Luke Littler has enjoyed a successful fortnight Down Under despite being without his usual support team around him.
The teenage darts sensation continued his fine run of form in New Zealand on Saturday, claiming glory in Auckland fresh from also taking victory in Australia last week.
Littler beat Mike De Decker 8-4 in Wollongong to become the Australian Masters champion and saw off world number one Luke Humphries with the same scoreline to win the New Zealand Masters.
As well as scooping another two trophies, the 18-year-old has won £60,000 in prize money over the past two weeks.
And he’s done all that despite having his backroom team majorly disrupted during his trip to the other side of the world.
His family, who travelled with him to Australia last year, stayed home this summer with his new girlfriend Faith Millar supporting him instead.
And Littler has now revealed his manager, Martin Foulds, had to head home early from Sydney due to illness.
Following his win in Auckland, the ‘Nuke’ said: “My family struggled last year with the jet lag, we were up at silly hours in the morning. We were in the same room so we were all up at the same time.
“I’m pretty lucky that my girlfriend has come over because, if she didn’t, my manager went home because of an illness, so I would’ve been on my own for two weeks.
“It’s been good to have her here to have some support for myself.”
On his win in Auckland, Littler added: “It felt very much the same as last week [in Australia].
“I had a shaky start in my opening game, but once you come into Finals Night you know you have to switch it on, and that’s what I did again.
“I felt unbeatable up there. The crowd was brilliant and the venue was incredible – it felt like a Premier League night, and I’m very happy to lift another title.
“I’m playing very well at the moment, I’m enjoying my darts and hopefully I can keep this winning streak going.”
Littler remains second in the world rankings behind Humphries despite his brilliant run of form.
Following their clash in New Zealand, Humphries admitted that Littler is the better player right now.
Littler was asked if he was surprised by those comments, saying: “Yeah, obviously, he’s world number one.
“I have said plenty of times that until I get to world number one, I won’t call myself the best player in the world.
“At world number one, you’re the best whether you’re winning or not.
“Form-wise at the minute, I’m the best on stats but I’ve got to keep it up.”
Littler flies back to England on Sunday before having a week off.
He’ll then return to the oche for the Flanders Trophy in Antwerp, which gets underway on Friday, August 29.