Darts wonderkid makes history after breaking stunning Luke Littler record

Archie Self has broken Luke Littler's record after becoming the youngest player to hit a televised nine-dart leg.

Self, 16, produced perfection during the MODUS Super Series on Pluto TV in the opening leg of his match against Danny Ayres in Champions Week. The teenager hit 180-180-141 (T20, T19, D12) to write his name into the history books just weeks before his 17th birthday.

Littler previously held the record as the youngest player to achieve a nine-dart finish, doing so in the Bahrain Darts Masters in January 2024, two days before his 17th birthday.

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Who is Archie Self?

Born in Thatcham, Self - nicknamed 'The Archer' - is a former 2024 WDF World Boys Youth Champion and a standout competitor on the Junior Darts Corporation (JDC) circuit.

He made his PDC Players Championship debut in August and was handed a baptism of fire after drawing Littler in round one, almost instantly bouncing back from a defeat against the 19-year-old by taking fellow JDC alumnus Keane Barry all the way to a deciding leg.

Self then secured his first PDC ProTour win in September against Pero Ljubic with a 98+ average, and then beat Karel Sedlacek in the second round of the Players Championship with a thrilling 6-5 victory in Den Bosch before losing 6-4 to William O'Connor.

The young darts star then claimed his maiden PDC Development Tour title with a 5-2 victory over Sam Jackson in the final of Event 22 in October after averaging a monster 91.64.

After establishing himself as one of sport's biggest rising talents, Self has also represented England with distinction, winning multiple gold medals and reaching a MODUS Super Series final at just 16.

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How Archie Self can secure a PDC Tour Card

The next step in Self's young career is to earn a PDC Tour Card, which would enable him to compete against the best players in the world every week.

The Englishman is currently ninth in the Development Tour standings with £10,550 in prize money, and the top two players at the end of the season earn a two-year Tour Card.

An alternative route into the PDC is through the Challenge Tour, where Self is in fifth after winning multiple titles in 2026 and clinching £9,500 in prize money. Like on the Development Tour, the top two players - currently Joe Hunt and Derek Coulson - earn a Tour Card, while the top three qualify for the World Darts Championship.

Self has missed out on the ultimate prize via both avenues, but he will have another chance to earn a Tour Card at Q-School. The players who finish in the top five of the Q-School final Order of Merit will secure a Tour Card.

Meanwhile, in the Final Stage of both the UK and European Q-Schools, the last two players standing (the daily finalists/winners) on each day of play automatically secure a two-year Tour Card.

Having failed to gain his entry through Q-School at the start of this year, Self can go one better in 2027.