Bahrain Masters Stay On Script

The big names rolled into Bahrain, shut the door, and reminded everyone why they’re paid to headline. A clean sweep for the PDC elite on opening night at the 2026 Bahrain Darts Masters, with every Asian challenger sent packing.

Some exits were swift and painless, others came with a few sweaty palms, but by the end of it the draw had been scrubbed exactly how the scriptwriters like it – star power stacked and ready for Finals Day.

From this year’s Premier League cast, only Jonny Clayton and Josh Rock were absent. Their seats were filled by Nathan Aspinall and Danny Noppert, and nobody walked away thinking the replacements were anything less than premium-grade.

The night’s final act belonged to reigning champion Stephen Bunting, who was made to wait patiently before beginning his title defence. For the most part, it was smooth sailing against Ryusei Azemoto. A scruffy finish briefly crept in, but the Liverpudlian closed it out 6-2 and booked himself a reunion with history – next up, the only man still standing from the very first World Series event back in 2013, Michael van Gerwen.

Darts is one of the very few sports where a generational gap can stretch past half a century and still feel completely normal. Teenage World Champion Luke Littler took on 71-year-old Paul Lim, pitting the youngest Ally Pally champion against the oldest competitor ever to grace that stage. Nostalgia wasn’t invited. Littler produced a 106.50 average and hoovered up a Big Fish, with Lim briefly joining the fun by landing his own ton-plus checkout. Then reality resumed.

Waiting in the quarter-finals for The Nuke is Gerwyn Price, who was made to sweat by Motomu Sakai. Opening the session, The Iceman found himself locked at 4-4 before flicking the switch champions keep hidden. Price has a better-than-most record against Littler, but if this performance is the baseline, he’ll need every ounce of it.

There were no alarms, no drama and no mercy from Luke Humphries. The Premier League champion was the only member of the PDC octet to dish out a full whitewash, dismantling Abdulla Saeed. The home nation arrow-smith did have one dart at bull to steal a consolation leg at 5-0. He missed. Humphries didn’t. Calm, ruthless and clinical, Cool Hand casually posted the only other ton-plus average of the round.

Humphries now faces Aspinall, who had to dig into his patience reserves against Lourence Ilagan. Ilagan’s famously methodical pace made rhythm hard to come by, and The Asp looked visibly irritated early doors. Eight legs were shared before the Mancunian finally broke free, rattling off the final two when it mattered.

World Series debutant Gian van Veen did enough, if not everything, in a 6-2 win over Man Lok Leung. The Dutchman will be pleased to get one back after that World Championship sting, but he’ll know a flat 90 average won’t cut it next time against compatriot Noppert.

And Noppert himself? Ice cold. The Freeze, making his sixth World Series appearances, barely broke stride while brushing aside the other Bahrain representative in the tournament, Basem Mahmood 6-1. Solid, unspectacular and largely untroubled – though the real test looms next.

Finally, Michael van Gerwen. If World Series appearances were international football caps, Mighty Mike would be polishing his 50th. Like a few others, he was dragged into a scrap at 4-4 by the immensely talented Alexis Toylo. Then came the break. Then the hold. Then the door slammed. Up next – a quarter-final crack at dethroning Bunting and reclaiming familiar territory.

One day left. One trophy up for grabs. And by tomorrow night, we’ll know who joins Michael Smith, Littler and Bunting as Bahrain Masters royalty.

2026 BAHRAIN DARTS MASTERS First Round

Gerwyn Price 6-4 Motomu Sakai (JPN)

Gian van Veen 6-2 Man Lok Leung (HKG)

Danny Noppert 6-1 Basem Mahmood (BHR)

Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Lourence Illagan (PHL)

Luke Humphries 6-0 Abdulla Saeed (BHR)

Luke Littler 6-1 Paul Lim (SGP)

Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Alexis Toylo (PHL)

Stephen Bunting 6-2 Ryusei Azemoto (JPN)

Quarter-Finals

Luke Littler v Gerwyn Price