Stephen Bunting tops Michael van Gerwen in PDC Form Guide for first time: Luke Littler still leads list by a wide margin

Stephen Bunting is making the most of his breakthrough European Tour triumph, with his rise reflected not only in prize money on the Order of Merit but also in the performance-driven stats tracked by the PDC Form Guide. "The Bullet" is showing genuine momentum.

For the first time in his career, Bunting now boasts a higher rolling average over 200 legs than Michael van Gerwen—98.37, a full two-point increase from March, and his highest figure in over two years. His power scoring is reaching new heights too, with 92 maximums placing him second only to the irrepressible Luke Littler.

Two of those 180s came in a dramatic last-leg decider against former World Champion and world number one Luke Humphries at the International Darts Open—a match that underlined Bunting’s progress. Humphries remains one of the few players ranked above Bunting in the current form charts.

Still, there's room to grow. Despite the scoring surge, Bunting remains just 15th in OChE—the metric that measures leg efficiency—and his finishing needs sharpening. A checkout rate of 36.4% over his last 200 legs is modest by elite standards, with many of his 180s coming in legs he ultimately loses. If he can tighten up his doubling and complete more legs in 15 darts or fewer, Bunting could start dispatching top players like Humphries without needing to raise his average any further.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Gary Anderson continues to defy logic and time. The Scottish veteran, now competing against opponents young enough to be his children, has found another gear. Fresh from a win at Players Championship 7, Anderson has surged in the Form Guide rankings with yet another dominant week.

His nine-darter against Krzysztof Ratajski was one of several standout moments. Across his last 200 legs, Anderson has thrown three matches averaging over 109, including a blistering 112 against long-time rival James Wade. With a current average of 97.89, he sits eighth in the PDC rankings—alongside several Premier League stalwarts—and he’s closed a 12-point OChE gap on Gerwyn Price to just under five points, lifting his rating to over 60. It’s a remarkable resurgence.

Meanwhile, Damon Heta finds himself in a curious position. Statistically, he is the PDC’s most clinical finisher, yet the results—and the prize money—aren’t following suit. Heta ranks 10th in the world with an OChE of 58 and leads all players in doubling efficiency over the past six months. But his lack of scoring power is holding him back.

With just 52 180s over the same period—less than half of Littler’s tally—and a 37% accuracy on the treble 20 (compared to Bunting's 41% and Price's 43%), Heta is often left chasing legs rather than setting the pace. His 46% finishing percentage is impressive, but context matters. Many of his finishes come with little scoreboard pressure, and while efficient, they don’t always swing matches in his favour.

As the season unfolds, players like Bunting and Anderson are trending upward in both form and confidence, while Heta faces the familiar challenge of converting precision into results. The margins in the modern game are razor-thin—and every dart matters.