PDC Form Guide Update - Stephen Bunting takes top spot from Luke Littler; Van Gerwen also rises after title win

After nearly ten months of absolute dominance by Luke Littler in the PDC Form Guide, a new name can finally be found at the top of the list. It is none other than Stephen Bunting who has captured first place. The former Lakeside champion recently took the title at Players Championship 25, in which he recorded an impressive tournament average of 103.

Although Bunting failed to continue his success in Prague and Amsterdam, his performances on the floor ensure that he is currently the most efficient and highest-scoring player in the PDC. Over his last 200 legs, he averages 102, with a whopping 92 maximum scores, figures that underscore his excellent form.

For Bunting, 2025 is already a memorable year. The current world number four experienced a tough period between 2016 and 2021 without a single PDC title and struggled to establish himself in the top-16. Those times now seem definitely over.

With his first spot in the PDC Form Guide, he can work confidently toward the four major TV tournaments on the calendar this fall. Success in one or more of those ranking tournaments could even earn him a place in the top three in the world heading into the upcoming World Darts Championship.

Interestingly, the established names at the top of the PDC Form Guide - Littler, Bunting, Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock - all showed slight declines in recent weeks. That made room for a comeback from Michael van Gerwen, who once again showed his class.

The Dutchman crowned himself winner of the World Series of Darts Finals and was thus named most improved player of the month. His average over the last 200 legs now stands at 97.74, a figure that may go up further in the coming weeks when older matches are excluded from the calculation.

During his title run in Amsterdam, Van Gerwen averaged above that 97.74 in each of his five matches. The highlight came when he swept aside world champion Luke Humphries 10-5 with an average of 106.

Although his doubles percentage - a disappointing 74th place in the rankings - still has considerable room for improvement, his scoring ability shows that the old "MVG" is back on his feet. With 82 maximum scores in 200 legs, he is now number four in the PDC, ahead of players such as Dirk van Duijvenbode and Gerwyn Price. Even an average of 102 from Luke Littler was not enough to stop him. Should Van Gerwen maintain this form, it could be a bad omen for his competitors in the battle for the big prizes.

Daryl Gurney also made his presence felt. The Northern Irishman has been waiting for an individual title since 2019, but at the Flanders Darts Trophy he was closer to success than he has been in a long time. His performances also earned him a striking statistic: the highest doubles percentage of any player in the PDC.

In his first four games in Flanders, before going down 7-1 to later winner Littler, Gurney needed only 40 arrows to win 24 legs. Over his last 200 legs he recorded a double-double percentage of 45.5%, just enough to oust Gian van Veen from the lead.

Still, Gurney knows he needs to up his scoring to structurally compete with the top. Fellow countryman Josh Rock threw 91 maximum scores in the same period, almost double the 52 that Gurney recorded.

One of this year's surprises is Dom Taylor. The Bristol-based darter is only in his second year with a PDC Tour Card and until now has been mostly in the shadow of the legendary Phil Taylor, with whom he shares only the last name.

Yet Dom Taylor has experienced a clear breakthrough in 2025. He is about to retain his PDC Tour Card and is performing significantly better than his current world ranking of 67 would suggest. Over his last 200 legs, he recorded 19 finishes over 100 points and has the seventh-best doubles percentage of any PDC player.

Those are world-class numbers. What Taylor still lacks is the sheer scoring ability to put himself among the absolute best. But his recent form does put him ahead of established names such as Peter Wright and Michael Smith. If he can maintain this level, he can quickly become a regular at the big tournaments.

The September 2025 PDC Form Guide shows that a shift is underway in the darts world. Stephen Bunting has finally broken the spell of Littler's reign and is in a stronger position than ever. Michael van Gerwen seems to be rediscovering his top form, while Daryl Gurney is proving that precision on the doubles is still golden. Meanwhile, Dom Taylor is tentatively knocking on the door of the top.

With the major televised tournaments approaching, the coming period promises spectacle. The battle for positions on the rankings and the hunt for major titles are more exciting than ever - and the dart world can get ready for an autumn full of fireworks.