Luke Littler among stars to automatically qualify for European Darts Open – but must start from the first round

THE PDC have announced that Luke Littler has automatically qualified for June's Euro Tour tournament in Leverkusen.

That's because the top 32 players in the world have already been given a spot at the championship.

Places have been given to the top 16 players on the ProTour, with these players being given a bye to the second round.

The top 16 earning players on the Order of Merit will also be invited to the tour without needing qualification, but they will have to start in the first round.

Unfortunately for 17-year-old Littler, he does not feature on the top 16 seeded players yet, so will have to start in the first round.

The teenage sensation has won tournaments including the Bahrain Masters, the Belgian Open and the Austrain Open, as well as four nights already in the Premier League in 2024.

But he has not been in the men's professional league for long enough to accrue enough points to become seeded and is only 25th in the PDC rankings.

Luke Humphries heads up the top 16, followed by Dave Chisnall, Damon Heta, Gary Anderson, Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price, Danny Noppert, Michael van Gerwen, Josh Rock, Ross Smith, Ryan Searle, Stephen Bunting, Martin Schindler, Peter Wright, Chris Dobey and Ricardo Pietreczko - who will all enter the tournament in the second round.

Littler will be in the first round draw alongside Gian van Veen, Michael Smith, Daryl Gurney, Jonny Clayton, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Ryan Joyce, Joe Cullen, Raymond van Barneveld, Krzysztof Ratajski, Andrew Gilding, James Wade, Gabriel Clemens, Luke Woodhouse, Nathan Aspinall and Dimitri van den Bergh.

Players that lose their first round match in Leverkusen will not be able to claim their prize money towards their order of merit, but will still be paid.

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With 32 players already qualified for the tournament, an additional 16 spots are still up for grabs.

Ten of those will be distributed during a qualifying tournament for Tour Card holders tomorrow.

Four spots are also reserved for host nation qualifiers.

The remaining two spots will be handed to a Nordic and Baltic qualifier.

Littler meanwhile treated his girlfriend Eloise to a night out watching his beloved Manchester United playing Crystal Palace - where they were hammered 4-0.