Premier League champion Luke Littler has insisted he's the one who decides his schedule as the new face of darts.
Despite being a fresh face in the world of darts, the 17-year-old has made it clear he'll take a break from competing if he feels it's necessary. Littler has jetted to the United States to participate in this weekend's U.S. Darts Masters, which kicks off at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
Following his quest for more silverware in his first trip to New York, he plans to enjoy a well-deserved week off in Orlando, Florida, with his family. The buzz around 'The Nuke' has now reached international levels as Littler stopped by The MMA Hour (via the Daily Express ) before making his professional debut on American soil.
"Next week we're going to Orlando," the World Darts Championship runner-up shared with host Ariel Helwani. "There's a competition at the weekend, but I just said to my manager, 'Can I have the week off, [I] don't want to play, [Id' rather] go on holiday'."
When asked if he feels more pressure when playing for a new market, Littler dismissed the idea and said he gets to "pick and choose" which competitions he participates in. The teenager was still competing in junior tournaments just six months ago, but now he has his pick of the pro circuit.
Despite being in the early stages of his career, Littler has already climbed to 25th in the PDC Order of Merit, a feat he aptly describes as "crazy." The Premier League victor – who avenged his defeat against world champion Luke Humphries in the final to bag a grand prize of £275,000 – boasts the kind of career winnings of which most darts professionals can only dream.
"I can pick and choose what I want to play from now on, because my rankings (sic) is good," he explained. "And I've qualified for almost every event, so I can just pick and choose. And if I'm not up to [playing a certain event], or the travelling's killing me off, then I'll just have a week off."
Not many darts players, let alone the majority of professionals, can claim such flexibility. But that's the kind of luxury that comes with being the new face of one's sport.
Darts enthusiasts in America will get a proper introduction to the rising star when he takes to the stage at MSG this Friday. He'll be competing against some familiar top seeds in New York, including Humphries, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price, and Michael Smith.
The darting sensation has been enjoying the sights ahead of his New York debut, including an open-top bus tour and a visit to The Statue of Liberty. However, it's back to business for the emerging phenomenon as he aims to add more accolades to his name on foreign soil.
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