Two-time World Darts Champion Luke Littler is only 19 - but there are already two other teenage superstars hot on his heels and relishing a chance to beat him. Two-time World Youth Championship winner Mitchell Lawrie, 15, and Jayden Walker, 14, will both compete against the World No 1 in Netflix's Beat Luke Littler event on Friday, where the winner will take home an eye-watering bounty of £501,000. The youngsters are just two of 24 finalists who could face the reigning world champion: if one of the contestants beat Littler, the event will end and they will take home the prize, with Littler having to win 24 legs in a row to deny his opponents.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Both Lawrie and Walker have faced Littler before and are laser-focused on the task at hand, but there is little doubt that there will be plenty more to come from the pair. "It's life-changing money so I'm looking forward to it," Lawrie told Sky Sports. "I just obviously hope I get to get the chance to play because I know there are also 24 other good players that have been picked.
I'm just hoping to get a chance to play Luke." Lawrie, a Target Darts ambassador, is the more experienced of the two teenagers, having already surpassed Littler's record to become the youngest player to win a match at the World Darts Federation World Championship, and has even come close to tasting victory against Littler before. "It was three or four years ago [that I played Luke Littler]. And he beat me 3-2 - I missed a few match darts!
"But that was before he went on to be what he is. And before I went on to be what I was as well." Lawrie's lofty ambitions do not stop at beating Littler. The Scot - who turns 16 next week - confirmed to Sky Sports he will be participating in the PDC's Qualifying School in 2027, giving him an opportunity to earn a two-year Tour card and become a regular on the professional circuit.
"No, I'm not thinking about it; I'm definitely doing [the Q-school] - that's what I want to do," he added. "I've wanted to be a professional darts player since I started. And that's what we're going to try to do in January.
"Hopefully, I'll get my tour card there and then go on to bigger and better things. "As I've said, I've loved the WDF system and stuff. They've been great with me and I've enjoyed that a lot.
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