Luke Littler explains why he is still playing darts 'for fun' after UK Open win

Luke Littler has admitted that he is having a great time as he keeps winning at the UK Open, with the teenager identifying his love for the sport as the reason behind his remarkable success.

The 17-year-old is into the last 16 of the Minehead tournament after beating Martin Schindler 10-8. Littler shot to fame over Christmas and New Year when he got to the final of the PDC World Championship. He is now already one of the most recognisable faces in the sport.

The Runcorn-born star might not yet be old enough to buy a beer, but against German Schindler, he battled back from 5-3 down, hitting a three dart average score of 101, and he puts the whole thing down to just having fun.

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Littler said: "It's what every darts player has got to do, if you are not enjoying it then surely you can't play well. I always enjoy it, I love leading up to any competition. He (Schindler) played really well and hopefully I played as well, it felt like that. It was a very tough game to get over the line."

Bit time players such as former world champions Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price lost their games, paving the way for Littler to try and land his first major title. Michael Smith, another former world champion, also lost to Luke Woodhouse, who was delighted to take such a major scalp.

Woodhouse said: "Michael Smith is a Premier League player, he is one of the top players in the world so to win that I am chuffed. I tried my best to stick with him, I thought if I could take it to the wire then who knows and luckily I could do it."

Littler will fancy his chances of