This week the 31st and 32nd Players Championship are on the program in Wigan, out of a total of 34. The best 64 darts players after that series of floor tournaments will qualify for the Players Championship Finals at the end of November. One of the majors and also the last tournament before the World Cup starts in mid-December. But just like last season, some big names are in danger of not being there in Minehead, where Luke Humphries successfully defended his title in 2024.
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Perhaps the biggest name that is currently not in the top 64 is actually Luke Littler. The world champion skipped many floor tournaments this season to avoid being completely burned out at the end of the season. But that choice now appears to have negative consequences.
Littler is currently number 73 on the PC Finals Order of Merit with £21,000. Number 64 Keane Barry counts £23,000. Littler wanted to close his deficit on Tuesday but did not earn a cent after losing to Ritchie Edhouse in the first round.
End of story for Michael van Gerwen already?
Things are currently even worse with Michael van Gerwen and perhaps even the end of the story. The three-time world champion was eliminated for the eighth time in the first round on Tuesday, this time against Dom Taylor, after he did not play a number of floor tournaments due to various circumstances.
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With 14,500 pounds, Van Gerwen is currently only 93rd. He needs to reach at least the final on Wednesday (worth £10,000) to get into the top 64, and even then. Van Gerwen will not participate in the last two floor tournaments due to a holiday in Dubai. He is therefore in danger of missing the Players Championship Finals for the first time in his illustrious career, the major that he has already won seven times.