Luke Littler says he will miss August’s New Zealand Darts Masters and Australian Darts Masters, choosing a family break in Orlando rather than defending both World Series titles.
The world number one revealed the decision during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, with The Sun reporting that Littler plans to take the full month away from competition after a heavy first half of 2026.
It is a notable call because Littler won both Oceanic World Series events last year, taking the New Zealand title in Auckland before adding the Australian crown in Wollongong. Those tournaments remain useful ranking-stage and profile-building stops for the PDC, but Littler’s status now gives him more room to manage his schedule.
Littler puts rest before title defence
Littler pointed to the strain of long-haul travel and a calendar that can involve dozens of flights across a season. The 19-year-old is instead set for Walt Disney World with his family, building in a proper pause before the autumn run of televised majors.
The move also underlines the new reality around Littler. He is no longer chasing every appearance for momentum; he is protecting energy for the biggest prizes. For the New Zealand and Australian events, it removes their headline defending champion and leaves the PDC with a different star-power equation for August.
