Winmau DPA Pro Tour Delivers as World Series of Darts Spots Decided

Saturday saw the Winmau DPA Pro Tour roll on, with coveted places at the PDC World Championships and the Australian Darts Masters still up for grabs. With pressure mounting, it was the in-form names who rose to the occasion, with all eventual Wollongong qualifiers showing their credentials across a high-stakes weekend.

Event One: Comito Continues Charge, Pusey Impresses

The first Saturday event saw series leader Joe Comito continue his momentum. He edged past Bill Aitken in the quarter-finals in a deciding leg thriller. Stuart Coburn and Brody Klinge also survived final-leg nail-biters against Brandon Weening and David Luckwell, respectively. The only quarter-final that didn’t go the distance saw Tim Pusey dispatch James Bailey 6–2.

With all but Luckwell ranked inside the top 10 on the Australian Darts Masters table, valuable points were on offer — and both West Australians capitalised. Comito defeated Coburn 6–2 in the semis, while Pusey just held off Klinge 6–5 to set up a heavyweight final.

The final began with two routine holds of throw before Comito struck first with a break, backing it up for a 4–2 lead. Another break followed before Pusey responded, holding to trail just 5–4. But Comito was untroubled on his own throw and closed out the match with his 16th dart, securing yet another DPA title. Comito would finish the weekend still ranked number one on the Winmau DPA Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Event Two: Weening Breaks Through, Pusey Goes One Better

Comito opened the afternoon session with a repeat result, again defeating Aitken, this time far more comfortably at 6–1. James Bailey ousted Gordon Mathers 6–3, and Pusey matched that scoreline in a win over Klinge. Brandon Weening emerged from a tight tussle with Andrew Eagers, winning 6–5.

The semi-finals saw Pusey hit top gear, beating Bailey 6–1. But a second all-WA final for the day was denied when Weening upset Comito 6–4 in the other semi.

In the final, Pusey broke in leg three and consolidated to move 3–1 ahead. But Weening stormed back, holding throw, then breaking and holding in 13 darts to take a 4–3 lead. He broke again for 5–3 but missed a match dart in the next leg. Pusey pounced, holding and then breaking in 14 darts. He sealed the match with a second three-leg burst — closing out the final in style with another 14-dart break.

Sunday: Set Play Drama as Final Australian Darts Masters Spots Locked In

Sunday brought the final Australian Darts Masters qualification event of the year, with just one chance remaining to claim a place at Wollongong. The Winmau DPA Order of Merit will continue through September, but this was the final chance to book a stage appearance in August.

In set play format, the top contenders again stood tall. Comito, looking to cap a dominant weekend, beat Aitken 2–0, Coburn defeated Weening 2–1, Mathers edged out Bailey 2–1, and Pusey breezed past Klinge 2–0.

The stakes were clear in the semi-finals, with World Series places on the line. Coburn drew first blood against Comito, winning the opening set 3–1, but the West Australian turned the match on its head, reeling off the next three sets (3–1, 3–2, 3–1) to reach his second final of the weekend. Pusey, in ominous form, defeated Mathers three sets to one — winning the opening two sets (3–2, 3–0), dropping the third (0–3), but sealing it with another 3–0 clean sweep. It set up a rematch of Saturday’s opening final, with Pusey seeking revenge and both players chasing a second title for the weekend.

In the Final, both players held throw twice in the opening set before Pusey broke Comito in the decider with a 14-darter. He then broke again in the second set to win it 3–1. The third set showcased quality from both: after trading holds, each broke the other — including a 12-dart leg from Pusey featuring back-to-back 180s. He broke once more to take the set and complete a 3–0 sets win — his second event victory of the weekend and third final appearance in as many days. Pusey would walk away as the most successful player of the weekend.

Wollongong Field Finalised — Familiar Faces and New Blood

The Australian Masters line-up now includes three players with significant World Series experience. Joe Comito and James Bailey will each make a fourth appearance, while Tim Pusey qualifies for the fifth time. Joining them are two debutants: Brandon Weening and Brody Klinge — both long-touted local talents — who enter the World Series stage for the first time.

Alongside them, former PDC Tour Card holder Gordon Mathers will represent Australia at the New Zealand Darts Masters, capping off a top-class display of Australian talent across both events and demonstrating the quality of representatives determined through DPA competition this year.

Wollongong Line-up and PDC Names

The full player field for Wollongong is nearly set. The PDC has confirmed six of its eight representatives: Aussie #1 Damon Heta will be joined by 2025 Premier League players Luke Humphries, Luke Littler, Gerwyn Price, and Stephen Bunting. Another Premier League player, Chris Dobey, is also confirmed, making his Australia/New Zealand debut. Two PDC players remain unannounced at this point.

Simon Whitlock will feature alongside New Zealand’s Haupai Puha (PDC Tour Card holder) and DPNZ qualifier Jonny Tata on the local side. They join the five Australian qualifiers: Bailey, Comito, Klinge, Pusey, and Weening to make up eight on that side of the draw.

The Wollongong event takes place on August 8 and 9 at the WIN Entertainment Centre. A limited number of tickets remain for the Friday night session via www.ticketmaster.com.au — but you’ll need to be quick. Saturday evening is already sold out.