Darts is entering an era of youth with the emergence of Luke Littler and the dominance of Luke Humphries.
The pool of exciting youngsters has arguably never been deeper in the sport, and here we predict the next first-time major winners who will catapult themselves into superstardom.
5. Damon Heta
Damon Heta has tasted success on a big PDC stage before, lifting the World Cup of Darts with Simon Whitlock in 2022.
Individual success has eluded him thus far, though he has a catalogue of titles away from the majors.
He has reached six TV quarter-finals since the start of last year and if the world number nine can bring his floor game to the stage, ‘The Heat’ could become the first Aussie to lift an individual PDC major since Whitlock in 2012.
4. Ryan Searle
Ryan Searle is a curious case.
His A-game can match the very best and he has registered multiple averages north of 110.
He’s also captured five Players Championship titles and benefits from having one of the best players to ever live as a practice partner – Gary Anderson.
‘Heavy Metal’ narrowly lost the final of the Players Championship Finals in 2021 to Peter Wright but has otherwise failed to make a big impact on television.
An explanation for this could be a lack of motivation.
Speaking to Darts Now a few weeks ago, Searle admitted he’s not overly driven by success and is fortunate to be comfortable in life.
His ability is unquestionable though and if the 36-year-old becomes more dedicated to darts, big titles could lie ahead.
3. Martin Schindler
Germany has had many false dawns when it comes to establishing a darting superstar.
Max Hopp was touted to be the nation’s flagbearer before dropping off the tour despite winning a title.
The nation may have finally found its man with Martin Schindler, however.
‘The Wall’ picked up his first career title earlier this year, ending Gerwyn Price’s dominance in Riesa to win on the Euro Tour on home soil.
His performances are consistently competitive against the best and despite a wealth of experience, he’s still only 27.
Last year he reached his first two quarter-finals on the big stage and if the German number one remains on his current trajectory, he could make darting history for his country.
2. Gian van Veen
You would be shocked to discover Gian van Veen was only 22 years old after hearing him talk.
He speaks with a maturity beyond his years and has a mindset equipped for success – vital for such a mental game.
He’s the only player on this list yet to win a senior ranking title but he will undoubtedly hoover up many in the coming years.
His impact has already been evident on the television stage.
Last year, he dumped Michael van Gerwen out of the European Championship en route to the semi-finals and produced a stunning performance in defeat on his World Matchplay debut.
Despite a ton-plus average, he lost 13-12 to Rob Cross in Blackpool and showed glimpses of why special things could be on the horizon for the Dutchman.
If he can tighten up his finishing to complement his power scoring, expect the youngster to have a big impact as soon as this year.
1. Josh Rock
Northern Ireland’s number one picked up his second title of 2024 this week to add to an ever-growing collection.
Rock burst onto the scene in 2022, winning a title in his debut year and hitting a nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen in a thriller at the Grand Slam of Darts.
His rapid rise saw him make his World Cup debut in June and is on the cusp of the fabled top 16 in the world – a mere £1.75k behind 16th placed Danny Noppert.
His spotlight may have been robbed by teenage sensation Luke Littler, but ‘Rocky’ has the potential to be a superstar of the sport.
Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle predicted last night that the 23-year-old will capture the World Championship one day, which is high praise considering the names that the title has eluded.
A strong mental game is imperative to experience the highest success in darts and if Rock can perfect that, his ability will likely carry him to a haul of majors.