PDC Form Guide Update: Luke Littler leaves rivals behind, dominates Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price after World Matchplay title tilt
PDCSaturday, 08 August 2026 at 09:09
Luke Littler has once again climbed to the very top of the PDC Form Guide after the World Matchplay. The world champion made a deep impression yet again during the prestigious tournament in Blackpool and, according to PDC Stats Analyst Christopher Kempf, has left his rivals well behind in several areas. Above all, his unprecedented average, scoring power, and checkout efficiency mean the 19-year-old Englishman’s performances can barely be compared to those of past greats.
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During the World Matchplay, Littler posted a tournament average of no less than 111 points per three darts. According to Kempf, that level is so extraordinary that it is hard to predict how long his record will stand. Even the greatest performances by players like Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen at major televised events pale beside what Littler is producing right now. Moreover, Littler managed to improve his own record for the number of 180s thrown over a span of 200 legs.
As a result, Littler has not only reclaimed first place in the PDC Form Guide, but done so in emphatic fashion. Over his last 200 legs, he also tops the charts for average, OChE, and the number of scores from 171 through 180. On doubles and big finishes, he has to concede to Wessel Nijman. The Dutchman leads the rankings on doubles and in the 99 and 101-plus checkout category.
The numbers around Littler are downright staggering. The average PDC Tour Card holder wins just 27 percent of legs against the reigning World Matchplay champion, according to Kempf’s calculations. A 6-3 defeat would almost count as a respectable effort for many players against Littler. The Englishman produces roughly six treble hits per leg on average and has about a one-in-four chance of throwing a 12-darter in any given leg.
Only Humphries as a rival
It underlines how difficult it is to stop Littler at the moment. Opponents sometimes seem to play not solely to win the match, but mainly to nick enough legs to post a respectable scoreline. Of the other 127 PDC Tour Card holders, Kempf believes only Luke Humphries has shown a level that can consistently challenge Littler.
Yet Humphries endured a disappointing World Matchplay. The Englishman, who won the tournament in 2024, was knocked out in the first round by Cameron Menzies. That happened at a time when Littler himself opened his campaign with a 110 average. This raises the question of whether Humphries can sustain his excellent form long enough to reach the big finals again and genuinely put pressure on Littler.
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PDC Form Guide Top 10
| Rank | Player | Average | 171-180 | 99, 101+ C/O | Doubles |
| 1 | Luke Littler | 105.92 | 126 | 17 | 45.53% |
| 2 | Luke Humphries | 101.65 | 75 | 14 | 39.51% |
| 3 | Gerwyn Price | 98.94 | 67 | 7 | 39.85% |
| 4 | Gary Anderson | 98.59 | 75 | 8 | 38.43% |
| 5 | Chris Dobey | 97.89 | 76 | 12 | 40.53% |
| 6 | Wessel Nijman | 97.43 | 69 | 20 | 45.81% |
| 7 | Rob Cross | 97.34 | 59 | 12 | 43.47% |
| 8 | Ross Smith | 97.33 | 74 | 10 | 43.49% |
| 9 | Nathan Aspinall | 97.06 | 67 | 16 | 40.62% |
| 10 | Kevin Doets | 96.49 | 69 | 12 | 42.42% |
That does not detract from Humphries’ impressive statistics. Over his last 200 legs, he sits on a 101.65 average and an OChE rating of nearly 67. Those are numbers that would see almost any other player regarded as world class. Humphries’ performance is simply being overshadowed by Littler’s exceptional form. The gap between the two seems primarily driven by the unprecedented level of the reigning World Matchplay champion.
Brooks makes a statement
Behind the very top, the strong progress of Bradley Brooks also stands out. The former world youth champion is now 21st in the Form Guide, despite not taking part in the World Matchplay. Brooks enjoyed an outstanding spell in Hildesheim, where he won both board finals, after which he also qualified twice for a Euro Tour event.
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His OChE has also improved by more than seven points compared to June. As a result, Brooks is currently favored by the stats to win 53.5 percent of his legs against an average ProTour player. The Englishman is translating that development on both the stage and the floor. In his last three floor events, he defeated, among others, Chris Dobey, Krzysztof Ratajski, and Damon Heta.
Bradley Brooks has been in excellent form in recent months
Another name drawing strong attention is Henry Coates. The 20-year-old Englishman does not yet hold a PDC Tour Card and therefore is not officially listed in the Form Guide. Even so, his recent performances show he is statistically already close to the best professionals. If Coates were part of the 128 Tour Card holders, he would currently sit around fifteenth in average.
That would put him ahead of James Wade and Stephen Bunting. Coates is a former Junior Darts Corporation player and is only eighteen months older than Littler. His recent victory at Players Championship 25 earned him £15,000 and moved him up to 95th on the world rankings.
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Based on his current form, however, that ranking does not fully reflect his true level. Coates therefore ranks among the most underrated players when comparing the world rankings to the Form Guide. He last faced Littler three years ago, but his recent results at least give him reason for confidence. The two have already met ten times, and Coates will hope his current form can help him avoid seeing his deficit against Littler stretch to eleven defeats in a row.
For now, one conclusion stands above all: Littler has raised the bar again. His numbers over the last 200 legs are at a level with little precedent in the modern darts world. While players like Humphries, Nijman, and Brooks try to close the gap, Littler appears chiefly focused on pushing the boundaries of what is considered statistically possible.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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- Great comment, some of the matches were a bit one sided but that was more to do with the quality on show.mikedarts03-08-2026
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- the grand prix is struggling so we need to change the format? it's the only tournament that HAS a different variant, and the reason it's struggling is the shitty venue/crowd, not the format. literally any other tournament on the calendar would've been a better example.colt01-08-2026
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