New Zealand Darts Masters 2025: Preview, Draw & Players to Watch
- Darts Central
- Aug 12
- 5 min read
The attention of the Down Under double-header now turns to its final stop in Auckland, for the conclusion of the World Series events ahead of next month’s finals.
Luke Littler claimed the title in Wollongong last week, while defending champion Luke Humphries dominated Damon Heta 8–2 in last year’s final. The World No. 1 will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing outing last week.
This year’s line-up sees eight of the PDC’s elite stars face eight of Oceania’s top darting talents, with short-format matches promising plenty of early drama. The PDC has been bringing the World Series down under since 2013, with the structure now streamlined to just two events, one in Australia and one in New Zealand.
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).
Quick Facts
Dates: 15th-16th August 2025
Venue: Spark Arena, Auckland
Defending Champion: Luke Humphries
Format: Best of 11 (Last 16 & Quarter-Finals), Best of 13 (Semi-Finals), Best of 15 (Final)
Prize Money
Here’s how the prize fund will be distributed for the 2025 New Zealand 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 New Zealand Darts Masters were determined by performances across the previous six World Series events of the year. Luke Littler moved above Luke Humphries to No. 3 seed after his victory last weekend. The remaining four PDC representatives were then drawn at random, with all eight facing an Oceania qualifier.
Here’s how the Last 16 line-up looks:
(1) Stephen Bunting vs Ben Robb
Chris Dobey vs Simon Whitlock
(4) Luke Humphries vs Haupai Puha
Damon Heta vs Dean Reyland
(2) Gerwyn Price vs Jonny Tata
Josh Rock vs John Hurring
(3) Luke Littler vs Mark Cleaver
Mike De Decker vs Gordon Mathers
Each match pairs a PDC World Series invitee against an Oceania challenger. The format is straight knockout; win three matches, and you’ll be playing in Saturday night’s final.
Key Players to Watch
🏴 Luke Littler
The Nuke is in blistering form, having won the last two PDC-staged events, the World Matchplay and the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong. His ability to produce devastating bursts of legs that few can live with makes him a threat in every tournament. Littler will start as the favourite to join the exclusive group of players who have won World Series events in both Australia and New Zealand, with the chance to do it in consecutive weekends.
🏴 Luke Humphries
The reigning World No. 1 has admitted to struggling with motivation and a lack of practice since lifting the Premier League title in May, factors that may explain his recent dip in form. Humphries suffered a first-round exit at the World Matchplay and was well below par in Wollongong, losing heavily to debutant Mike De Decker. Cool Hand will aim to defend his New Zealand Darts Masters crown and find a spark ahead of a big end to the year.
🏴 Gerwyn Price
Price has enjoyed an excellent 2025, winning five PDC titles, reaching the World Cup final, and climbing to World No. 6. He reached the World Matchplay quarter-finals and averaged over 100 in last week’s quarter-final loss to Chris Dobey. With a sixth title of the season in his sights, Price, who lifted the New Zealand trophy in Hamilton in 2022, will be looking to add a second success in the country.
🇳🇿 Ben Robb
Big Rig is one of New Zealand’s most successful players, with 19 DPNZ Pro Tour titles (2019–2024) and three DPA titles (2019–2020). He famously beat Simon Whitlock 6–4 in Hamilton at the 2019 World Series and has represented his country at five PDC World Championships and three World Cups. Dangerous in short-format matches, Robb has the power scoring to trouble even the top seeds at times.
🇦🇺 Gordon Mathers
An experienced figure in Australian darts, Mathers has claimed 19 DPA Pro Tour titles, the first in 2012 and the most recent just months ago. He won the 2024 Oceania Masters to qualify for his fourth PDC World Championship, where he narrowly lost to Ricky Evans 3–2. A World Series semi-finalist in Queensland in 2022, Mathers is more than capable of another deep run in Auckland this weekend.
To find out more about all eight Oceania challengers, click here to read my full preview.
Potential Routes & Talking Points
🇳🇿 🇦🇺 Potential Upsets
The draw has produced several intriguing last-16 clashes where the Oceania challengers will fancy their chances. Kiwi duo Haupai Puha and Ben Robb will feed off the Auckland crowd and could trouble English pair Luke Humphries and Stephen Bunting, both of whom have shown patchy form recently.
Meanwhile, World Series newcomers Mike De Decker and Chris Dobey may have their hands full against seasoned Aussies Simon Whitlock and Gordon Mathers, the latter a former World Series semi-finalist.
🔥 Littler vs Price Showdown?
A potential blockbuster semi-final could be on the cards if Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price navigate their early tests. Price has averaged over 100 in 53% of his World Series matches in 2025, compared to Littler’s 50%, ranking them as the top two in performance levels. Their meetings often deliver fireworks, and a high-quality battle for a place in the final would be a delight for the Auckland crowd.
🏁 Race for Seeding
Every match win carries valuable World Series points, with the Finals now just a month away. The battle for seeding positions is heating up, making every game in Auckland even more important.
Final Thoughts
The New Zealand Darts Masters is a rare and valuable opportunity for local fans, the only time each year they get to see the PDC’s elite live in action. With a raucous Auckland crowd, a growing local darting scene, and short-format matches across the weekend, world-class action, twists, and drama are all but guaranteed.
Plenty of the elite will be gunning for the title: Luke Littler chasing a Down Under double, Luke Humphries aiming to defend his crown, and Stephen Bunting and Gerwyn Price looking to add to their World Series hauls in 2025. Meanwhile, Chris Dobey, Mike De Decker, and Josh Rock will be targeting a maiden World Series title, while Damon Heta bids to double his tally after his Brisbane triumph in 2019.
Expect fireworks on stage and a passionate Kiwi crowd off it, as the World Series rolls into one of its most electric stops of the year.
🔗 Follow Darts Central:
Comments