REIGNING CHAMPION LITTLER TO FACE ILAGAN IN 2025 BAHRAIN DARTS MASTERS
Luke Littler will begin his defence of the Bahrain Darts Masters against PDC Asian Champion Lourence Ilagan, as he prepares to make his first outing as World Champion on Thursday evening.
The 2025 World Series of Darts begins with the third edition of the Bahrain Darts Masters on January 16-17, as a 16-player line-up compete in The Dome at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Thursday’s opening round will see the eight PDC superstars – headlined by newly-crowned World Champion Littler – take on the eight Asian representatives for a place in Friday’s Finals Day.
Littler marked his arrival on the global stage with a nine-darter on his way to victory in Bahrain last year, defeating Michael van Gerwen in the final to triumph on his World Series debut.
Having also defeated Van Gerwen to lift the iconic Sid Waddell Trophy at Alexandra Palace on January 3, the teenage sensation will make his return to action against the enigmatic Ilagan, in a repeat of their clash in November’s Grand Slam of Darts.
World number one Luke Humphries will kick off his campaign against local qualifier Abdulla Saeed, as he bids to return to winning ways following his last 16 exit at the World Darts Championship.
Humphries ran out a 6-0 winner when the pair met at the same stage of last year’s event, and he will be hoping for a repeat performance as he maintains his ever-present record in Bahrain.
Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey will feature amongst the eight PDC representatives this week, and the debutants have been pitted against Nitin Kumar and Basem Mahmood respectively.
Reigning Masters champion Bunting climbed to a career-high of world number five following his run to the World Championship semi-finals, and he will make his Bahrain bow against India’s premier player Kumar.
Meanwhile, Dobey, also a semi-finalist at Alexandra Palace earlier this month, faces Bahrain’s Mahmood for a place in the quarter-finals, as he prepares to compete in his first global World Series event.
2018 World Champion Rob Cross faces a tough test against Paolo Nebrida, who defeated Jim Williams and Ross Smith to reach the third round at the World Championship.
Elsewhere, 2021 World Champion Gerwyn Price will meet Hong Kong’s Lok Yin Lee, with 2023 World Matchplay winner Nathan Aspinall pitted against PDC China Champion Xiaochen Zong.
Scottish icon Peter Wright completes the eight-player PDC line-up, and the two-time World Champion will begin his campaign against 2024 PDC Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Alexis Toylo.
The draw for the tournament was made on Wednesday evening, as the 2025 Bahrain Darts Masters was launched with local media and representatives from promoters Bahrain International Circuit and CBX.
Following Thursday’s first round, the Bahrain Darts Masters concludes on Friday with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, as the sport’s biggest names battle it out for the unique date palm trophy and an increased prize fund of £100,000.
For tickets, visit bahraingp.com.
The Bahrain Darts Masters will be broadcast live on PDCTV in all territories other than Germany, Austria & Switzerland (coverage via DAZN), and on ITV4 and ITVX for UK viewers.
Coverage will begin from 1700 GMT on Thursday, with Friday’s final stages getting underway from the earlier time of 1600 GMT.
2025 Bahrain Darts Masters
Draw Bracket
(1) Luke Humphries v Abdulla Saeed
Nathan Aspinall v Xiaochen Zong
(4) Stephen Bunting v Nitin Kumar
Chris Dobey v Basem Mahmood
(2) Luke Littler v Lourence Ilagan
Gerwyn Price v Lok Yin Lee
(3) Rob Cross v Paolo Nebrida
Peter Wright v Alexis Toylo
Schedule of Play
Thursday January 16 (2000 local time, 1700 GMT)
First Round x8
Rob Cross v Paolo Nebrida
Gerwyn Price v Lok Yin Lee
Stephen Bunting v Nitin Kumar
Chris Dobey v Basem Mahmood
Luke Humphries v Abdulla Saeed
Luke Littler v Lourence Ilagan
Peter Wright v Alexis Toylo
Nathan Aspinall v Xiaochen Zong
Friday January 17 (1900 local time, 1600 GMT)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Format
First Round – Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals – Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals – Best of 13 legs
Final – Best of 15 legs
——ENDS—–
Images: “Kieran Cleeves/PDC”
