Luke Littler TOP SEED for Dutch Darts Masters as 17-year-old sensation to face ‘Aubergine king’ in opening match

LUKE LITTLER has been handed the TOP SEED for the Dutch Darts Masters as his whirlwind career goes from strength to strength.

The 17-year-old will take on ‘Aubergine King’ Dirk van Duijvenbode in his opening clash.

PA

Luke Littler is top seed for the Dutch Darts Masters after his Bahrain heroics[/caption]

Elsewhere, Ally Pally champ Luke Humphries – who defeated Littler in the World Championships final – goes unseeded and will face Jermaine Wattimena.

Littler summed up how much his life has changed forever as he heads into Holland admitting: The world has gone mad!

Only seven weeks ago, the general public did not know much about this recent school leaver from Warrington.

Only a small group of people, those within the sport and the social media tungsten anoraks, truly appreciated or acknowledged just how talented he is with three darts in his hand.

His outstanding performances at Ally Pally – in which he came within three sets of lifting the £500,000 world crown – turned him into an overnight celebrity.

Everywhere he goes now, there are constant requests for selfies and autographs and his Instagram following has exploded to more than 1.1million.

It was over a week ago, the day before the start of the Bahrain Darts Masters – which he managed to win by beating Michael van Gerwen in the final – that he truly realised how crazy everything has become.

Littler, who turned 17 last Sunday, said: “I was happy to go over to Bahrain and win.

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“It’s not a short flight. But I always say that once the travel is out of the way, and I’m in the venue and in the hotel, that’s when I do settle down.

“It was a good experience. It was totally different to Ally Pally.

“You can hear everything in the crowd but I blocked it off as best as I could.

“It was good to see so many youngsters at the live draw. Eight of us players went to pictures and signed autographs. It’s just…the world’s gone mad!”

Littler collected the ‘gold palm tree’ trophy as he thrillingly beat Nathan Aspinall – courtesy of a nine-darter in the opening leg – then Gerwyn Price and Van Gerwen.

Respected referee Russ Bray had been in charge of proceedings as Littler was defeated 7-4 by Luke Humphries in the world final on January 3.

Bray, 66, a former police motorbike rider, is focusing on the World Series of Darts finals as part of semi-retirement and ‘The Voice’ was there for the final in the Middle East nation.

Littler said: “I knew the darts was big. It had been in Bahrain for a few years now.

“I said it was good to be part of the World final with Russ in his last one.

“It was good to see Russ over in Bahrain in the World Series. It’s good to tick these countries off on my darting tour.

“I didn’t expect to beat them all. But I know I have my own ability. I believe in my own ability and that’s what gets me over the line each time.”

Littler will take on (TBC) in the first round of the Dutch Darts Masters in ‘s-Hertogenbosch – with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final scheduled for Saturday evening.

Though it is only his SECOND event since becoming a PDC pro, Littler will be expected to back up his Bahrain bounty.

Then the diary will really get busy as he prepares for the Premier League opener next Thursday in Cardiff.

Littler, up to 31 in the world, said: “The standard is going to be good once again.

“I know all eight of the representatives are good. Every first-round game, it’s going to be tough for us eight who are in the Premier League. It should be a good weekend.

“To stay unbeaten would be a massive bonus. But if I do lose, then it’s back home and focus on Cardiff for the Premier League.”