Buoyant Cross thrilled to return to winning ways on the big stage

World Series of Darts

Rob Cross was in buoyant mood after ending his two-year wait for a televised title with victory at the New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton on Saturday.

Cross edges out Aspinall to claim NZ Darts Masters title

World Series of Darts

Rob Cross fought back superbly to defeat newly crowned World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall and claim the New Zealand Darts Masters title in Hamilton on Saturday.

Puha & Tata thrill home fans as 2023 NZ Darts Masters begins

World Series of Darts

Haupai Puha and big-stage debutant Jonny Tata delighted the Hamilton crowd at the 2023 NZ Darts Masters with victories as the World Series of Darts event began.

Price sets sights on Down Under double ahead of NZ Darts Masters

World Series of Darts

Gerwyn Price has set his sights on a World Series of Darts double in New Zealand and Australia over the next fortnight.

Price faces Whitlock in 2023 NZ Darts Masters opener

World Series of Darts

Gerwyn Price will start his bid to retain his New Zealand Darts Masters title against Simon Whitlock as the 2023 staging of the event starts on Friday August 4.

World Series returns Down Under with Hamilton set for NZ Darts Masters

World Series of Darts

The stars of the PDC have headed Down Under for the World Series' double-header in New Zealand and Australia.

Milne outlines ambitions ahead of big stage return at NZ Darts Masters

World Series of Darts

Kayden Milne has outlined his professional ambitions ahead of his big stage return at the New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton next week.

Clayton to miss August's World Series double-header

World Series of Darts

Jonny Clayton has withdrawn from the forthcoming NZ Darts Masters and PalmerBet NSW Darts Masters events.

Lloyd, Comito & Penhall seal World Series spots after latest DPA weekend

World Series of Darts

Brenton Lloyd and Joe Comito will feature in next month's PalmerBet New South Wales Darts Masters, while Darren Penhall confirmed his place in the NZ Darts Masters.

Inspired Van Gerwen claims inaugural Poland Darts Masters crown

World Series of Darts

An inspired Michael van Gerwen produced a series of imperious displays to clinch the inaugural Superbet Poland Darts Masters title with victory over Dimitri Van den Bergh in Warsaw on Saturday.

2024 Australian Darts Masters
Friday August 9
First Round

Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-1 Jeremy Fagg
Gerwyn Price 6-2 Brenton Lloyd
Michael Smith 6-2 Stuart Coburn
Luke Humphries 6-1 Joe Comito
Luke Littler 6-2 Rob Modra
Peter Wright 6-1 Simon Whitlock
Damon Heta 6-0 John Hurring
Rob Cross 6-5 Haupai Puha

Saturday August 10
Quarter Finals
Luke Littler 6-4 Michael Smith
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Luke Humphries
Peter Wright 6-4 Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Damon Heta

Semi-Finals
Luke Littler 7-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gerwyn Price 7-6 Peter Wright

Final
Gerwyn Price 8-1 Luke Littler

Draw Bracket
(1) Luke Littler v Rob Modra
Michael Smith v Stuart Coburn
(4) Luke Humphries v Joe Comito
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Jeremy Fagg
(2) Rob Cross v Haupai Puha
Peter Wright v Simon Whitlock
(3) Gerwyn Price v Brenton Lloyd
Damon Heta v John Hurring

Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 13 legs
Final - Best of 15 legs

 

Gerwyn Price stormed to his second World Series of Darts title of 2024 with a stunning 8-1 victory against Luke Littler in Saturday's Australian Darts Masters final.

Price – also a winner in June’s Nordic Darts Masters – delivered a stellar display in Wollongong to pocket the £20,000 top prize and deny Littler an eighth title in as many months.

The Welshman produced a blistering barrage to seize control of Saturday’s showpiece, storming 4-0 ahead with a 112 average.

Littler had no answer to Price’s sustained brilliance, and although the Warrington wonderkid opened his account in leg six, Price won the next three legs to cap off a darting demolition Down Under.

“Luke is playing fantastic darts at the moment, and that probably kicked me into gear,” conceded the 2021 World Champion, who averaged 99.42 and converted 53% of his attempts at double.

“I know I need to play well against every player, but especially against this young talent, so I was right up for this game.

“I haven’t been playing well over the last couple of months, but I really wanted to win this one.

“We can all hit nine, ten, 11, 12-darters, but the game is all about confidence, and this will give me the big confidence boost that I needed.”


Price brushed aside Brenton Lloyd in Friday’s first round, before overcoming Australian number one Damon Heta and a resurgent Peter Wright to advance to his third World Series final in as many months.

The 39-year-old recovered from 4-3 adrift to sink birthday boy Heta, and he overturned a 3-0 deficit against Wright, conjuring up a clinical 106 checkout to triumph in a last-leg shoot-out.

Price built on that momentum in the opening exchanges against Littler, reeling off four consecutive legs in 15, 14, 11 and 14 darts to establish control of the contest.

Littller overcame his woes on the outer ring with a 12-darter in leg six, but this failed to spark a stirring fightback, as Price responded with another three-leg burst to take the title.

“Fair play to Gezzy. I couldn’t keep up with him there,” admitted the 17-year-old.

“He didn’t miss much [in the final] and he deserved the win.

“There’s no excuses. I was poor in that final, but hopefully I can carry my form from my first two games into New Zealand.”


Littler was bidding to join Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson in claiming a hat-trick of World Series titles in the same calendar year, winning through high-quality ties against Michael Smith and Dimitri Van den Bergh.

The Premier League champion fired in successive 104 averages in the process, following up a 6-4 success against Smith with an epic 7-6 victory against Van den Bergh.

The pair registered 14 maximums between them in a contest littered with quality, but the Belgian paid the price for squandering two match darts in a dramatic decider, succumbing with a 103 average.

Earlier in the day, Van den Bergh also averaged 103 in his quarter-final win over Luke Humphries, defying a brace of ton-plus finishes from the World Champion to run out an emphatic 6-2 winner.

Wright, meanwhile, dumped out last year's winner Rob Cross to advance to his first big stage semi-final in ten months, landing five 180s on his way to a 6-4 win.

Drawboard