IT'S been three years in the making, but finally the World Series of Darts is set for a "special" return to Australia, according to the Professional Darts Corporation.
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The Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of planned events in Townsville and Wollongong in 2020 and 2021, venues the PDC's flagship roadshow event were set to visit for the first time following previous events in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane.
In August, the best players in the world are finally set to return Down Under, with current World Champion Peter Wright and rivals Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen the headliners for events packed with star names.
Three UK-based Australians from the PDC's £15 million circuit - Simon Whitlock, Damon Heta, and Gordon Mathers - will head up the home-grown challenge alongside four qualifiers from the domestic DartPlayers Australia tour and a qualifier from the DartPlayers New Zealand system.
They will come up against Wright, Price, Van Gerwen and PDC stars Michael Smith, James Wade, Jonny Clayton, Joe Cullen and history-maker Fallon Sherrock for the eagerly-awaited events in Townsville on August 12-13 and Wollongong on August 19-20.
PDC chief executive Matt Porter was delighted to be finally returning to Australia following the enforced break.
"We're really excited to be bringing the world's best darts players back to Australia," he said.
"Our World Series events always produce fantastic atmospheres and keep our fans and viewers on the edge of their seats and this year will be no different.
"It's been a long break due to Covid and that gives us an extra buzz ahead of our first visits to Townsville and Wollongong."
Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre will host the Queensland Darts Masters from August 12-13, with the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong holding the NSW Darts Masters a week later.
The season-ending World Series of Darts finals is set for Amsterdam from September 16-18.
Six PDC tour stars will play in all the World Series events, including Sherrock - who created global headlines by becoming the first female player to win at the PDC's World Championship two years ago.
World number one Wright will also star in the events as he enjoys a global tour as World Champion after seeing his hopes in 2020 - when he first claimed the famous Sid Waddell Trophy at London's Alexandra Palace - dashed by the pandemic.
Qualifying events will take place in Australia and New Zealand, with four players from the home country and one from NZ set to take on the PDC stars in Townsville and Wollongong.
Those qualifiers will join Heta, Whitlock and Mathers in the first round on night one of the events in Townsville and Wollongong against the overseas PDC players.
WORLD SERIES OF DARTS
WIN Entertainment Centre
August 19-20
Tickets via Ticketmaster
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