Clayton claims maiden New Zealand Darts Masters title

Jonny Clayton of Wales won his first New Zealand Darts Masters title in Auckland, defeating compatriot Gerwyn Price 8-4 in the final.

On his way to the final, the 51-year-old overcame top seed Gian van Veen and England's James Wade. He then raced into a commanding 5-1 lead against Price, hitting a series of high checkouts along the way.

Several errors from Price allowed Clayton to move within touching distance of the title at 7-1. Although Price, who had beaten Clayton in the 2022 final, briefly rallied by winning three legs in a row, Clayton quickly closed out the match.

The two players are also World Cup of Darts partners, representing Wales together, with both having backgrounds in rugby. Clayton said afterwards that he enjoyed facing his World Cup partner in the final, noting their head-to-head record was now level and that next year's meeting would decide an overall winner.

Price had reached the final by beating Australia's top-ranked player Damon Heta and Raymond Smith, but admitted his form was below par in the final itself, missing a number of doubles. He praised Clayton's performance and said he expected to play better at the following week's event in Australia.

The World Series of Darts regular season will conclude next weekend with the Australian Darts Masters in Wollongong, with the season's Finals scheduled for 17-20 September in Amsterdam.