THE NUKE'S WIN: LUKE LITTLER DODGES ALLY PALLY WASP AFTER 3-0 DARTS MASTERCLASS
Luke Littler secured a dominant 3-0 win but had to dodge the notorious 'Ally Pally Wasp' during his post-match interview. The World No. 1 is now nominated for SPOTY
Luke Littler had an unexpected encounter on stage after his first-round victory at the PDC World Darts Championship.
The reigning champion secured a 3-0 win against Darius Labanauskas at Alexandra Palace on Thursday.
Even though he avoided dropping a set, Littler had to work to earn his victory against the Lithuanian.
Littler, nicknamed the Nuke, had a great average of 101.54 and hit seven 180s, which helped him move on to the second round.
But right after his win, he had to dodge the infamous Ally Pally dart—a wasp!
The insect made its first appearance at this year's contest right after Littler's match.
As the 18-year-old was about to start his post-match interview, he ducked to avoid the bug.
The wasp kept flying around Littler, and he tried to swat it away.
Sky Sports' Polly James even stepped in to help the young man avoid being stung and regain his focus.
After his win, Littler talked about his run-in with the wasp, saying, I saw it during the second set, or maybe midway through the first, I can't remember, and then it vanished.
I assumed it was gone, but as soon as the interview started, it came back. Luckily, I managed to dodge it.
Thinking back on his win over Labanauskas, Littler commented, It wasn't easy at all. The stats might not show it, but I'm glad I won.
I was a bit nervous, but once you get here and win a leg, then two legs, and then the first set, it makes you feel better. Winning sets is what counts.
Everyone in the contest wants to win their first round. It's the toughest match because if you don't play well, you won't win.
Now that the first game is over, I have 10 days off.
Littler will play either Mario Vandenbogaerde or David Davies in his next match.
The second round is planned for December 20-23.
Littler's match is expected to be on Sunday, December 21.
What is the Ally Pally wasp?
The Ally Pally wasp is often seen at the PDC World Darts Championship these days.
Darts fans often notice the insect buzzing around players on stage at the well-known location.
During last year's match between Callan Rydz and Robert Owen, the bug even landed on Rydz's hair.
Also, Scott Williams tried to karate chop the wasp during his win over Damon Heta two years ago.
Littler's first-round win happened just hours after he was nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Littler, who won the Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2024, is being recognized for his great year in darts.
He is the youngest world champion and world number one and has won five other PDC major titles.
When asked if he thinks he will win the award, he said, Nah, I doubt it. But if I had to pick someone, it would be Lando (Norris).
Formula One world champion Lando Norris is also a nominee after winning the Drivers' Championship on Sunday.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy is also nominated again.
Other nominees include England rugby union star Ellie Kildunne and Lionesses Hannah Hampton and Chloe Kelly.
The public will vote for the winner, and the award will be given at a ceremony on Thursday, December 18.
2026 PDC World Championship Odds and Offer
DEXTER LAWRENCE TRADE REQUEST LOOMS OVER GIANTS' PREPARATIONS FOR PITTSBURGH NFL DRAFT
Dexter Lawrence wants out! Discover why the Giants are considering a trade before the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
The New York Giants might have no choice but to trade Dexter Lawrence before the NFL Draft. Negotiations on a new contract with the star defender have hit a wall, and Lawrence already asked for a trade earlier this month. He's skipped the team’s first offseason practices under new head coach John Harbaugh, which hasn’t helped matters.
At this point, the Giants have been talking with several teams about a possible deal for Lawrence. With the draft coming up in Pittsburgh next week, the pressure is on. They need picks, and right now they only hold two selections in the top 100. Harbaugh’s trying to breathe new life into the roster, but he needs more draft capital to do it.
News of the stalled negotiations came just hours after GM Joe Schoen sounded pretty upbeat, saying talks had been "productive". He explained that he, Harbaugh, and senior VP Dawn Aponte were all in regular contact with Lawrence’s reps, looking for some kind of resolution. Schoen insisted they want Dexter to stay, but he admitted it’s out of their hands now. They’ll just have to see what happens.
Lawrence, 28, signed a four-year, $90 million extension last year. Since then, defensive contracts have exploded, so his deal has dropped to just 11th among league defenders. On top of that, the team’s shaken up its roster, letting go of many Lawrence’s close teammates like Saquon Barkley.
Lawrence has been with the Giants since they drafted him 17th overall in 2019. He’s played his whole seven-year career in New York, earning three trips to the Pro Bowl and two second-team All-Pro honours. His career stats include 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception. But last year wasn’t great; he only managed half a sack, eight QB hits, and a pass rush win rate of 8.3 per cent for a team that finished 4-13. It’s hard to tell if he’ll stay with the Giants much longer.
RORY MCILROY TARGETS SEVENTH MAJOR AT ARONIMINK FOLLOWING EMOTIONAL MASTERS DEFENSE
No long break for Rory McIlroy! After his 6th major win, McIlroy eyes the PGA Championship at Aronimink this May.
Rory McIlroy isn’t following the same script after this Masters win. When reporters asked if he’d take another long break, as he did in 2025, Rory had a different plan in mind.
He’s not disappearing for months this time. Instead, he’s taking a couple of weeks off before jumping back into PGA Tour action. The next big event on the calendar is the PGA Championship, starting May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, but it sounds like Rory wants to get some tournament play before then.
He talked about his mindset shift after winning again at Augusta. “My schedule’s going to be different this year,” he said on April 13. “Last year, I thought winning the Grand Slam would be the destination. But actually, it’s just part of the ride. Now that I’ve won my sixth major, I feel great about my game and my body.
“I waited ages to win the Masters, and then I won two in a row. I definitely want to enjoy this. I’ll take a couple weeks off, but I don’t think I’ll hit that motivation lull I felt last year after the win.”
So, what comes next for Rory? He’s skipping the RBC Heritage this week, and his appearance at the Zurich Classic isn’t confirmed either.
Then, there’s Donald Trump, who might’ve let the cat out of the bag. After congratulating Rory on social media, Trump said he was looking forward to watching him at Doral during the Cadillac Championship on April 30. That’s not an official confirmation, but it’s a pretty solid clue that Rory’s next start could be there.
Now that he’s up to six majors and finally has back-to-back Masters titles, Rory’s thinking ahead. The next big stop? The PGA Championship, where he’ll chase number seven. But he’s not feeling satisfied just yet.
“I don’t want to put a hard number on it, but this is just part of the journey,” he said. “I’ve still got things I want to accomplish even as I make sure I enjoy the moment, too.”