THE SILENCER, a.k.a Canada’s Jeff Smith will return to defend his bet365 North American Championship title in New York next month, with the 16-player field for darts’ annual visit to Madison Square Garden now confirmed.
Smith was one of three players to secure qualification for both the bet365 US Darts Masters and North American Championship last weekend, sealing his spot alongside fellow Canadian David Cameron and Arizona’s Adam Sevada.
Smith won Sunday’s second CDC Qualifier in Indianapolis, edging out American newcomer Sevada in a deciding-leg tie to confirm his place in this year’s World Series of Darts event.
Smith enjoyed a memorable campaign in New York 12 months ago, following up his second North American Championship triumph with a run to the US Darts Masters final, defeating Peter Wright, Nathan Aspinall and Luke Humphries along the way.
Two-time World Championship qualifier Cameron won Saturday’s opening CDC Qualifier, dispatching 2022 North American Champion Leonard Gates to clinch his big stage return.
Sevada will join the Candian veterans in action at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 31-June 1, after finishing above Part and Gates via legs difference on the Qualifiers Order of Merit to earn his big-stage debut.
Smith, Cameron and Sevada will now compete in the 2024 North American Championship on June 1, with the eight-player line-up also including Matt Campbell, Jules van Dongen, Danny Lauby, Stowe Buntz and Alex Spellman.
The eight North American stars will also feature in the US Darts Masters on May 31-June 1, with reigning champion Michael van Gerwen, World Champion Humphries and teenage superstar Luke Littler headlining the action.
Former US Darts Masters winners Michael Smith and Aspinall make their respective returns, alongside a trio of World Champions in Rob Cross, Gerwyn Price and Wright.
Last weekend’s action also saw the first two CDC Tour Events of 2024 take place, with Gates and Cameron sharing the spoils in Indianapolis.
Gates ran out an emphatic 7-3 winner against Doug Boehm in a high-quality Event One decider, which saw both players average 102.
The 53-year-old landed winning legs of 15, 15, 15, 13, 13, 16 and 13 darts to prevail, having seen off Jake Macmillan, Buntz and Baggish earlier in the campaign.
Cameron then rounded off a successful weekend with Event Two success, closing out a hard-fought 7-5 victory over Smith to take the title.
He also defeated Buntz by the same scoreline in the semi-finals, having earlier denied Danny Young in a last-leg shoot-out, before whitewashing a below-par Baggish in the last eight.
Cameron will now partner Matt Campbell at next month’s BetVictor World Cup of Darts, having finished as the top-ranked Canadian player on the 20-event CDC Order of Merit.
The pair will fly the flag for the two-time quarter-finalists at the Eissporthalle from June 27-30, as 40 nations battle it out in the popular pairs event.
US Darts Masters Qualifier 1
David Cameron 5-1 Leonard Gates
US Darts Masters Qualifier 2
Jeff Smith 5-4 Adam Sevada
2024 bet365 US Darts Masters field
PDC Representatives
Luke Humphries
Michael van Gerwen
Michael Smith
Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross
Peter Wright
Luke Littler
North American Representatives
Matt Campbell
Jules van Dongen
Danny Lauby
Stowe Buntz
Alex Spellman
David Cameron
Jeff Smith
Adam Sevada
Session Schedule
Friday May 31
1900-2300 local time
bet365 US Darts Masters
First Round x8
Saturday June 1
Afternoon Session
1300-1700 local time
bet365 North American Championship
Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals & Final
Evening Session
1900-2300 local time
bet365 US Darts Masters
Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals & Final
CDC Tour Event 1
Leonard Gates 7-3 Doug Boehm
CDC Tour Event 2
David Cameron 7-5 Jeff Smith
—–ENDS—–
