Gerwyn Price hammers Luke Littler 8-1 in final of Australian Darts Masters, claims second World Series title of 2024; Price edges Peter Wright 7-6 in semi-finals, with Littler pipping Dimitri Van den Bergh by the same score; New Zealand Darts Masters next up in Hamilton on August 16-17
Saturday 10 August 2024 15:42, UK
Gerwyn Price demolished Luke Littler 8-1 to win the Australian Darts Masters as he claimed a second World Series title of the year and denied his teenage opponent a third.
Welshman Price averaged just shy of 100 in Wollongong and reeled off five legs in a row at the start of the final before Littler secured his first and only leg of the match.
Price's victory follows his success at the Nordic Masters in June, with Littler foiled in his bid to add the Australian trophy to the silverware he picked up in Bahrain in January and Poland earlier this summer.
"Fair play to Gezzy. I couldn't keep up with him there," admitted the 17-year-old.
"He didn't miss much [in the final] and he deserved the win.
"There's no excuses. I was poor in that final, but hopefully I can carry my form from my first two games into New Zealand."
Both players had come through final-leg shootouts in the semi-finals, with Price pipping Peter Wright 7-6 after his opponent squandered darts for a 4-0 lead.
Littler defeated Dimitri Van den Bergh by the same scoreline in a high-quality encounter, one in which the Nuke drew level at 5-5 with a checkout of 146.
Price, Littler, Wright and Van den Bergh will be in action at the New Zealand Darts Masters next week (August 16 and 17), as will Damon Heta, Luke Humphries, Rob Cross and Michael Smith.
Eight Oceanic representatives will complete the 16-strong field including New Zealand's Haupai Puha - who pushed Cross all the way in the opening round of the Australian Darts Masters - and 2010 PDC World Championship runner-up Simon Whitlock, of Australia.
Day two of the Australian Darts Masters began with the quarter-finals as Littler saw off Smith 6-4, Van den Bergh dumped out world No 1 and reigning world champion Humphries 6-2, Wright defeated Cross 6-4 and Price conquered home favourite Heta 6-4.
Final
Gerwyn Price 8-1 Luke Littler
Semi-finals
Luke Littler 7-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Gerwyn Price 7-6 Peter Wright
Quarter-finals
Luke Littler 6-4 Michael Smith
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2 Luke Humphries
Peter Wright 6-4 Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Damon Heta
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