The 2026 Australian Darts Masters draw is now confirmed. The PDC has published the Wollongong schedule, with Gerwyn Price, the top seed and the tournament’s inaugural 2024 champion, opening against Simon Whitlock, while Gian van Veen meets Raymond Smith in one of the clearest first-round danger ties.
The event will be played on 21 and 22 August at the WIN Entertainment Centre, with both sessions starting at 10am BST. This is no longer just a waiting brief: the useful information has landed, the bracket is set, and the final World Series event before Amsterdam can now be read match by match. The official update came from the PDC, with further schedule detail carried by Sky Sports.
Price against Whitlock sets the tone in Wollongong
Gerwyn Price vs Simon Whitlock naturally headlines the opening night. Price returns to Australia as the player to beat: he won the first Australian Darts Masters title in 2024 and remains one of the biggest names in the field. Whitlock no longer carries the same week-to-week status on the global circuit, but his local pull is still huge. On an Australian stage, this kind of tie is about more than the ranking order.
The other first-round match to watch closely is Gian van Veen vs Raymond Smith. Van Veen has the profile of the European player expected to impose the pace; Smith brings the classic World Series threat, a local player who can turn the room into a real advantage if the match stays tight. This is where the event gets serious quickly.
Full first-round schedule
| Session | Friday 21 August, 10am BST |
|---|---|
| Venue | WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong |
| Format | First round and quarter-finals: best of 11 legs |
| Match | Tie |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ross Smith vs Brody Klinge |
| 2 | Stephen Bunting vs Mal Cuming |
| 3 | Josh Rock vs Adam Leek |
| 4 | James Wade vs Tim Pusey |
| 5 | Gian van Veen vs Raymond Smith |
| 6 | Jonny Clayton vs Ben Robb |
| 7 | Gerwyn Price vs Simon Whitlock |
| 8 | Damon Heta vs Joe Comito |
Saturday 22 August follows the usual World Series rhythm: quarter-finals over the best of 11 legs, semi-finals over the best of 13, then a best-of-15 final. The tournament can therefore move very quickly. A flat opening night leaves almost no room for recovery, especially for seeded players facing local names backed by the crowd.
Clayton arrives with momentum
The timing also gives Jonny Clayton a strong storyline. The Welshman has just won the New Zealand Darts Masters title, beating Price in Auckland. He now faces Ben Robb in the first round, with a simple question attached: can he win back-to-back World Series titles in two weekends? In this format, confidence matters. It does not win matches on its own, but it can show up on the doubles when legs get tight.
For Damon Heta, the pressure is different. Against Joe Comito, he carries the weight of a home favourite. That is often the trap in these events: the crowd lifts you, but it also sharpens the expectation. Heta needs to win, and he needs to look settled before Saturday’s decisive session.
Why this update matters now
This confirmation changes the article’s job: it moves from a waiting guide to a proper schedule and draw update. Readers can now see the start times, the match list and the pressure points in the bracket. Price-Whitlock is the obvious hook, Van Veen-Smith is the danger tie, and Clayton brings the freshest momentum.
The turnaround is quick: first round on Friday morning, finals day on Saturday morning, then attention shifts to the World Series Finals in Amsterdam. Wollongong is not a major, but for the favourites it is a clean chance to confirm form before the heavier part of the PDC calendar resumes.
