The 2025 KenoGO Australian Darts Masters gets underway on Friday, as Gerwyn Price begins his bid for back-to-back World Series of Darts titles against Joe Comito.
The opening leg of the PDC's World Series of Darts Oceanic double-header will take place on August 8-9, as a 16-player field compete for televised silverware at the WIN Entertainment Centre.
Reigning champion Price stormed to victory in sensational style 12 months ago, dispatching Luke Littler 8-1 to take the title in Wollongong.
The Welshman also prevailed in July’s Poland Darts Masters, and is hoping to add to his impressive World Series haul on his return to Australian soil.
“I think there’s a lot of players in this tournament that are playing some really good darts,” conceded the 2021 World Champion, a quarter-finalist in the recent World Matchplay.
“You’ve got the two Lukes, Josh [Rock] - Damon Heta has been playing pretty well all season, and I think I’m playing some decent stuff at the minute.
“Everybody seems to be firing, so it will be a tough one to win this year.
“The main thing is I’m enjoying playing, I’m more positive in my mindset and I’m actually enjoying the travelling too which helps!”
Price will take on Comito - the current number one on the DartPlayers Australia ProTour - for a place in the quarter-finals, as the eight PDC superstars go head-to-head with the eight Oceanic representatives in Friday’s first round.
World Champion Luke Littler will also headline Friday’s opening night, as the teenage wonderkid opens his challenge against New Zealand’s number one Haupai Puha, who is in his second year as a PDC Tour Card Holder.
Littler - the runner-up to Price in 2024 - returns to Australia fresh from claiming the World Matchplay title in Blackpool, where he become the youngest ever winner of the Phil Taylor Trophy.
The 18-year-old, who is also the reigning World Series of Darts Finals champion and was a 2024 winner in Bahrain and Poland during his incredible first year on the PDC circuit, said: “I’m feeling good.
“Whether it’s my debut or not, I always want to win, so once you’re a runner-up, you always want to come back next year and go one better.
“It’s been a difficult World Series campaign for myself this year, but there’s still two more opportunities to pick up titles, and hopefully I can get one this weekend!
“Coming off the back of the World Matchplay I’m feeling very confident and hopefully I’m up to the task!”
Arguably the tie of Friday’s first round features World Series of Darts debutant Rock, who will play Australian icon Simon Whitlock for a place in the last eight.
Rock is one of the sport’s form players at present, leading Northern Ireland to World Cup of Darts glory in June before progressing to the World Matchplay semi-finals less than a fortnight ago.
“I’m very excited to be here,” insisted the 24-year-old, who is closing in on a place in the world’s top ten.
“Me and my wife went into Sydney yesterday and the city is absolutely beautiful, and now I’m just really looking forward to getting up on that stage tomorrow.
“I’m probably playing the best darts I’ve played on a consistent basis, but I believe I haven’t hit my peak yet. I’m still only 24.
“It should be a fantastic event this weekend. We’re all here to win, and I’m going to try as hard as I can to walk away with the title.”
Rock could take on top seed Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals, as the world number four plays emerging star Brody Klinge in an intriguing first round clash.
Bunting has enjoyed an outstanding World Series campaign to date in 2025, winning titles in Bahrain and Copenhagen whilst also reaching finals at the Dutch Darts Masters and Poland Darts Masters.
Luke Humphries has also tasted World Series success in 2025, and the world number one has been pitted against New Zealand’s Jonny Tata on Friday evening.
Humphries clinched his maiden World Series crown at last year’s New Zealand Darts Masters, before doubling his title tally with a memorable triumph in June’s US Darts Masters.
Damon Heta will also take centre stage on home soil, as he goes up against two-time World Championship qualifier James Bailey in an all-Australian showdown.
Elsewhere, World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker will play Brandon Weening in a battle of World Series debutants, as former Masters champion Chris Dobey takes on the returning Tim Pusey in their opener.
Friday's first round gets underway at 1900 local time (1000 BST) at the WIN Entertainment Centre, before the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final take place on Saturday August 9.
The KenoGO Australian Darts Masters will be broadcast live on Fox Sports in Australia, through DAZN in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and on PDCTV in all other global territories.
UK fans can also watch live on PDCTV and ITVX, with delayed coverage on ITV4 beginning from 1900 BST on Friday, and 1700 BST on Saturday.
2025 KenoGO Australian Darts Masters
August 8-9, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
Draw Bracket
(1) Stephen Bunting v Brody Klinge
Josh Rock v Simon Whitlock
(4) Luke Littler v Haupai Puha
Damon Heta v James Bailey
(2) Gerwyn Price v Joe Comito
Chris Dobey v Tim Pusey
(3) Luke Humphries v Jonny Tata
Mike De Decker v Brandon Weening
Schedule of Play
Friday August 8 (1900 AEST)
Round One
Mike De Decker v Brandon Weening
Gerwyn Price v Joe Comito
Stephen Bunting v Brody Klinge
Luke Humphries v Jonny Tata
Damon Heta v James Bailey
Luke Littler v Haupai Puha
Josh Rock v Simon Whitlock
Chris Dobey v Tim Pusey
Best of 11 legs
Saturday August 9 (1900 AEST)
Quarter-Finals
Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals
Best of 13 legs
Final
Best of 15 legs
All Saturday matches to be played in draw bracket order.
Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 13 legs
Final - Best of 15 legs