World champion Luke Littler demonstrated his phenomenal teenage talent in Wollongong by winning the star-studded Australian Darts Masters. A year after being humbled in the final of the biggest invitation event to be played in Australia, the 18-year-old this time made no mistake, winning all three of his matches convincingly on Saturday night to lift yet another big title.
He also crushed Damon Heta’s homecoming dream as he hammered Australia’s top player, the world No 10, in the quarter-finals. After defeating Heta 6-3 in the last eight and Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike de Decker to win the final 8-4.
In 2024, Littler had lost in the showdown 8-1 to former world champ Gerwyn Price, so was determined to put on a show for his Australian fans on his second visit.
“It feels very good. It’s another one I can tick off,” Littler said after winning a World Series event for the first time in six attempts this year. “I played very well tonight. I didn’t play so well last night in the first round but tonight is when it really matters.
“It’s not gone to plan this year in the World Series but there are plenty of opportunities to win and I’ve finally picked one up,” added Littler, who’s been in superlative form in other events, particularly with his victories in the Premier League and recent World Matchplay.
Now he’s after a trans-Tasman double when he moves on to the New Zealand Darts Masters. “A few days off and then Auckland, I can’t wait,” he said of next weekend’s event.
The frightening thing for his opponents is that Littler prevailed at the WIN Sports and Entertainments Centre without ever quite hitting his very best form.
Perth ace Heta, who had held high hopes of toppling Littler after averaging nearly 110 in his first-round match on Friday, just couldn’t hit those heights again, and the teenager made him pay by reeling off three straight legs from 3-3 to move into the semis, including a 104 checkout in the penultimate game.
In the semis, there was some more magic from Littler as he pulled off the biggest finish of the tournament, a maximum 170 “big fish” checkout on the way to beating Bunting.
In the final, Littler was always in control once he produced two fantastic legs, one featuring a 143 checkout and the next an 11-darter. It all left De Decker sighing with a rueful smile: “He needs to retire because it’s not fun any more.”