New Zealand Darts Masters 2026 | Day One Preview and Order of Play
The 2026 New Zealand Darts Masters gets under way on Friday as the PDC stars and Oceanic representatives collide in Auckland.
The fifth event in this year’s World Series of Darts calendar features 16 players competing for £100,000 in prize money at the Spark Arena.
The opening day sees the eight seeded stars each come up against an Oceanic qualifier as they bid to avoid a shock early exit.
Gerwyn Price, the only former New Zealand Masters champion involved in this year’s event, starts his campaign against DPNZ qualifier Mark Cleaver – who was beaten 6-4 by eventual champion Luke Littler last year.
Price enjoyed a terrific run to the final of the World Matchplay last month and heads to Auckland as the pre-tournament favourite to claim a seventh World Series title.
World number two Gian van Veen marks his debut down under with a clash against former WDF World Championship quarter-finalist Jonny Tata.
Van Veen finished runner-up to Michael van Gerwen in January’s Bahrain Darts Masters and has also reached the semi-finals of both the World Masters and World Matchplay this season.
Tata became the first player ever to hit a nine-darter on the DPNZ circuit last year and defeated Ritchie Edhouse in straight sets on his PDC World Championship debut before eventually being edged out in a deciding set by Ryan Meikle.
Ross Smith has been rewarded for a superb 2026 so far with a debut appearance in the World Series, and the recent European Tour event winner starts out against fellow Tour Card holder Adam Leek.
Leek’s Australian World Cup team-mate Damon Heta, runner-up here two years ago, faces a tricky opener against New Zealand’s Ben Robb – a quarter-finalist in last year’s WDF World Championship and a five-time PDC World Championship participant.
Premier League star Josh Rock has been drawn to face former European Champion Simon Whitlock – who qualified courtesy of his ANZ Premier League triumph in 2025.
James Wade’s return to Auckland sees him take on New Zealand youngster Kayden Milne – who notably defeated Fallon Sherrock in this event back in 2022.
Stephen Bunting, twice a World Series event winner in 2025, opens up against Aussie ace Raymond Smith – who notably reached the fourth round of the PDC World Championship in 2021/22.
World number five Jonny Clayton, a two-time World Series event winner, also faces a testing opener against former Tour Card holder Haupai Puha – no stranger to a scalp on this stage having beaten Dimitri van den Bergh in 2023.
The action gets under way from 8am BST, with first round ties to be contested over the best of 11 legs.
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New Zealand Darts Masters 2026 Day One Schedule
All times BST (local time +11 hours)
Friday August 14
First Round
8am-12pm
Gerwyn Price v Mark Cleaver
Ross Smith v Adam Leek
James Wade v Kayden Milne
Josh Rock v Simon Whitlock
Gian van Veen v Jonny Tata
Jonny Clayton v Haupai Puha
Damon Heta v Ben Robb
Stephen Bunting v Raymond Smith
