Ross Smith is the 2026 World Series of Darts Finals champion after beating Gerwyn Price 11-5 in Amsterdam, and Luke Littler's bid to win every major title this year ended a round earlier against Jonny Clayton. Midweek, Cameron Menzies and Karel Sedlacek picked up Pro Tour titles in Den Bosch. Next up is the World Grand Prix in Leicester, where Australian number one Damon Heta takes on Gary Anderson in the first round.
Here's what happened, how the Aussies went, and when to set your alarm this week.
In this roundup
- Who won the World Series of Darts Finals?
- How did the Australians go in Amsterdam?
- Who won the Players Championships in Den Bosch?
- What's happening in Australian darts?
- What's new on the 2027 PDC calendar?
- When is Damon Heta playing at the World Grand Prix?
Who won the World Series of Darts Finals?
Ross Smith won it, and he did it the hard way. He beat Kevin Doets 6-3, Daryl Gurney 10-5, Josh Rock 10-7 and Gian van Veen 11-8 before taking Gerwyn Price apart 11-5 in Sunday night's final. It's his second PDC major, four years after his 2022 European Championship win, and it came with serious numbers: a 103.89 average, eleven 180s and the £100,000 top prize.
The bigger story came earlier on Sunday. Luke Littler had won every major of 2026 before Amsterdam, and Jonny Clayton ended that run with a 10-4 win in the quarter-finals. Michael van Gerwen didn't get that far, going out 6-5 to Daryl Gurney in round one.
Littler's record this year is still remarkable. It just won't be perfect.
How did the Australians go in Amsterdam?
Five Australians made the field, and it was a tough weekend for all of them. Every one went out in round one, and two of them lost in a deciding leg.
| Player | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Damon Heta | James Wade | Lost 6-5 |
| Adam Leek | Jim Long | Lost 6-5 |
| Simon Whitlock | Wessel Nijman | Lost 6-4 |
| Brody Klinge | Gerwyn Price | Lost 6-4 |
| Raymond Smith | Nathan Aspinall | Lost 6-4 |
No wins, but no blowouts either. Every match went to at least ten legs, against some of the best players in the world.
Who won the Players Championships in Den Bosch?
Two different winners across the midweek double-header in the Netherlands.
- Players Championship 29 (Tuesday): Cameron Menzies beat Gian van Veen 8-4 in the final for his second Pro Tour title of the year, after winning Players Championship 23 in July.
- Players Championship 30 (Wednesday): Karel Sedlacek edged Scott Williams 8-7 in a last-leg decider to win his first Players Championship title.
Several big names skipped the trip, including Littler, Luke Humphries, Price and Clayton. Damon Heta did make it, winning two matches at PC30 before Sedlacek beat him 6-1 in the last 32 on his way to the title.
What's happening in Australian darts?
Mal Cuming steps up, Russell Verlinden steps in. Cuming has withdrawn from the Australian team for the WDF Asia/Pacific Cup after securing a place at the PDC World Championship and the ANZ Premier League. Russell Verlinden moves up from reserve. The Cup is on 7 to 11 October in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Four Aussie juniors head to the world stage. Ky Smith, Bailey Marsh, Jayden Wedemeyer and Mitchel Beswick will represent Australia at the Winmau World Youth Championship.
Victorian players, mark your calendar. The Victorian Classic Grand Prix (WDF/DA Silver) is on 24 October at the MDDA venue, with a youth event the same day. Details are on the Darts Australia events calendar.
What's new on the 2027 PDC calendar?
The PDC released its 2027 schedule this week. The headline changes:
- A new European Open in Salzburg, Austria, from 18 to 20 June, open to all Tour Card holders with a £750,000 prize fund.
- The European Tour visits France for the first time, in Lievin from 19 to 21 March.
- A bigger European Championship, expanding from 32 to 48 players over six days in Dortmund, with £1 million in prize money.
- Premier League Darts starts in Glasgow on 4 February and finishes at The O2 in London on 27 May.
World Series dates weren't part of this announcement, so there's no word yet on an Australian leg for 2027. We'll cover it when it's confirmed.
When is Damon Heta playing at the World Grand Prix?
Heta plays Gary Anderson in the Tuesday evening session in Leicester, which starts at 3am Wednesday 30 September Melbourne and Sydney time. Littler opens his title defence against Luke Woodhouse a day earlier, in the session starting at 3am Tuesday 29 September.
The World Grand Prix runs from 28 September to 4 October at the Mattioli Arena, with a record £150,000 for the winner. It's the only PDC event played double-in, double-out, so players have to hit a double to start scoring as well as to finish. First-round matches are the best of three sets, and each set is the best of five legs.
That format makes it one of the most unpredictable events of the year. A slow start on the doubles can end a match before a player has found their rhythm, which is exactly why Littler, going for back-to-back titles, can't take Woodhouse lightly.
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For Heta, it's a first-round draw against a two-time world champion. A win would put the Australian number one into the second round, played over the best of five sets.
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That's the week
We'll be back next Monday with the World Grand Prix results and everything else from the week in darts, including how Heta went in Leicester.
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Results and schedules sourced from Sky Sports, LiveDarts, Darts Australia and Darts News.