PDC World Darts Championship 2025: Day Three Afternoon Results, Noah-Lynn van Leuven Makes Her Debut

Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price were the first two seeds to book their places in the third round, setting the stage for a thrilling post-Christmas party at Alexandra Palace. 

The afternoon session on day three featured recent World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker, making his fifth consecutive appearance at the championships.

History was also made as Noa-Lynn van Leuven stepped onto the big stage, becoming the first openly transgender darts player to compete at the event.

Adding to the excitement, recent World Grand Prix semi-finalist Ryan Joyce also took to the oche, aiming to continue his strong form.

Former Lakeside quarterfinalist James Hurrell made his long-awaited Alexandra Palace debut, facing Jim Long, the first Canadian competitor at this year’s championships.

Reflecting on his journey, Hurrell shared that just last year, he was among the London crowd, dreaming of stepping onto the iconic stage. This year, that dream became a reality.

Nicknamed 'Hillbilly,' Hurrell delivered a clinical performance, showcasing impressive finishing skills. Long managed to take just one leg, while Hurrell held a stunning checkout percentage of 67% heading into the final leg. Although he missed five match darts in the last leg, slightly lowering his finishing stats, Hurrell sealed a commanding 3-0 victory in sets.

Next up, he faces a daunting challenge against three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen in the second round.

In a landmark occasion for darts, Noa-Lynn van Leuven became the first openly transgender player to grace the Alexandra Palace stage, taking on former World Youth Championship semi-finalist Kevin Doets in the opening round.

Van Leuven, known as "The Dutchess," was considered a significant underdog after earning her spot through the PDC Women’s Series. However, she quickly proved she belonged on the big stage. The Dutch starlet took the opening set 3-1 in emphatic fashion, including a stunning 120 checkout — a feat she would later repeat in the match.

The second set turned into a battle of nerves. In a marathon third leg, both players missed over 10 darts at double, with an astonishing 63 darts thrown in what became the longest leg of the championship so far. Doets eventually edged the leg and carried the momentum to level the match at 1-1.

Despite the shift in momentum, Van Leuven showcased her skill and determination, going toe-to-toe with Doets. Her crowning moment came in the final set, thrilling the crowd with six perfect darts enroute to a potential nine-darter. Unfortunately, she missed the seventh treble 20, but the near miss left the London crowd in awe.

Ultimately, Doets’ quality shone through as he secured a 3-1 victory. While Van Leuven couldn’t add another set to her tally, her debut was a statement of intent, and she left the stage with her head held high.

Doets now progresses to face defending champion Michael "Bully Boy" Smith in the next round. Smith, who is fighting to protect his £500,000 prize money and maintain his standing among the sport’s elite, will have plenty to prove in what promises to be an electrifying encounter.

Ryan Joyce was up next, who back in 2019 managed to reach the quarterfinals of the competition. Standing in his was Lithuania’s Darius Labanauskas who is known for hitting a nine darter at Ally Pally in 2021 against Mike De Decker, who also played later. 

Relentless by name, relentless by nature, Joyce got the job done without much fault. The Lithuania did manage to win the second set but was overpowered completely in the three he lost. 

Joyce won the match 3-1 to secure his spot in the third round. He will face former UK Open champion Danny Noppert in the next round.

The afternoon session’s main event delivered a thrilling contest between World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker and Luke Woodhouse, one of the unseeded “banana skins” of the tournament. Woodhouse had already impressed in the first round with a commanding win over Lourence Illagan, setting the stage for a tough battle.

Heading into the match, De Decker was the joint fifth favorite to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy according to title sponsors Paddy Power. However, Woodhouse was undeterred by the Belgian’s form. Dominating the opening exchanges, “Woody” raced to a two-set lead, allowing De Decker to win just one leg in the process.

De Decker showed his quality in the third set, reeling off three straight legs to narrow the gap and keep his hopes alive. But Woodhouse held his nerve in the fourth set, sealing the win and securing his spot in the tournament’s post-Christmas stage.

Woodhouse will now await the winner of the match between Damon Heta and Connor Scutt in the next round.