IT’S been three years in the making, but finally the World Series of Darts is set for a “special” return to Australia, according to the Professional Darts Corporation.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of planned events in Townsville and Wollongong in 2020 and 2021, venues the PDC’s flagship roadshow event were set to visit for the first time following previous events in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane.
In August, the best players in the world are finally set to return Down Under, with current World Champion Peter Wright and rivals Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen the headliners for events packed with star names.
Three UK-based Australians from the PDC’s £15 million circuit – Simon Whitlock, Damon Heta, and Gordon Mathers – will head up the home-grown challenge alongside four qualifiers from the domestic DartPlayers Australia tour and a qualifier from the DartPlayers New Zealand system.
They will come up against Wright, Price, Van Gerwen and PDC stars Michael Smith, James Wade, Jonny Clayton, Joe Cullen and history-maker Fallon Sherrock for the eagerly-awaited events in Townsville on August 12-13 and Wollongong on August 19-20.
PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter was delighted to be finally returning to Australia following the enforced break.
“We’re really excited to be bringing the world’s best darts players back to Australia,” he said.
“Our World Series events always produce fantastic atmospheres and keep our fans and viewers on the edge of their seats and this year will be no different.
“It’s been a long break due to Covid and that gives us an extra buzz ahead of our first visits to Townsville and Wollongong.”
The World Series of Darts roadshow began in style last week at the Hulu Theater in the world-famous Madison Square Garden with the US Darts Masters.
World no.4 Michael Smith defeated Michael van Gerwyn 8-4 in a the final on a fantastic weekend of darts in the Big Apple.
Forum Copenhagen week host the Nordic Darts Masters from June 10-11.
The Netherlands will be the next stop on the world tour, with the Dutch Darts Masters set for the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on June 24-25, with Australia and New Zealand the next stops in August.
Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre will host the PalmerBet Queensland Darts Masters from August 12-13, with the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong holding the PalmerBet NSW Darts Masters a week later.
Hamilton’s Globox Arena is the venue for the New Zealand Darts Masters from August 26-27, with the season-ending World Series of Darts Finals set for Amsterdam from September 16-18.
Six PDC tour stars will play in all the World Series events, including Sherrock – who created global headlines by becoming the first female player to win at the PDC’s World Championship two years ago.
World number one Wright will also star in the events as he enjoys a global tour as World Champion after seeing his hopes in 2020 – when he first claimed the famous Sid Waddell Trophy at London’s Alexandra Palace – dashed by the pandemic.
Qualifying events will take place in Australia and New Zealand, with four players from the home country and one from NZ set to take on the PDC stars in Townsville and Wollongong.
Those qualifiers will join Heta, Whitlock and Mathers in the first round on night one of the events in Townsville and Wollongong against the overseas PDC players.
The winners of those games will progress to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on day two.
Perth-born Heta won the Brisbane Masters in the World Series’ most recent visit Down Under in 2019, becoming the first qualifier to win a World Series event on home soil and – at the time – the first non-PDC Tour Card Holder to win one of the global events.
Heta has since gone on to earn his PDC Tour Card, relocated to England and taken over from Whitlock as the Australian number one on the PDC Order of Merit.
Porter said Heta’s success in Brisbane should prove an incentive to this year’s qualifiers as they attempt to defeat the world’s best in front of parochial home crowds.
“What Damon did in Brisbane in 2019 was great,” the PDC Chief Executive said.
“It was unexpected at the time but you only have to look what Damon has done since, and that win has been the launchpad for his career.
“It just goes to show that anything is possible at these World Series events and that is what makes them so exciting, especially for the local players and the home fans.
“Just giving them the belief they can take on and maybe beat the best players in the world is what the World Series is about and that is why the home crowds love it.
“We’ve always had a fantastic reception wherever we’ve been to in Australia and I’m sure that it will be even more special once we get to Townsville and Wollongong given the wait some fans have had for these events!”
Tickets for the PalmerBet Queensland Darts Masters on August 12-13 in Townsville are available via https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=TOWNDART20.
Tickets for the PalmerBet NSW Darts Masters in Wollongong on August 19-20 are available via https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/search?q=darts
By PHIL DILLON
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