World number one Luke Littler saw his World Grand Prix title defense end in the opening round after a 2-1 defeat by Luke Woodhouse. The 19-year-old opened the match by winning the first set 3-1, including a 106 checkout on double 15. However, Woodhouse rallied to win the second set and held his nerve on a double 16 in the decider to force a final set. Woodhouse moved 2-0 ahead in the last set and sealed the victory on double 12, with both players averaging near 82.50 across the match.
For followers of the Professional Darts Corporation, the tournament remains a high-stakes event with a total prize fund of £750,000, representing a 25% increase from the previous year. The tournament is unique for its 'double in, double out' format, which has been in place since 1998 and requires players to start every leg on a double. The winner of the overall event stands to take home £150,000, up from the £120,000 awarded in 2025.
According to The Guardian, this result comes following a week of scrutiny for Littler, who recently faced negative crowd reactions during a tournament in the Netherlands. Despite the loss, the world number one publicly congratulated Woodhouse on his performance via social media. The field for this year's competition comprises 32 players, including the top 16 ranked in the PDC Order of Merit and 16 others who qualified over the past 12 months.
Woodhouse now advances to the last 16 stage of the tournament. He is scheduled to face Nathan Aspinall, who reached this round by defeating Kevin Doets 2-1. The event continues in Leicester as the remaining competitors vie for the increased prize purse.