BRILLIANT BUNTING BEGINS MASTERS DEFENCE

By Aaron Nijjar

STEPHEN BUNTING returns to action this week as he starts his defence of the Winmau World Masters against a qualifier on Thursday. 

Bunting has been in outstanding form this year, starting with a run to the semi-finals of the World Championship, a title win at the first World Series event in Bahrain and finishing as a runner-up at the Dutch Masters.  

This year, he has been the most consistent player on tour averaging over 95 in all 10 of his matches, winning eight of them. He also boasts the fifth-highest first nine dart average at 105.92. With such strong form, there is a good chance that Bunting will retain his title.

The revamped World Masters is set to take place at the Arena MK in Milton Keynes. Preliminary rounds are scheduled for Wednesday, January 29, followed by the televised main event running from Thursday, January 30, to Sunday, February 2.  

The tournament’s 32-player main event will feature the top 24 players from the PDC Order of Merit, with the top 16 earning seeded positions in the draw, while the remaining eight spots will come from the preliminary rounds.  

Tournament play for the Masters will now follow a set format, with each set being the best of three legs, with the champion winning £100,000 in prize money and £50,000 on offer to the runner-up. 

World number one Luke Humphries headlines the opening night of televised action against the 2022 Masters champion Joe Cullen. ‘Cool hand’ has never progressed beyond the second round in his three previous Masters appearances and will be determined to change that this time around. 

Five-time Masters Champion Michael Van Gerwen is always a threat and will look to avenge his defeat to ‘The Bullet’ in last year’s final and go one further as he faces a qualifier on Thursday.  

Teenage sensation Luke Littler, headlining Friday’s action in his first ranking event since his World Championship triumph, is set to face one of the eight qualifiers in his opening match. 

Scottish icon Gary Anderson will face reigning UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh. ‘The Flying Scotsman’ is a strong contender to win his first Masters title, having delivered exceptional performances over the past year.  

In 2024 Anderson recorded the highest rolling average on tour with 99.51, won two Pro Tour titles, a European Tour title, and even set a record for the highest losing average at the Masters in 2024 with an incredible 111.77 against Rob Cross. 

Ten-time TV Major winner James Wade takes on World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker in another blockbuster match. Dutch number two Danny Noppert plays 2023 World Champion Michael Smith. 

Other notable matches include Australian number one Damon Heta who faces former European Champion Ross Smith and Nathan Aspinall who locks horns with Andrew Gilding in a battle of former UK Open champions. 

Images by Taylor Lanning.