Luke Littler delivered a commanding 6-1 triumph over veteran Paul Lim at the Bahrain Darts Masters on Thursday evening, a contest that etched itself into the sport's record books as the largest age gap ever witnessed in a televised darts match.
The 18-year-old world number one faced off against the 71-year-old Singaporean legend, with 53 years separating the two competitors at the Exhibition World Bahrain.
Remarkably, Lim made his BDO World Darts Championship debut back in 1982, a full decade before Littler's mother was even born.
The teenage sensation, who holds the distinction of being both the youngest world champion and world number one in darts history, now advances to face Gerwyn Price in the quarter-finals.
Luke Littler was in jaw-dropping form as he thrashed Paul Lim
|PA
Littler's performance was nothing short of exceptional, with the reigning two-time world champion recording an average exceeding 106 throughout the encounter.
The opening exchanges saw both players hold their throw, but the teenager soon shifted into devastating form.
A magnificent 170 checkout showcased his remarkable finishing prowess, the highest possible combination in the sport.
He followed this with an equally clinical 121 finish in the fifth leg, effectively ending the contest as a meaningful competition.
The display marked an emphatic start to the inaugural World Series of Darts event of 2025, with Littler demonstrating precisely why he sits atop the world rankings.
Paul Lim, 71, is 53 years older than Luke Littler - making it the biggest age-gap in a televised darts match
|PA
Following his comprehensive victory, Littler paid generous tribute to his septuagenarian opponent.
"Paul's been performing well for many, many years," the teenager reflected.
"He's a class act and he's still going strong, but thankfully I was able to kick on and get the win."
The Warrington prodigy, who captured the Bahrain title on his debut appearance in 2024, made clear his intentions for the tournament.
LITTLER WITH THE 170! 🐟
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 15, 2026
Luke Littler doing Luke Littler things!
The World Champ produces a trademark 170 checkout, and even Paul Lim was reeling in the Big Fish! 😂
📺 https://t.co/XzyoZs6rU3#BahrainDarts | R1 pic.twitter.com/snCCbjuECi
"It's always good to be back in Bahrain. This is the start of the new season for us, and you want to start the year off right, with a title," Littler declared.
Victory in Sakhir would represent his fifth World Series of Darts triumph.
Lim's illustrious career spans more than four decades, with the Singaporean earning legendary status when he became the first player to achieve a nine-darter at Lakeside in 1990.
The veteran extended his record as the oldest competitor to secure a victory at the PDC World Championship earlier this year, defeating Jeffrey de Graaf before bowing out to Luke Humphries in round two.
Elsewhere on Thursday evening, defending champion Stephen Bunting progressed with a 6-2 victory over Japan's Ryusei Azemoto, whilst Humphries recorded an impressive whitewash against host nation representative Abdulla Saeed, averaging 103.66.
Michael van Gerwen also advanced, overcoming Alexis Toylo 6-4.