Van Veen Closes the Gap, Then Closes It Out
This didn’t come out of nowhere. In our coverage of the Order of Merit after the World Matchplay, Van Veen sat at world No.3, “continuing to close the gap on Humphries for the runner-up spot.” Days later, after the Players Championship 25 & 26 ProTour double-header in Hildesheim— an event where Van Veen bowed out early without winning either title — that gap finally closed. The prize money he did collect in Hildesheim, combined with the ongoing churn of the Order of Merit’s two-year rolling window, was enough to push him above Humphries and into the world’s top two for the first time in his career.
It’s a reminder of how the ranking actually works: you don’t need to win a title to move up it. Every player is constantly defending prize money earned exactly two years earlier, so a quiet week for a rival can move you up the table just as surely as a big run of your own. For the full mechanics, see how the PDC Order of Merit works.
Luke Littler Still Untouchable at No.1
None of this threatens the top spot. Luke Littler became the first player in darts history to pass £3 million in career ranking earnings after winning the 2026 World Matchplay, and remains millions clear of the chasing pack. The battle for world No.2 matters for seeding and status, but it’s still a fight for second place behind a teenager having one of the great individual seasons in the sport’s history.
Wessel Nijman’s Quiet Rise to a Career-High No.13
The same update carries a second, quieter story. Wessel Nijman has reached a career-high world No.13 — a remarkable position for a player without a major title or a televised semi-final run to his name this year. Instead, it’s built almost entirely on ProTour floor results, headlined by his win at the inaugural Slovak Darts Open in Bratislava, where he beat Rob Cross 8-3 in a final both players averaged over 100 in, sealing it with a 74 checkout.
It’s the kind of climb that rarely makes headlines on its own, but it underlines how consistent ProTour form — rather than one big week at a major — can quietly rebuild a ranking over the course of a season.