The Nuke Completes Double Down Under: Mesmerising Littler Secures New Zealand Darts Masters Title
- Darts Central
- Aug 16
- 7 min read
Luke Littler joined an exclusive club of players to win back-to-back World Series titles, completing a dream double down under by lifting the New Zealand Darts Masters, just seven days after triumphing in Wollongong.
It was a record-breaking weekend for ‘The Nuke’, who produced electric darts on finals day to claim the £30,000 top prize and finish as No.2 seed on the World Series Order of Merit.
Let’s dive into how the final session unfolded…
Quarter-Final 1: 🏴 Chris Dobey 6-3 🏴 Stephen Bunting
‘Hollywood’ made a blistering start, punishing a miss at double 15 with a 10-darter, before adding a 112 checkout to double his lead. Bunting responded with an 11-dart hold, but Dobey stretched clear with a 69 finish and a superb 167 to move 4-1 ahead, harsh on ‘The Bullet’, who was averaging 111 at the time.
Bunting broke back in 13 darts, yet Dobey replied in style, firing in back-to-back 180s and holding in 11 darts for 5-2. The Liverpudlian stayed alive with a 130 finish on the bull and narrowly missed double top to force a decider, but Dobey sealed it on double 19 at the first attempt.
Match Stats:
Dobey: 110.36 average | 180s: 3 | 66.67% on Doubles (6/9)
Bunting: 108.00 average | 180s: 3 | 60% on Doubles (3/5)
Quarter-Final 2: 🏴 Luke Humphries 6-2 🇦🇺 Damon Heta
Humphries opened with a sharp 11-darter and two scrappy breaks to race 3-0 ahead, punishing Heta’s missed doubles. The Australian finally held in six visits, but ‘Cool Hand Luke’ immediately broke back and moved within a leg at 5-1 with a 17-dart hold.
Heta briefly stayed alive with another hold before Humphries closed out a convincing win with an 11-darter, leaving ‘The Heat’ frustrated after back-to-back quarter-final exits down under.
Match Stats:
Humphries: 97.95 average | 180s: 5 | 33.33% on Doubles (6/18)
Heta: 90.43 average | 180s: 0 | 20% on Doubles (2/10)
Quarter-Final 3: 🏴 Gerwyn Price 6-5 🇬🇧 Josh Rock
Rock made a confident start, following a 180 setup and pinning double 11 before holding in 20 darts for 2-0. Price responded with a 15-darter, but Rock held again to lead 3-1.
‘The Iceman’ then turned the match on its head with a blistering four-leg burst, including a 15-dart hold, an 11-dart break with six perfect darts, a superb 137 finish (treble 19, double top, double top), and a 14-dart break to move 5-3 up.
Rock refused to wilt, replying with a 15-dart break and 18-dart hold to force a decider. Both had chances in the final leg, but after Rock missed double 12 for a 101 finish, Price pinned double 10 to seal victory.
Match Stats:
Price: 94.49 average | 180s: 2 | 50% on Doubles (6/12)
Rock: 96.08 average | 180s: 7 | 29.41% on Doubles (5/17)
Quarter-Final 4: 🏴 Luke Littler 6-2 🇧🇪 Mike De Decker
De Decker punished two early misses to break with an 88 finish for 1-0, but Littler responded in trademark style, reeling in a 170 and adding a 100 checkout in a surge of three straight legs to lead 3-1.
The Belgian held scrappily in 18 darts to stay alive, yet ‘The Nuke’ powered away with back-to-back 15-darters. De Decker’s missed doubles in leg eight, including a bust on 15, allowed Littler to seal victory on double 10 and reach the semi-finals.
Match Stats:
Littler: 100.03 average | 180s: 3 | 30% on Doubles (6/20)
De Decker: 89.13 average | 180s: 0 | 22.22% on Doubles (2/9)
Semi-Final 1: 🏴 Luke Humphries 7-4 🏴 Chris Dobey
Humphries flew out of the blocks with legs of 11, 14, and 16 darts to lead 3-0, punishing Dobey’s missed chances on double 16 in the third. Dobey responded with a 13-dart break, but the World No.1 replied in kind, producing another 11-darter and a classy 91 finish via double 17 and double 20 to lead 5-1 at the interval.
After the break, the pair traded routine holds before Dobey reignited hopes with a brilliant 150 checkout and a tricky double 9 after Humphries missed match darts, narrowing the gap to 6-4. But Humphries wasn’t to be denied, sealing his place in a second successive Auckland final with a clinical 14-dart break.
Match Stats:
Humphries: 102.43 average | 180s: 7 | 50% on Doubles (7/14)
Dobey: 98.64 average | 180s: 3 | 36.36% on Doubles (4/11)
Semi-Final 2: 🏴 Luke Littler 7-2 🏴 Gerwyn Price
The World Champion set the tone immediately with an 11-dart break and a 14-dart hold for 2-0. Price responded with back-to-back 13-darters, but Littler’s 14-dart hold kept him 3-2 up. A scrappy sixth leg then went the teenager’s way, an 18-darter that proved crucial as he carried a 4-2 lead into the interval.
From there, Littler turned the screw. A superb 140 finish for a 12-dart break for 5-2, before a steady 17-dart hold put him on the brink. Price missed two darts to extend the match, and ‘The Nuke’ sealed it with a 180 set-up and 58 checkout to advance to the final. Price averaged over 103 but was under relentless pressure from Littler’s power scoring and flawless timing.
Match Stats:
Littler: 108.81 average | 180s: 5 | 53.85% on Doubles (7/13)
Price: 103.03 average | 180s: 4 | 50% on Doubles (2/4)
Pre-Final Tournament Stats
Heading into the final, the numbers told an intriguing story. Despite hitting fewer 180s than Humphries, Littler’s heavier all-round scoring power was clear, averaging nearly five points higher across the tournament. Both players, however, were locked at an identical 41% on doubles.
It set up a mouth-watering clash: World No.1 versus World No.2, meeting in a World Series final for the very first time. Humphries was chasing back-to-back New Zealand Darts Masters titles, while Littler was looking to complete the double Down Under after his triumph in Wollongong.
Overall Average: Littler – 101.48 | Humphries – 96.61
180s: Littler – 8 | Humphries – 12
Checkout %: Littler – 41% | Humphries – 41%
🏆 Final: 🏴 Luke Littler 8-4 🏴 Luke Humphries
Littler made a blistering start, storming into a 3-0 lead with winning legs of 16, 14, and 14 darts, as Humphries missed a crucial dart at double top in leg three.
The World No.1 fought back, pinching the next two legs in 15 and 18 darts to cut the deficit to 3-2. Yet Littler remained composed, clinically hitting an 83 out to move 4-2 ahead before the interval.
After the break, Littler’s relentless scoring powered a 13-dart break, punishing Humphries for a missed bull, then a seven-perfect into a nine-dart leg run saw him surge to 6-2. Humphries stayed competitive with a 13-dart hold, but Littler’s continued brilliance brought him to the brink at 7-4.
The title-clinching leg showcased Littler’s trademark route and accuracy: two darts to finish 81, and he pinned treble 17 followed by double 15 to seal a dominant victory. Humphries applauded his opponent’s performance, with Littler breaking the World Series record for a final average in a mesmerising display.
Match Stats:
Littler: 115.02 average | 180s: 7 | 50% on Doubles (8/16)
Humphries: 102.31 average | 180s: 3 | 44.44% on Doubles (4/9)
Closing Thoughts
🇦🇺 🇳🇿 Littler Completes the Down Under Double
Luke Littler arrived down under fresh off his World Matchplay triumph, determined to make amends for last year’s disappointments in Australia and New Zealand. And my word, he did just that. ‘The Nuke’ joined an elite group of players to claim both the Australian and New Zealand legs of the World Series back-to-back, continuing his blistering form. He is undeniably the man to beat right now, breaking yet another record with the highest-ever average recorded in a World Series final.
🏴 Encouraging Signs for Humphries
‘Cool Hand’ had admitted earlier in the trip to struggling with motivation and a lack of practice since lifting the Premier League trophy in May, which contributed to some recent dips in form. This weekend, however, offered encouraging signs for the World No.1, who steadily improved throughout the tournament before being halted by a dazzling Littler. Humphries will look to use this experience as a springboard for the back end of the season, aiming to fend off Littler and retain his World No.1 ranking.
🥇 Bunting Holds onto No.1 Seed for WSODF
A landmark achievement for ‘The Bullet.’ Despite a difficult Premier League campaign, Bunting remained excellent on the World Series circuit, capturing two titles earlier in the year in Bahrain and Copenhagen, and reaching two further finals. These performances secured him the No.1 seeding at next month’s finals in Amsterdam, highlighting his consistency on the World Series stage.
Post-Final Reaction
Luke Littler on PDC.tv:
“It felt very much the same as last week. 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 tonight. I felt unbeatable up there. The crowd were 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.”
Luke Humphries on PDC.tv:
“I played pretty well today, but when you run into a 115 average, there’s not much you can do. I think if I’d won that sixth leg it might have given me a glimmer of hope, but the better player won for sure. When Luke’s on it, he’s untouchable. I held in there and I gave it my best, but he was just too good in the end.”
“When Luke’s on it, he’s untouchable. I held in there and I gave it my best, but he was just too good in the end.”
🔗 Follow Darts Central:
Comments