Littler defends World Matchplay title with record-breaking performance
Luke Littler defeated Gerwyn Price 18-9 in Blackpool, setting new tournament and final average records while extending his financial lead in the PDC order of merit.
Nineteen-year-old Luke Littler has successfully defended his World Matchplay title, defeating seventh seed Gerwyn Price 18-9 in Blackpool. The victory establishes Littler as only the third player in history to win consecutive World Matchplay titles, joining an elite group that includes Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.
In doing so, Littler dismantled long-standing statistical benchmarks set by Taylor. He finished the tournament with an average of 111.04, surpassing Taylor’s previous record of 106.31 set in 2010. In the final itself, Littler averaged 111.53, bettering Taylor’s 2013 final average of 111.23 against Adrian Lewis.
The final was characterised by Littler’s sustained dominance. He opened with a stunning 167 finish in the fourth leg to secure the first mini-session 4-1. When leading 8-2, Littler averaged 114.74, nearing Taylor’s record of 114.99 for any single Matchplay game. He ultimately secured his fourth ranking title of the calendar year with a brilliant 148 checkout, his sixth ton-plus finish in the final.
Littler also set a new tournament record for 180s, hitting 12 in the final to bring his total for the week to 66, surpassing the mark he set in the previous year. He claimed £225,000 in prize money for the victory, further cementing his status as the sport's dominant figure.
The financial implications of Littler’s success are significant. His total earnings over the PDC’s two-year order of merit now stand at £3,143,500, placing him £2.13m ahead of second-placed Luke Humphries. Meanwhile, Price’s performance allowed him to climb to fourth in the order of merit and reclaim the Welsh number one spot from Jonny Clayton.
