Luke Littler clinched the fourth World Collection title of his profession and first of the season with victory on the Australian Darts Masters.
The 18-year-old, the reigning world and World Matchplay champion, was trounced 8-1 by Gerwyn Value in final yr’s last in Wollongong.
However he went one higher this time round, beating World Collection debutant Mike De Decker 8-4 to take the title after wins over house favorite Damon Heta and high seed Stephen Bunting within the quarter-finals and semis respectively on Saturday.
Littler had beforehand gained World Collection occasions in Bahrain, Poland and the Netherlands in 2024 and can now look so as to add one other to his CV in Auckland, New Zealand subsequent weekend forward of the match finals in Amsterdam in September.
Littler threw 5 180s within the last, with a highest checkout of 143 and a median of 99.10.
He mentioned: “Obviously it hadn’t gone to plan on the World Series circuit this year, but there’s plenty of opportunities to win and I’ve finally picked up that trophy. I cannot wait for Auckland now. We’ll have a few days off, and then off we go!”
Littler rebounds from sluggish Friday in Wollongong
‘The Nuke’ survived a last-leg shoot-out towards New Zealand’s Haupai Puha within the final 16 on day one, scraping by means of with a median of 91.80.
However he was a lot improved the next day, with highlights together with a 170 throughout a 7-4 win over Bunting – a outcome that ended his opponent’s hopes of a 3rd World Collection trophy of 2025 after triumphs in Bahrain in January and Denmark in June.
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Littler fired in a 170 in his semi-final win over Stephen Bunting. Credit score: ITV Sport.
Littler had bookended his 6-3 victory over Heta with 11-dart finishes as he recorded a sixth consecutive win towards the Australian.
The world No 2 added of his success in Australia: “It feels great. I didn’t play that well last night, but I played very well tonight when it really mattered.”
An in poor health world No 1 Luke Humphries had been whitewashed 6-0 by De Decker within the final eight, with the Belgian taking out a 167 within the opening leg.
An under-the-weather Luke Humphries was whitewashed 6-0 by World Collection debutant Mike De Decker
Value’s hopes of efficiently defending the title – and going back-to-back within the World Collection after victory in Poland in June – have been ended by Chris Dobey within the quarter-finals earlier than Dobey went on to lose to De Decker within the subsequent stage.
The night started with Bunting sweeping Josh Rock 6-0 – and ended with Littler holding yet one more trophy.
Runner-up De Decker added: “I’m happy to get to the final and showed I’m still able to play my A-game. There’s been a lot of ups and downs this year, so reaching this final is a big confidence boost.”
Australian Darts Masters – Saturday’s outcomes
Remaining (better of 15 legs)
Luke Littler 8-4 Mike De Decker
Semi-finals (better of 13 legs)
Luke Littler 7-4 Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey 7-4 Mike De Decker
Quarter-finals (better of 11 legs)
Stephen Bunting 6-0 Josh Rock
Luke Littler 6-3 Damon Heta
Chris Dobey 6-4 Gerwyn Value
Mike De Decker 6-0 Luke Humphries
Australia Darts Masters trophy to be renamed after Kyle Anderson from 2026
The PDC has introduced that, from subsequent yr, the Australian Darts Masters silverware will probably be named the Kyle Anderson Trophy, in reminiscence of the previous Australian participant.
Anderson – who handed away in August 2021 on the age of 33 – grew to become the primary Australian to win a World Collection match, on the Auckland Darts Masters in 2017, and triumphed at a Gamers Championship occasion the identical yr.
The Australian Darts Masters trophy will probably be renamed in honour of the late Kyle Anderson
Additionally in 2017, he hit a nine-dart end throughout a run to the semi-finals of the European Championship.
PDC chief government Matt Porter mentioned: “Kyle was a trailblazer for what we want the World Series to be; a platform for domestic players to compete on the big stage and eventually progress to become PDC professionals.
“His former schoolmate Damon Heta has since adopted that very same path and it is becoming that future winners of the Australian Darts Masters will elevate the Kyle Anderson Trophy.
“We’ll work with Kyle’s family to create an appropriate design and look forward to unveiling the trophy next year.”
Reside darts is again on Sky Sports activities from October 6-12 because the BoyleSports World Grand Prix is held in Leicester.
