Luke Littler makes surprise Wigan appearance – but not for darts as Players Championship absence continues

It was an unexpected sight in Wigan on Tuesday as Luke Littler appeared at Players Championship 10 despite not being on the entry list. The 19 year old has yet to feature in a single Players Championship event this season and also skipped both tournaments across the latest Pro Tour double header.

His presence, however, had nothing to do with a late change of heart or a last minute entry. Littler made the trip for a very different reason, one that quickly became one of the most talked about moments of the day.

Rather than picking up darts, Littler was there to get his hands on one of the now well known penguin hats from fellow professional Justin Hood. “Quick trip to pro tour not for darts, for these beauty’s,” Littler wrote on Instagram, showing three of the hats sitting on the passenger seat of his car.

The moment underlines how much personality and branding are shaping the modern darts landscape. Hood, who goes by the nickname ‘Happy Feet’, recently released a limited batch of the hats which sold out quickly. A fresh drop earlier this week drew immediate attention, with Littler among those keen to secure one.

The timing of the spotlight suits Hood, who is enjoying a strong run on the Pro Tour. He reached the final of a Players Championship event on Monday before losing out to Chris Dobey.

That run included wins over Ryan Meikle and Mensur Suljovic, further boosting his progress up the rankings. Despite that momentum, Hood has revealed that changes are coming off the oche. “We’ve got stuff going on with my nickname that’s got to be changed,” he said. “So, we’re going through all of that now. Happy Feet has got to go unfortunately, so we are sorting a new one out now. We haven’t settled on anything yet.”

It is a notable shift given how closely the nickname is tied to his growing merchandise appeal.

While others continue to chase ranking points across every Players Championship event, Littler is taking a more selective approach to his calendar. With 24 events still to play, there is no immediate pressure, but his absence continues to attract attention. A brief visit to Wigan without throwing a dart has only added to that conversation.

What began as a simple merchandise run quickly became a talking point across the Pro Tour. In many ways, it summed up Littler’s presence in the sport. Always involved, even when he is not playing.