As we reach the midpoint of 2025, the World Darts Federation (WDF) circuit has delivered a compelling mix of seasoned excellence and emerging stars. From unexpected upsets to dominant performances, the first half of the year has been anything but predictable. Let’s delve into the highlights.
From the desert heat of Las Vegas to the reasonable spring conditions at the Dutch Open, top-level talent has come out swinging.
WDF MEN – TOP PERFORMANCES
Held from January 17–19, the Las Vegas Open saw David Cameron – no, not the former British Prime Minister – take centre stage in the Tuscany Hotel. Cameron beat Jeff Springer 6–3 in the final showing the kind of clinical finishing more associated with a surgeon than a steel-tip thrower. It was quite literally a golden victory and proved Cameron, despite now in his mid 50s, can still go toe-to-toe with the best. As if anyone doubts him!
Next came the behemoth that is the Dutch Open. And if darts were a religion, this would be its annual pilgrimage. Held in February, the tournament saw Jeffrey Sparidaans produce a master-class, sweeping aside David Fatum 3–0 in the final like he had a taxi waiting outside. This Platinum category event attracted the elite, but it was Sparidaans who left with the trophy amidst a sea of orange-shirted men chanting his name. Not just a win – it was a statement as Jeffrey eloquently exclaimed: “I’m here, I’m Dutch, and I’ve probably got more 180s than you’ve had hot dinners.” I did the maths. I’ve had about 18,000 of them. Hot dinners that is.
Raymond Smith grabbed gold at the South Australian Classic. With a resounding 7–2 victory over David Platt, Smith looked like a man in total control – calm, clinical and certainly not jet-lagged. The high-quality event proved that darts on that continent is as popular as cricket and rugby. In fact, it’s a furnace of talent, and Raymond is still one of those lighting the fire. After all, the boys from Down Under once claimed the World Cup.
In May 2025, James Beeton claimed his first WDF Gold title at the Denmark Open, defeating François Schweyen 6–2 in the final. After falling just short in earlier events, Beeton finally delivered on his promise with a string of dominant performances, including wins over Sybren Gijbels and Edwin Torbjornsson en route to the final. The victory not only marked a personal milestone but also firmly placed him among the rising threats in the WDF men’s circuit. The road to victory took even longer than Beeton’s traditional ‘getting ready’ morning routine. That should give you an idea of his tremendous endurance in triumph.
A stand-out story from the first half of the year is the rise of England’s Kaya Baysal, a 14-year-old sensation who clinched the senior WDF Budapest Classic title. Baysal defeated reigning champion Sybren Gijbels 5–2 in the final, despite the Belgian ranking 174 places above him in the WDF standings. Remarkably, Baysal also secured the youth tournament victory the same weekend, signalling a promising future in the sport. Do we already have a Luke Littler 2.0 on the way?
WDF WOMEN – TOP PERFORMANCES
The women’s circuit has been characterised by consistent performances from top players and the emergence of new talents.
Once again, Deta Hedman demonstrated her enduring skill by clinching the Las Vegas Open title, adding another accolade to her illustrious career. At this point, watching Deta Hedman win a major is like seeing a MasterChef judge cook breakfast – you expect nothing less than perfection. Competing in the WDF Gold-ranked Las Vegas Open in January, she edged out Rhian O’Sullivan 5–4 in a nervy, high-quality final that proved she’s still a force to be reckoned with, no matter how many generations of players come and go. Her composure under pressure, consistent scoring, and trademark precision once again set her apart. For the Caribbean Queen, titles aren’t just wins – they’re habits.
Rhian O’Sullivan showcased her prowess with a victory at the Dutch Open, solidifying her position among the elite in the women’s game. Bouncing back from a narrow defeat in Vegas, the Welsh chucker stormed through the Platinum-level Dutch Open in February with the grit and flair of a player determined to write her own chapter. Facing some of the toughest names in the women’s game, O’Sullivan kept her cool, kept the trebles flowing, and secured a statement win that silenced any doubters. It wasn’t just a triumph; it was a reminder that she’s no understudy – she’s a leading lady in her own right.
Over in Oz, Joanne Hadley emerged triumphant at the South Australian Classic, highlighting the competitive nature of the women’s division. With a composed 6–4 win over Monica Ribeiro in the final, Hadley delivered a performance full of tactical nous, scoring strength, and quiet confidence. Her run to the title underlined her stature in the Aussie women’s game.
2025 WDF MENS RANKING
1. Jimmy van Schie – 781 points
2. Danny Porter – 629 points
3. Jason Brandon – 484 points
4. Peter Machin – 460 points
5. Ben Robb – 455 points
6. Brandon Weening – 440 points
7. Brian Raman – 413 points
8. Benjamin Pratnemer – 406 points
9. Thomas Junghans – 368 points
10. Carl Wilkinson – 386 points
2025 WDF WOMEN’S RANKING
1. Beau Greaves – 1,453 points
2. Rhian O’Sullivan – 1,016 points
3. Lerena Rietbergen – 887 points
4. Lorraine Hyde – 808 points
5. Nicole Regnaud – 700 points
6. Deta Hedman – 686 points
7. Joanne Hadley – 592 points
8. Jitka Císařová – 583 points
9. Irina Armstrong – 547 points
10. Aileen de Graaf – 543 points
2025 WDF Tournament Winners (January–May)
Ranking Events Only (Platinum, Gold and Silver)
MEN’S RESULTS
Las Vegas Open (Gold): David Cameron beat Jeff Springer 6–3
Las Vegas Classic (Silver): Chris Lim beat David Fatum 5–4
Snoflake Open (Bronze): Robbie Mills beat Chad Brook 7–2
Romanian Classic (Silver): David Pallett beat Brandon Stow 5–3
Romanian Open (Silver): Brian Raman beat John Michael 5–2
Season Opening Open (Bronze): György Jehirszki beat Dominik Glaser 5–1
Dutch Open (Platinum): Jeffrey Sparidaans beat David Fatum 3–0
Canterbury Classic (Silver): Jonny Tata beat Landon Gardiner 6–3
Scottish Classic (Silver): Martyn Turner beat Stuart Wares 5–3
Scottish Open (Silver): Christian Perez beat Ryan Hogarth 5–3
South Australian Classic (Gold): Raymond Smith beat David Platt 7–2
Port City Open (Silver): Jason Brandon beat Bruce Robbins 5–2
Slovak Open (Silver): Benjamin Pratnemer beat Nick Fullwell 5–1
Slovak Masters (Bronze): Vince Tipple beat Benjamin Pratnemer 5–3
Winter Special Open (Bronze): Benjamin Pratnemer beat Mario Čegir 5–2
Winter Classic Open (Bronze): Dalibor Šmolík beat Vladimír Zaťko 5–2
Isle of Man Masters (Bronze): Paul Hogan beat Callum Francis 5–1
Isle of Man Classic (Silver): Jim McEwan beat Alex Williams 5–2
Missouri St. Patrick’s Open (Bronze): Ethan de Veyra beat Dustin Holt 6–4
Virginia Beach Classic (Silver): Alex Spellman beat David Fatum 5–1
AB Open (Bronze): Martin Tremblay beat Shane Sakchekapo 5–1
Faroe Islands Open (Bronze): Corné Groeneveld beat John Imrie 5–4
Tórshavn Open (Silver): Corné Groeneveld beat Edwin Torbjörnsson 6–3
Budapest Classic (Bronze): Kaya Baysal beat Sybren Gijbels 5–2
Budapest Masters (Bronze): Benjamin Pratnemer beat Sybren Gijbels 5–4
South Island Masters (Bronze): Brad Hamill beat Darren Dummigan 5–4
Estonia Open (Bronze): Dennis Nilsson beat Sybren Gijbels 6–2
Tallinn Open (Bronze): Darren Williams beat Jonas Masalin 6–2
Victorian Easter Classic (Bronze): Brody Klinge beat Danny Porter 5–2
Tricoda Open (Silver): Leonard Gates beat Alex Spellman 5–2
Spring Special Open (Bronze): Benjamin Pratnemer beat Mihály Vida 5–2
Manitoba Open (Bronze): Shane Sakchekapo beat Tyler Wolejszo 5–0
Iceland Open (Bronze): Hörður Guðjónsson beat Alexander Þorvaldsson 7–6
Iceland Masters (Bronze): Corné Groeneveld beat Steven Plumstead 5–3
Murray Bridge Grand Prix (Silver): Peter Machin beat Tristan Bognar 6–1
North Island Masters (Bronze): Anthony Benitez beat Caleb Hope 5–1
Salmon Harvest Open (Bronze): Peyton Hammond beat Rory Hansen
Cleveland Extravaganza (Silver): Alex Spellman beat Jason Brandon 5–2
Denmark Open (Gold): James Beeton beat François Schweyen 6–2
Denmark Masters (Silver): Corné Groeneveld beat Dennis Nilsson 6–0
Selangor Open (Bronze): Ryusei Azemoto beat Muhammad Haikal Rusli 5–3
WOMEN’S RESULTS
Las Vegas Open (Gold): Deta Hedman beat Rhian O’Sullivan 5–4
Las Vegas Classic (Silver): Rhian O’Sullivan beat Sayuri Nishiguchi 5–4
Snoflake Open (Bronze): Maria Carli beat Wenda Carter 4–2
Romanian Classic (Silver): Lerena Rietbergen beat Sophie McKinlay 5–2
Romanian Open (Silver): Aileen de Graaf beat Deta Hedman 5–4
Season Opening Open (Bronze): Veronika Ihász beat Gréta Tekauer 4–3
Dutch Open (Platinum): Rhian O’Sullivan beat Lerena Rietbergen 5–2
Canterbury Classic (Silver): Nicole Regnaud beat Chenesse Kauika 5–2
Scottish Classic (Silver): Lorraine Hyde beat Julie Thompson 5–2
Scottish Open (Silver): Lorraine Hyde beat Irina Armstrong 5–4
South Australian Classic (Gold): Joanne Hadley beat Monica Ribeiro 6–4
Port City Open (Silver): Paula Murphy beat Tracy Feiertag 5–4
Slovak Open (Silver): Jitka Císařová beat Gréta Tekauer 5–4
Slovak Masters (Bronze): Paula Jacklin beat Kirsi Viinikainen 5–0
Winter Special Open (Bronze): Jitka Císařová beat Katarína Nagyová 4–0
Winter Classic Open (Bronze): Jitka Císařová beat Gréta Tekauer 4–0
Isle of Man Masters (Bronze): Deta Hedman beat Anca Zijlstra 5–2
Isle of Man Classic (Silver): Eve Watson beat Vicky Pruim 5–2
Missouri St. Patrick’s Open (Bronze): Tracy Feiertag beat Tracey Young 4–3
Virginia Beach Classic (Silver): Tracy Feiertag beat Aaja Jalbert 5–3
AB Open (Bronze): Maria Carli beat Kayla Smith 4–2
Faroe Islands Open (Bronze): Anna Forsmark beat Lerena Rietbergen 5-4
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