LUKE LITTLER SPARKS CONTROVERSY WITH "THUMBS DOWN" GESTURE AT NOTTINGHAM FOREST FANS
Luke Littler edges out Gerwyn Price in a 6-5 thriller at Nottingham, while mocking Forest's European defeat to the crowd.
During Night Six of the Premier League Darts in Nottingham, Luke Littler didn't hold back in making a cheeky remark. The 19-year-old world champion had just edged out Gerwyn Price in a tense quarterfinal, only to fall to Luke Humphries later that evening. But beyond the scores, it was Littler’s exchanges with the crowd that grabbed attention amid the intense atmosphere at Motorpoint Arena.
Littler’s reputation for engaging head-on with supporters is well established. He seldom ignores the noise from the stands, often turning that energy into part of his game. His behaviour in Nottingham was a textbook example of this, especially during the thriller against Gerwyn Price. The match was tight, going down to the last leg before Littler clinched a 6-5 victory, though not without some friction.
Throughout the game, whistles from the crowd were frequent. When Littler finally hit double 20 in a crucial moment after missing several darts, his reaction was emphatic. With a loud roar and a pointed gesture toward the stands, he signalled that he wouldn’t let distractions break his focus. That moment only fuelled the charged atmosphere, with the audience staying loud all night.
Before his semifinal match against Luke Humphries, Littler made another memorable statement. Walking onto the stage, he appeared to acknowledge Nottingham Forest’s recent Europa League defeat. When the camera caught him, he raised a finger for 1-0, lifted his eyebrows, then gave a double thumbs-down, a clear nod to Forest's narrow loss to FC Midtjylland.
The Danish side had scraped through that first leg despite Forest creating chances, highlighting a tough patch for the Nottingham team, already struggling with a winless streak and growing expectations on their coaching staff.
The crowd’s reaction to Littler’s gesture was immediate – some laughter, some whistles – but the young player seemed unfazed, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth with the fans. It was another reminder that Littler isn’t just a rising star on the oche; he knows how to own the spotlight off it as well.
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.
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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.”
