"Hopefully I can tick this one off my list now" - Littler chases missing major title in Minehead

In just two years, teenage sensation Luke Littler has stormed to the world's top, and last week came the ultimate crowning achievement. 'The Nuke' won the Grand Slam of Darts for the second time in a row, becoming the world's youngest ever number one in darts at the age of 18.

Looking at his record, Littler can already be ranked among the best darters of all time. The counter already stands at eight major titles, a number surpassed only by Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and James Wade.

The Players Championship Finals is one of three active major tournaments that the Englishman has yet to win. Last year, Littler came close to winning the title on his tournament debut, but had to beat Luke Humphries in the final.

This weekend, Littler will get a second chance to add this major to his list of honours. The reigning world champion seemed to fear participation in this tournament, because he had skipped quite a few floor tournaments this year. However, by winning Players Championship 32, Littler qualified for the Players Championship Finals with flying colours.

In Minehead, it will be the first time he gets to take the stage as world number one. "It will be a special feeling to come there as number one in the world," Littler acknowledged in an interview with the PDC.

Littler would like to live up to that status. "Last year I fell just short of the title here, so hopefully I can tick this one off my list now. It's one of the few TV tournaments I haven't won yet."

Littler eventually finished 36th on the Players Championship Order of Merit. "I don't think it matters which seed you are,'' stated 'The Nuke,' who will take on Jeffrey de Graaf in the first round. ''It's not going to be easy anyway, but hopefully I can build on the form I showed during the Grand Slam of Darts."