Damon Heta shines in Wollongong Day One

Damon Heta and Josh Rock headline a powerful start at the KenoGO Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong.

Heta and Rock Dominate Day One in Wollongong

Damon Heta returned home to Wollongong and produced a masterclass, averaging 109.98 and landing four ton-plus checkouts to sweep James Bailey 6-0 in the opening night at the WIN Entertainment Centre. He began with a pair of 121 finishes and added 117 and 104 finishes on the way to a clean first round victory, capped by an 11-dart leg. After the match, Heta said he felt comfortable playing in front of friends and family and hoped the performance would carry into the next round.

Friday’s action also saw Josh Rock make a dream World Series debut in Australia, defeating Simon Whitlock 6-1 with four 180s and six of eight doubles. Stephen Bunting followed with a 6-1 win over Brody Klinge, and Gerwyn Price averaged over 100 to beat Joe Comito 6-3. Luke Humphries and Luke Littler recovered from slow starts to win their opening ties, while Chris Dobey edged Tim Pusey to set a quarter-final against Price. The event continues on Saturday with quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final to be decided, broadcast across multiple platforms including Fox Sports in Australia and PDCTV globally.

Day One underlines how quickly a home crowd can amplify a player’s lift, while also highlighting the depth of international talent in the World Series circuit. Heta’s whitewash and high finishes show he remains among the sport’s most consistent finishers, while Rock’s confident debut signals a budding rivalry that could define this tour stop for years. The results also keep the field wide open for Finals Day, with top seeds facing off against rising stars in a format that rewards pressure and precision. As the program moves toward Saturday, the focus will shift to whether the early momentum translates into multiple deep runs for the Oceanic contingent and how the double-precision finishes separate the contenders from the rest.

Highlights

Saturday will reveal if these early wins become a lasting advantage.