Australian Darts Masters 2025: Preview, Draw & Players to Watch
- Darts Central
- Aug 6
- 5 min read
The World Series of Darts returns after just over a month’s hiatus to make way for Pro Tour events and the World Matchplay. It was Gerwyn Price who was the winner last time out on the World Series in Gliwice, Poland, securing the Poland Darts Masters title for the first time.
Heading down under, this tournament will take place from Friday, 8th to Saturday, 9th August, with eight of the PDC’s elite stars taking on eight of the Oceanic top darting talents in Wollongong, as the sixth World Series event of the year gets underway. Top stars like Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall opted to sit this one out due to prior family holidays. Their absence opens the door for exciting debutants Josh Rock and Mike De Decker.
The PDC has been coming down under since 2013 for World Series events. However, they recently reformed the structure so there are now just two events instead of three, one held in Australia and one in New Zealand.
In the first reformed edition of the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong in 2024, Gerwyn Price stormed to victory, notably hammering Luke Littler in the final by an 8–1 scoreline.
With a best-of-11 legs format in the opening round, there’s little room for error. The PDC elite will need to be sharp from the outset to avoid early upsets and build momentum ahead of the longer-format semi-finals (best of 13) and final (best of 15).
Prize Money
Here’s how the prize money will be distributed for the 2025 Australian Darts Masters:
Winner: £30,000
Runner-Up: £16,000
Semi-Finalists: £10,000
Quarter-Finalists: £5,000
First Round: £1,750
Last 16 Draw
The top four seeds for the 2025 Australian Darts Masters were determined by performances across the first five World Series events of the year, held in Bahrain, Copenhagen, New York, the Netherlands, and Gliwice. The remaining four PDC representatives were then drawn at random, with all eight facing an Oceanic qualifier.
Here’s how the Last 16 line-up looks:
(1) Stephen Bunting vs Brody Klinge
Josh Rock vs Simon Whitlock
(4) Luke Littler vs Haupai Puha
Damon Heta vs James Bailey
(2) Gerwyn Price vs Joe Comito
Chris Dobey vs Tim Pusey
(3) Luke Humphries vs Jonny Tata
Mike De Decker vs Brandon Weening
Each match sees a PDC World Series invitee take on an Oceanic challenger. The format is straight knockout; win three matches, and you’ll be playing in Saturday night’s final.
Key Players to Watch
🏴 Gerwyn Price
The reigning champion of this event hammered Luke Littler 8–1 in last year’s final. Now up to World No.6, Price has enjoyed a strong 2025 season, racking up five PDC titles, more than any other player this year. He also lifted the Poland Darts Masters crown last time out on the World Series and, as the No.2 seed here, will be looking to carry that form into Wollongong to become a back-to-back champion.
🏴 Luke Littler
‘The Nuke’ is a danger in any event he plays. Already the reigning World Champion, Grand Slam Champion, and UK Open champion, Littler was most recently crowned World Matchplay champion just over ten days ago. Yet, despite his remarkable season, he has surprisingly not won a World Series title in 2025. After finishing runner-up on debut in Australia last year, he’ll aim to go one better and claim his third career World Series crown.
🇬🇧 Josh Rock
‘Rocky’ has already won a Players Championship title this year and was a star performer at the World Cup of Darts, where he and Daryl Gurney claimed the title for Northern Ireland. His sensational run to the semi-finals of the World Matchplay included victories over Ross Smith, Michael van Gerwen, and the in-form Gerwyn Price before being stopped by nine-dart hero Luke Littler. This is a deserved World Series call-up, and he’ll be eager to make a statement on debut, perhaps even giving fans a glimpse of a future Premier League star.
🇳🇿 Haupai Puha
The only Tour Card holder among the Oceanic representatives, Puha made history as the first New Zealander to earn a PDC Tour Card. He has tasted victory on the World Series stage before, notably defeating Dimitri Van den Bergh 6–2 at the 2023 New Zealand Darts Masters. With a calm demeanour and solid game, he has the tools to trouble any opponent in the short format.
🇦🇺 Brody Klinge
Klinge is widely tipped as Australia’s next breakout star. His career-best average of 110.51 underlines his ability to produce elite performances. With six titles already in 2025 across the ADA and DPA circuits, he’ll look to translate that domestic dominance onto the big stage in Wollongong, spurred on by home support.
To find out more about all eight Oceanic challengers, click here to read my full preview.
Potential Routes & Talking Points
If the seeds hold firm, fans could be treated to some blockbuster ties:
Heta vs. Littler Quarter-Final
This could be a mouthwatering last-eight clash if both come through their openers on Friday. Their previous meetings have often produced fireworks, including Littler’s career-high average of 122 in victory. Australia’s No.1 would relish the chance to face, and potentially defeat, the reigning World Champion on home soil.
No.1 Seed Bunting vs. No.2 Seed Price in the Final?
Stephen Bunting and Gerwyn Price have been the standout performers on the World Series circuit this season, contesting two finals already in 2025. With them placed in opposite halves of the draw thanks to their high seeding, another showdown could be on the cards. Price came out on top in their most recent meeting in Poland.
Ranking Points on the Line
Every match win carries valuable World Series points, with the race for qualification to the end-of-year Finals now heating up.
Final Thoughts
The Australian Darts Masters is a rare and valuable opportunity for local fans, as it’s the only time each year they get to see the PDC’s elite live in action. With a raucous Wollongong crowd, a growing local darting presence, and short-format matches across the weekend, world-class action, twists, and drama are all but guaranteed.
Stephen Bunting and Gerwyn Price are the only players in the field to have lifted a World Series title this year, while favourites like Luke Littler will be eager to join that list. Add in in-form threats like Josh Rock making his debut, and the field looks wide open.
Expect fireworks on stage and a passionate Australian crowd off it as the World Series rolls into one of its most intriguing stops of the year. Whether it’s Price defending his crown, Littler finally breaking his World Series duck, or a homegrown upset shaking the tournament, Wollongong could be in for a darting weekend to remember.
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