PDC Order of Merit following 2025 World Matchplay | Littler closes in on world number one spot

Luke Littler has closed in on the world number one ranking following his historic World Matchplay title triumph in Blackpool.

Littler continued his astonishing rise by clinching a sixth major title inside 14 months courtesy of an 18-13 victory over James Wade in the final at the Winter Gardens on Sunday.

The 18-year-old, who began the year by becoming the sport’s youngest ever World Champion and also won the UK Open in March, becomes only the second player to pass the £1.5 million mark on the two-year PDC world ranking list.

Littler’s £200,000 haul in Blackpool sees him close the gap on rival Luke Humphries to less than £300,000, and with Humphries due to defend four major ranking titles against his ranking between now and the end of the season, ‘The Nuke’ is provisionally the end of season world number one.

Littler, who also landed a nine-darter in his semi-final success over Josh Rock, has no prize money to defend against his ranking between now and the end of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Wade’s resurgent run to a seventh World Matchplay sees him climb three places to fifth on the Order of Merit and within touching distance of world number four Stephen Bunting.

Gerwyn Price, who was denied by an inspired Rock in the quarter-finals, has also risen three places to sixth leapfrogging Chris Dobey and his Welsh World Cup team-mate Jonny Clayton.

Rock’s landmark campaign in Blackpool sees him climb to a career-high 11th in the Order of Merit, having entered the tournament as world number 17.

Gian van Veen, who knocked out defending champion Humphries in Round One before losing out to Wade in the quarter-finals, climbs four places to a career-high 18th, £32,000 adrift of world number 16 Peter Wright.

Nathan Aspinall, who won the World Matchplay title in 2023, suffered a first round exit to debutant Wessel Nijman this time around and has consequently tumbled 16 places to 23rd in the Order of Merit.

Nijman’s impressive debut showing at the Empress Ballroom sees him enter the world’s top 40, while Joe Cullen drops five places to 29th following his first round exit.

Andrew Gilding’s run to a second successive World Matchplay quarter-final sees him climb three places to 25th, while Rob Cross is up two places to ninth despite his first round exit.

PDC Order of Merit following the 2025 World Matchplay