PDC Form Guide Update: Luke Littler slips but chasing pack still nowhere near as Gerwyn Price and Luke Woodhouse shine
PDCThursday, 10 September 2026 at 08:00
Luke Littler remains the undisputed statistical number one in the PDC. PDC Stats Analyst Christopher Kempf reviewed the last two hundred legs of the sport’s biggest stars and reaches a clear conclusion: the pack is closing in, but “The Nuke” is still a class apart in the game’s key departments.
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The 19-year-old world champion tops both the average leaderboard and the so‑called OChE (Ordinal Checkout Efficiency, a metric that tries to measure how efficiently a player turns scoring into legs won). Littler also leads the count of scores from 171 up to 180. Only on doubles does he have to cede top spot to one player. Jonny Clayton is currently the PDC’s most efficient finisher.
There is, however, a small silver lining for the chasers. Statistically, Littler is no longer at the near‑otherworldly level he produced at the World Matchplay. His average over the last two hundred legs has dipped from the previous mark of almost 106. His OChE has also fallen from a sensational 73.
That does not mean Littler has suddenly become vulnerable. Far from it. He remains the only player averaging over a ton across the last two hundred legs. His OChE lead over the number two is a hefty eight points. Even players close to him in scoring power are not matching his efficiency.
Price climbs into second place
Behind Littler, Gerwyn Price has cemented himself in second. The Welshman benefited from his strong Czech Darts Open, where he reached the semi‑finals. That run lifted his OChE by more than two points.
Price is closely tracked by Nathan Aspinall, who impresses above all with his consistent leg construction. “The Asp” blends heavy scoring with sharp setups and reliable finishing, which has brought his OChE to within touching distance of Price.
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The numbers also underline that the field still trails Littler by a clear margin. Yet the gap is smaller than it was a few months ago. For the other 127 Tour Card holders, that may be the main positive: Littler is still the favourite, but his stats are no longer inhuman.
PDC Form Guide — Last 200 Legs
| Rank | Player | AVG | 171-180 | 99, 101+ C/O | Doubles |
| 1 | Luke Littler | 101.57 | 98 | 15 | 44.90% |
| 2 | Gerwyn Price | 98.48 | 68 | 8 | 43.36% |
| 3 | Luke Humphries | 98.14 | 68 | 13 | 40.66% |
| 4 | Nathan Aspinall | 96.81 | 72 | 12 | 39.91% |
| 5 | Chris Dobey | 96.56 | 86 | 15 | 37.20% |
| 6 | Gary Anderson | 96.44 | 77 | 6 | 37.05% |
| 7 | Rob Cross | 96.33 | 59 | 8 | 37.81% |
| 8 | Luke Woodhouse | 96.24 | 81 | 9 | 42.07% |
| 9 | Ross Smith | 96.13 | 73 | 11 | 43.72% |
| 10 | Dirk van Duijvenbode | 95.83 | 81 | 13 | 38.57% |
Woodhouse makes a huge leap
One of the biggest surprises in the analysis is Luke Woodhouse. The Englishman took a major step forward in August. His average jumped by 4.69 points to 96.24. That puts him ahead of a large chunk of this season’s Premier League Darts cast.
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Even more striking are his leg‑efficiency numbers. Woodhouse sits fifth in the OChE rankings and wins a remarkable 87 percent of his legs within eighteen darts. He is outpacing Luke Humphries on that measure and sits just behind Littler.
His Players Championship results back up the statistical surge. In his last three appearances, Woodhouse reached at least the quarter‑finals each time. His current profile suggests he can win about 59 percent of his legs against ProTour opposition.
That makes him a dangerous outsider heading into the Flanders Darts Trophy. Woodhouse may not carry the same aura as Littler, Humphries or Michael van Gerwen, but his numbers show he currently ranks among the circuit’s most efficient players.
Luke Woodhouse delivered excellent performances in recent weeks
Clayton proves average isn’t everything
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Jonny Clayton is a particularly intriguing case in this analysis. The Welshman ranks only twentieth in the PDC with a 94.62 average, yet he is number one for finishing efficiency.
That makes Clayton the only player currently more clinical on the doubles than Littler. His OChE shows his ability to close legs quickly is far greater than his average suggests.
Clayton is winning as many as 41 percent of his legs within fifteen darts. For comparison, the PDC‑wide figure sits at just 29 percent. The Welshman does not always need eye‑catching scoring to seize legs at top speed.
Clayton is also deadly on the big finishes. He has already produced seventeen ton‑plus checkouts. That makes him a threat not only from classic finishes like 40, but also from 140 in three darts.
Bissell shows how vital doubles are
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Tom Bissell underlines how important it is to combine all facets of the game. The current world number 74 ranks among the elite secondary tier for scoring power.
Over his last hundred legs, Bissell has thrown more than eighty maximums. His 95.67 average is excellent as well. Yet he sits only 28th in the OChE standings.
The reason is his finishing. With a 34 percent doubling rate, Bissell ranks just 89th in that department. His case shows that a high average alone is not enough to win tournaments. To lift big titles, you must hit your doubles.
OChE reveals hidden strengths
That is precisely why the OChE metric is so compelling. It does not simply reward the highest average; it measures how efficiently players convert scoring into legs won.
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The statistic estimates what percentage of legs a player would be expected to win on the ProTour, factoring in checkout probabilities after four, five, six and seven visits to the board.
That explains why players like Clayton can rank so highly despite a less spectacular average. It also shows why Bissell, despite huge scoring power, loses ground due to inconsistency on the doubles.
Looking ahead to the Flanders Darts Trophy, one conclusion stands firm: Luke Littler remains the statistical benchmark for the rest of the PDC. His level has dipped slightly, but even that lower gear is exceptionally hard to match.
The question at the Flanders Darts Trophy is therefore not only who can post the highest average, but above all who can get closest to The Nuke’s efficiency. Littler himself is not in the field this weekend, which opens the door for others to land a Euro Tour title.
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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- Need to see her take part in the womens tour. She'll break the inernet.medinabello08-09-2026
- If he can be bothered? He won't play darts in Germany yet he'll go over and get an award!??rick6702-09-2026
- Why is this the main story? He chose not to compete in loads of tournaments,yes he's number 1 in the world,but he does have to turn up at tournaments! Play the next world championship in Dortmund and see if he turns up!!rick6727-08-2026
- This is exactly what I mean,littler survives the 1st round,I think you'll find a lot of other players did. Can you just report on the real sport,and not just 1 person. I like Luke,but this is getting boring now,as Kevin painter once said to Taylor!! The sport is about every player,not 1 who everyone seems to have put the sport on the map.,which he hasn't,he's just got in when the money is massive. Great as he is,it seems like what's the point in anyone trying,he's going to win everything,unless it's in Germany or Australia!!!rick6726-08-2026
- I mean look, Littler's picture is first,wattimena is second and he won! Level it up. I know littler is fantastic,but the sport was here before him,and will be when he's retired. Any player in the top 64/128 can beat each other,it's not big news. Poor Jermaine,wins it,and not even the headline!!rick6726-08-2026
- I appreciate that littler is a fantastic player,but the top 3 articles are about him. Before he'd thrown a dart in the tournament. Level it out a bit, Taylor and van gerwen soon got disliked as the media could only see them,and nobody else seemed to matterrick6725-08-2026
- The two-point Lucky Loser qualifiers are Ross Smith, Robb, Whitlock, Sakai, Ilagan and Toylo. Jermaine is not on the entries list on Dartconnect for the TCH qualifier so the four from the main OoM are probably Searle, Nijman, Dobey, Wattimena.Scoobedybop24-08-2026
- The two-point Lucky Loser qualifiers are Ross Smith, Robb, Whitlock, Sakai, Ilagan and Toylo. Jermaine is not on the entries list on Dartconnect for the TCH qualifier so the four from the main OoM are probably Searle, Nijman, Dobey, Wattimena.Scoobedybop24-08-2026
- I'd happily pay for a site free of Van der Voort's every squeak and utterance.StraightArrowNoBull19-08-2026
- I think you miss the point. It is just a poll if you are willing to pay for an ad-free site. The content stays free.SheGotLegs16-08-2026
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