sensational 152 checkout in the deciding leg of a thrilling World Grand Prix quarter-final against Gerwyn Price to reach the last four in Leicester.
That wonderful finish capped the 18-year-old’s fightback from two sets down against 2020 World Grand Prix winner Price, who missed three match darts at doubles in the fourth set.
Littler had seemed poised for victory in the final set before Price took out an incredible 156 finish to send the match into a sudden-death leg, in which the Welshman had the advantage of throwing first.
Both players struggled to find an opening double in the decider and neither scored heavily, until the English teenager’s moment of magic finished the match.
After Littler found double 16 to complete his memorable win, former world champion Price smiled and applauded from the back of the stage before the pair shared a warm embrace.
World number one Luke Humphries moved into the quarter-finals of the World Grand Prix in Leicester with a comfortable 3-1 win over Krzysztof Ratajski.
Humphries, 30, was champion in 2023 and runner-up last year, and reached the last eight after a half-time adjustment – hitting six 180s and averaging 95.58 at the ‘double in, double out’ tournament.
He said: “I went off at the break and said to myself ‘you must be doing something different because you don’t play like this usually’.
“So I slowed my throw down and I started hitting the trebles. On the practice board I am hitting everything and then I am going out there and not, so I needed to change something.”
Fourth seed Stephen Bunting was dumped out by 2021 semi-finalist Danny Noppert, while two-time world champion Gary Anderson breezed past Joe Cullen.
Cullen only averaged 68.05 and won just one leg.
Anderson told Sky Sports: “Joe was miles off tonight, his starting off is what cost him.
“My scoring came on at the end. It’s been a while since I went far in this tournament, it’s getting harder and harder for me.
“Darts is a joy but I still want to win.”
Reigning champion Mike de Decker is in action on Thursday against Luke Littler.
Six-time champion Michael van Gerwen was beaten by a fellow Dutchman in the first round of the World Grand Prix, but Luke Littler came through a high-quality opener.
Van Gerwen won a top-level tournament for the first time in two years by beating Littler in the World Series Finals in September, but on Tuesday he produced an error-strewn performance to lose 2-0 against Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Although world number three Van Gerwen threw a stunning 171 in the first leg, he otherwise struggled and suffered first-round elimination for the second year running.
Littler, however, stormed into the second round in Leicester with an 11-minute straight-set win against another Dutchman, Gian van Veen.
Both players averaged over 100 in a superb first set as Littler came from behind to take it 3-2.
Despite Van Veen finishing with a 106.47 average – the highest average in tournament history – and Littler 105.58, it was the Briton who won through to continue his quest for a first World Grand Prix title.
“I am very happy. I don’t think I could have done a lot better there. I certainly played better than last year,” Littler told Sky Sports.
“I said I would be fiery in my pre-match interview and I showed a bit of that. Hopefully this is my next major.”
Gerwyn Price defeated Ryan Searle 2-1, before Peter Wright lost to defending champion Mike de Decker by the same scoreline.
Luke Humphries turned on the style to beat Nathan Aspinall 2-0 and reach the second round of the World Grand Prix in Leicester.
Premier League champion Humphries edged a close first set 3-2, despite Aspinall recovering from a slow start to win the second leg with a ‘big fish’ finish of two treble 20s followed by a bullseye.
Aspinall struggled to start with doubles – a requirement of the double-in double-out format – as fellow Englishman Humphries took advantage and launched into the second set with a brutal 156 finish.
Humphries recovered from a wobble to see out the second set 3-0 and set up a second-round meeting with Poland’s Krzysztof Ratajski, who beat Germany’s Martin Schindler 2-0.
“It was a big game. Nathan is a fantastic player,” Humphries told Sky Sports.
“He struggled to get in a few times and he let me in with that 156, which was a big shot there to take the game towards myself.
“My scoring was a bit strange, they just didn’t want to drop in.
“Hopefully on Wednesday I can come back and be better.”
England’s Stephen Bunting – who recently won the Swiss Darts Trophy for his sixth title of the season – beat Germany’s Niko Springer 2-0, and fifth seed James Wade fell to a surprise 2-0 defeat to Joe Cullen in an all-English contest.
The first round continues on Tuesday as Peter Wright takes on 2024 Grand Prix champion Mike de Decker, Luke Littler faces Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen plays Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Lauren Perlmutter is a “Gilmore Girls” superfan. She’s watched the show on a loop for the past 10 years. It’s mostly been in chronological order, and sometimes just in the background while she’s working on something else but craving the show’s comforting familiarity.
“It’s like my bowl of chicken noodle soup,” she said.
Perlmutter, 23, like many fans of the beloved series, was born after it first debuted Oct. 5, 2000 on the WB. Her mom, Joelle, had caught “Gilmore Girls” every now and then when it was airing, and she introduced it to her daughter years later, watching it more intently with her new viewing partner.
The series, which starred Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore, a young single mom, and Alexis Bledel as her teen daughter Rory, is beloved for its witty writing and the small-town charm of its fictional setting, Stars Hollow, Conn.
Fans walk through a recreated gazebo like the one in the fictional town of Stars Hollow. “Gilmore Girls” is set in Connecticut, but much of the filming took place on a backlot at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.
(Etienne Laurent/For The Times)
Like the Gilmores, the Perlmutters established a Friday night tradition, except instead of a tense (mandatory) dinner with three generations, the pair would churn through episodes of the show and enjoy spending quality time together.
Lauren said she saw herself in the bookish Rory.
“I was so academically oriented. I strived really hard, and I was valedictorian at UCLA, and [my mom] was there in the audience and we made the same faces they did during Rory’s graduation, and I had a speech very similar to Rory’s,” she said. “Being able to have this background story of two women being raised, and then translated over into my life with my mom was just so special.”
Although their busy schedules make it hard to maintain their tradition weekly — Lauren is in graduate school at Pepperdine training to be a therapist (although she once considered pursuing journalism like Rory) — the Perlmutters still get an occasional Friday night viewing party in.
In celebration of the show’s 25th anniversary, Warner Bros. Television Group hosted an immersive pop-up event at the Grove that promised to give fans “a weekend in Stars Hollow” with set recreations and fall decor abound. The Perlmutters were first in line on Saturday morning, even with their drive from the San Fernando Valley.
Despite a prominently displayed “no cell phones” sign like the one from Luke’s Diner, fans couldn’t help but take selfies and videos of the set recreations. The Stars Hollow gazebo, the famous town sign, a replica of Lorelai’s beloved Jeep Wrangler and a display of 1,000 daisies from a romantic proposal scene in the first season were popular photo spots, and visitors cycled through Luke’s to grab coffee and donuts. And plenty of themed merchandise — ranging from the typical stickers, hats and mugs to ultra-specific items like bath salts with branding from Lorelai’s inn — was available for purchase.
While the fanbase is largely made up of women, some men enjoy the show as well. As one husband and father who attended the event with his more enthusiastic wife and daughters put it, “every man had a crush on Lorelai.”
Several hundreds of fans cycled through the Grove to celebrate the show’s anniversary.
(Etienne Laurent/For The Times)
“Gilmore Girls” also starred Melissa McCarthy as Sookie St. James, Lorelai’s longtime friend and chef at the inn she runs; Scott Patterson as the curmudgeonly but lovable eponymous diner owner Luke Danes; Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann as Emily and Richard Gilmore, Lorelai’s (very traditional) parents; and Keiko Agena as Lane Kim, Rory’s rock music-loving best friend. It was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who went on to make the hit series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” and several other major projects.
During its original run from 2000 to 2007, the series was popular among viewers but not so much among critics. The show was nominated for only a single Emmy in its seven year run — one for makeup, which it won.
Serri Ferrante and Winona Parks, longtime friends who both work in television, said they suspect the lack of critical acclaim the series got could be attributed to the small size of the WB network, where it aired, and the likelihood that its budget for awards campaigns was small.
“I always voted for it,” Ferrante said, “but it was like a throwaway vote.”
Still, as the scores of young fans at Saturday’s celebration at the Grove prove, “Gilmore Girls” found a bountiful second life through streaming services.
Brittania Chacon, a 22-year-old from Mid-City, said she discovered the series when it kept popping up on her TikTok feed a year ago. It was autumn, which she says is the perfect time to watch — and many fans agree. (The show gets a seasonal boost in streaming ratings every year, according to Nielsen.)
The young crop of fans makes Ferrante “feel old,” she said, “but then it makes me feel connected to another generation.”
While most fans said they return to the show repeatedly either because of its relatable plotlines, sharp writing or the friendly comfort of their favorite characters, for some, it also acts as a primer for difficult conversations between mothers and daughters.
“It helped me talk to her about things that are not easy to talk about — dating, relationships, growing up,” Susie Park of Glendale said. Her 13-year-old daughter Ella, who started and finished the show over the course of the summer, confidently established herself as a member of “Team Jess,” referencing fans’ different camps of support for Rory’s boyfriends throughout the show.
“I think it’s amazing that it’s intergenerational and that I can actually show my daughter and that it resonates with her. She’s at an age where she’s supposed to be taking sex education classes and it wasn’t very helpful, but this was a lot more helpful,” Susie said as Ella burst out laughing.
Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop), left, Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) and Richard Gilmore (Edward Herrmann) in a scene from “Gilmore Girls.”
(Mitchell Haddad / The WB)
Regardless of which team fans are on regarding Rory’s boyfriends or which of the memorable recurring characters is their favorite, most can agree that they want to see more of the Gilmores and Stars Hollow.
In 2016, many original cast members and creatives reunited to make a revival miniseries, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.” The Netflix series had four episodes representing the four seasons to continue the Gilmore family’s story several years later. While it was hotly anticipated, it was not particularly well received by critics and fans alike because some felt the characters seemed to stray from their core attributes and values that made them so loveable.
So more than two decades after the start of the story, many fans are clamoring for another slice of Stars Hollow life. Graham, who reunited with Bledel onstage at the Emmy Awards last month, said on the red carpet that she’d like the idea of a “Gilmore Girls” Christmas movie.
Regardless of whether the story continues in some shape or form, “Gilmore Girls” is regarded as one of the best series of all time and Lorelai and Rory will continue to fuel conversations between mothers and daughters for generations to come.
Eleni Zumot, who attended Saturday’s event with her sister, her mother and her 9-month-old daughter Amelia (sporting a pink Luke’s Diner t-shirt), said she hopes to re-watch the show with her daughter when the time is right.
“But you can’t take anything for granted in this game. These players are hungry.
“I need to keep on my toes, keep on the practice board, make sure I stay humble.”
Premier League Darts star Stephen Bunting ‘moonlighting as Rangers steward’ as incredible Ibrox doppelganger spotted
After beating Chris Landman on Saturday night, he explained his shoes dilemma, saying: “I was playing in expensive shoes without the spikes, and they were marking.
“So, my idea is use the spikes and they won’t touch the oche and they will last a lot longer.
“And if someone upsets me, they will get one of them in the back!”
THE world’s best will step up to the oche once again for this year’s Swiss Darts Trophy – and the action is underway!
Martin Schindler pulled off an incredible comeback against Ryan Searle to win the 2024 crown.
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Martin Schindler won the Swiss Darts Trophy in 2024
However, the German returns to Basel as a 16th seed, meaning he could face a potential banana skin in his opening encounter.
World No1 Luke Humphries is also competing in Basel and will be determined to bounce back from his shock quarter-final defeat in last weekend’s Hungarian Darts Trophy.
But teen sensation Luke Littler will not be participating in the 13th stop on the PDC European Tour.
When is the Swiss Darts Trophy 2025?
The Swiss Darts Trophy 2025 got underway on Friday, September 26.
It then concludes two days later – Sunday, September 28.
Afternoon sessions take place from 12pm BST while the evening sessions start at 6pm BST.
St.Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland is the chosen venue for the penultimate PDC European Tour event.
What TV channel is the Swiss Darts Trophy 2025 on and can I live stream it?
Swiss Darts Trophy 2025 schedule and results
Friday, September 26 First round Afternoon sessions from 12pm
Connor Scutt 1-6 Callan Rydz
Niels Zonneveld 6-3 Dalibor Smolik
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-0 Owen Bates
Andrew Gilding 3-6 Cor Dekker
Ryan Joyce 6-0 Rocco Fulciniti
Luke Woodhouse 6-5 Lukas Wenig
Ricardo Pietreczko 6-3 Oskar Lukasiak
Mensur Suljovic 6-2 Martin Lukeman
Evening sessions from 6pm
Chris Landman 6-3 Denis Schnetzer
Wessel Nijman 5-6 Ritchie Edhouse
Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 Ansh Sood
Richard Veenstra 6-5 Niko Springer
Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 Stefan Bellmont
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Jitse van der Wal
Daryl Gurney 1-6 William O’Connor
Nathan Aspinall 6-0 Andreas Toft Jorgensen
Saturday, September 27 Second round Afternoon sessions from 12pm
After all the talk of a Bethpage “bearpit” in the build-up to this week’s Ryder Cup, Monday’s opening exchanges between the captains in New York could not have been more cuddly.
While the home fans are expected to bring a spikiness to Bethpage, Europe skipper Luke Donald and his US counterpart Keegan Bradley will deliver the bonhomie.
They live four miles apart in Florida, are members of Jack Nicklaus’ Bear’s Club, and are founding partners in a local restaurant.
Donald talked about their “strong friendship” and a “deep, mutual respect” for each other in his opening remarks.
“Keegan is someone that I’ve rooted for,” said Donald. “If he did well in a tournament, won a tournament, I would text him. We sometimes play practice rounds together, we’ve had dinners together.”
In return, Bradley gushed: “There are not many people I like more in the golf world than Luke Donald.
“I feel lucky to have Luke on the opposite side because we send each other texts, we joke around. I love hanging out and having a drink with Luke Donald.”
Their thoughts echoed a surreal calm at Bethpage’s famed Black Course, with spectators not allowed on to the property until Tuesday.
It is then that Europe’s players will get a first taste of the New York support, with Donald’s dozen set to play all 18 holes of this hilly course on Long Island, about 40 miles east of Manhattan.
And they could be ‘welcomed’ by thousands of fans in the stand that looms over the first tee and the adjacent 18th green. But will it be as intimidating as the cauldron created by the almost 5,000-seat stand that horseshoed the first tee at Rome in 2023?
Donald is taking no chances and has given his players virtual reality headsets which Rory McIlroy explained can be programmed to replicate the “sights and sounds” the away team are expecting.
Speaking this month, he said: “You can get them to say whatever you want them to say. You can go as close to the bone as you like.”
LUKE LITTLER has revealed he has failed his driving theory test once again – and it is frustrating the hell out of him.
The Nuke is the best darts player on the planet but he is not yet ready to get on the roads by himself.
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Littler is the World Champion and has a car ready to drive when he does finally pass his theory and practical testsCredit: SHUTTERSTOCK
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The 18-year-old described his latest effort as “a bad one” having shared his fifth failure (pictured) in the summerCredit: Instagram @lukethenukelittler
Having turned 18 last January, he is desperate to enjoy the freedom of being able to drive himself to tournaments and to see pals on his own terms.
Yet the theory test has so far proved extremely difficult for him to master – it has taken him SIX attempts and counting.
On the multiple choice part, he scored 41 out of 50 – the pass mark is 43 – and he got 44 out of 75 for the hazard perception part, which is barely passable.
He got questions wrong back then in relation to hazard awareness, alertness, safety, motorway rules and road and traffic signs.
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BARRY HEARN reckons Luke Littler has made darts so popular that there aren’t enough days in the year to squeeze in the amount of events needed to meet fan demand.
The PDC chairman has said that “main man” Littler is one of the reasons behind darts‘ incredible growth in recent years.
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Barry Hearn has said Luke Littler has made darts so popular he could fill the calendar twice overCredit: Getty
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Littler has become a sensation since bursting onto the sceneCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Littler, 18, burst onto the scene at the 2024 World Championship and has since cemented himself as one of the best players in the world.
His meteoric rise has seen him be crowned world champion on his second attempt, pocket in excess of £1MILLION in prize money and add over 15 PDC titles to a growing trophy cabinet.
Speaking to Sky Sports about what Littler’s emergence has done for the sport, Hearn said: “It’s [darts] just getting bigger and bigger.
“I’m actually having a problem that there is only 365 days in a year!
“The demand worldwide is so huge that I could fill that twice.”
Adding: “It’s non stop. The players are responding with performances beyond what I’ve ever seen in my life, in terms of averages and checkouts.
“Led by the main man Luke Littler, who is fast becoming a phenomenon.”
Watch Luke Littler’s ‘top s***housery’ to crowd while he is getting booed during Win Series of Darts final vs Van Gerwen
Speaking on the changes, Hearn said: “This is the first year where our prize money goes past £25million, World Championship is worth £1million, more European events because of demand in Europe.
