Luke Littler immediately overtaken by new PDC star after winning tour card

Luke Littler is no longer the youngest player on the PDC Pro Tour after holding the distinction for two years.

The teenager has been immediately overtaken by fellow 18-year-old Yorick Hofkens.

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Although the pair are currently the same age, Hofkens is five months younger.

As a result, he overtook Littler as the PDC Tour’s youngest player after securing a two-year Tour Card last week.

The German will not turn 19 until June, whilst Littler will celebrate his birthday on January 21.

They do remain the only two teenagers on the PDC’s professional circuit, though.

Littler had been the youngest player on the PDC Tour since the start of 2024.

The Nuke secured a Tour Card through the Development Tour before his run to the final on debut at the PDC World Darts Championship.

He has since won back-to-back titles at Alexandra Palace, becoming the sport’s youngest-ever world champion and world No.1.

Who is Yorick Hofkens?

As for Hofkens, his professional status was secured at EU Q-School by reaching the last two at Saturday’s event.

His six wins on day three of the final stage in Kalkar included a win over former Tour Card holder Brian Raman.

Hofkens also went on to beat Pascal Rupprecht and WDF world champion Jimmy van Schie, who both secured Tour Cards themselves.

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He will now hold PDC Pro Tour status at least until the end of 2027, at which point he will retain his card if he inside the top 64 in the rankings.

The youngster has already made his professional PDC debut, though, after qualifying for last year’s Baltic Sea Darts Open.

Hofkens was beaten in a last leg decider by Cameron Menzies in the first round of the European Tour event back in July.

Meanwhile, his first appearance since winning a Tour Card is set to come at the World Masters later this month.

When is Littler playing next?

As for Littler, his return following a second consecutive Ally Pally triumph will be much sooner.

He is one of eight PDC representatives competing at the Bahrain Darts Masters on Thursday and Friday.

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The World Series of Darts event begins the 2026 campaign, with the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters to follow three days later.

Littler won in Bahrain on his World Series debut two years ago and has won three more events as well as the 2024 Finals.