STEPHEN BUNTING has named the three young stars he believes can go all the way at this year’s World Darts Championship.
The World No4 believes defending champion Luke Littler, European champion Gian van Veen and fellow Dutch talent Wessel Nijman are all capable of having big runs in the major event.
Bunting, 40, is chasing his first PDC world crown, having previously won at Lakeside, but admits the new generation is closing in fast after an explosive year on tour.
Bunting says the trio have the form, confidence and fearlessness to blow the tournament wide open.
He said: “Gian van Veen’s got to be up there, and Wessel Nijman too.
“They’ve been revelations. They’re not new to the game anymore. They’re experienced now and know how to win on the big stage.
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“Gian, especially, won that last title – the Europeans. It’ll give them massive confidence going into the Worlds. He becomes a dangerous player.
“Littler is young, but has been exceptional. [Littler, van Veen, and Nijman] are the three main young ones that are at the top of their game and are in with a chance of winning the world title.
“Littler is the name on everyone’s lips at the minute. He’s the reason why the sponsorship and money of our sport has gone up and the demographic has dropped so much.
“For what he’s done for the sport in such little time.
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“It’s not just him; I’ve noticed it with myself now, walking around Liverpool doing some shopping, and I’ve got a load of 15 year old kids running after me wanting autographs and pictures, which never happened five, ten years ago.
“He’s only going to keep rising. We need to improve else he’s going to run away with all the titles.”
Bunting also named Beau Greaves as another rising threat after pushing Luke Humphries to the limit at the fourth round of the UK Open and stunning teen sensation Littler in the World Youth Championship semis.
Doncaster thrower Greaves has won a record 44 PDC Women’s Series titles and will face Daryl Gurney in round one at Ally Pally on December 19.
List of all-time Darts World Champions
BELOW is a list of darts world champions by year.
The list does not include winners from the pre-Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) era or BDO world champions.
That means Raymond van Barneveld, for example, is only listed once – Barney also won four BDO titles – and none of Eric Bristow’s five BDO titles are included.
- 1994 – Dennis Priestley
- 1995 – Phil Taylor
- 1996 – Phil Taylor (2)
- 1997 – Phil Taylor (3)
- 1998 – Phil Taylor (4)
- 1999 – Phil Taylor (5)
- 2000 – Phil Taylor (6)
- 2001 – Phil Taylor (7)
- 2002 – Phil Taylor (8)
- 2003 – John Part
- 2004 – Phil Taylor (9)
- 2005 – Phil Taylor (10)
- 2006 – Phil Taylor (11)
- 2007 – Raymond van Barneveld
- 2008 – John Part (2)
- 2009 – Phil Taylor (12)
- 2010 – Phil Taylor (13)
- 2011 – Adrian Lewis
- 2012 – Adrian Lewis (2)
- 2013 – Phil Taylor (14)
- 2014 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2015 – Gary Anderson
- 2016 – Gary Anderson (2)
- 2017 – Michael van Gerwen (2)
- 2018 – Rob Cross
- 2019 – Michael van Gerwen (3)
- 2020 – Peter Wright
- 2021 – Gerwyn Price
- 2022 – Peter Wright (2)
- 2023 – Michael Smith
- 2024 – Luke Humphries
- 2025 – Luke Littler
Most World Titles
- 14 – Phil Taylor
- 3 – Michael van Gerwen
- 2 – John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson, Peter Wright
- 1 – Dennis Priestley, Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith, Luke Humphries, Luke Littler
Former Masters champ Bunting added: “No one wants to draw her. Definitely not. She’s an exceptional talent.”
Bunting begins his push for the Sid Waddell Trophy against Poland’s Sebastian Bialecki and could line up a blockbuster third-round clash with Dirk van Duijvenbode, if the Dutchman comes through his early tests.
