From Simon Whitlock to Phil Taylor: the impressive names who have played the most in New Zealand on World Series of Darts circuit
PDC
Over the years, the World Series of Darts has brought an impressive roster of big names to New Zealand. From Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen to Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price, countless world-class players have taken to the stage one or more times at World Series events in the country. Yet one player stands head and shoulders above the rest. Simon Whitlock is the outright record holder with nine appearances.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Australian was present at the very first World Series edition in New Zealand in 2015 and has been a mainstay ever since. Between 2015 and 2026, Whitlock featured no fewer than nine times.
That puts him one appearance ahead of the duo Peter Wright and Damon Heta. Wright collected seven appearances between 2015 and 2024, while compatriot Heta also featured seven times between 2016 and 2026.
New Zealand has its own players with an impressive track record as well. Ben Robb sits on seven appearances and thus shares second place on the all-time list with Wright and Heta. Warren Parry featured six times, and Haupai Puha has also reached six appearances to date. Puha remains active and can further increase his total in the future.
Anderson and Van Gerwen with five appearances each
Behind the outright record holders, there is a striking array of big names. Gary Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld, and Michael van Gerwen each featured five times in New Zealand. Michael Smith, Gerwyn Price, James Wade, and New Zealand crowd favorite Mark Cleaver also stand on five appearances. Wade and Price are particularly notable, as both are once again part of the field in 2026.
The list also neatly illustrates how the World Series has evolved over the years. Phil Taylor played in New Zealand three times between 2015 and 2017, while players such as Rob Szabo, Kyle Anderson, Dimitri Van den Bergh, and Stephen Bunting also participated at least three times. Bunting is a notable name here, as “The Bullet” has been on the entry list since 2015 and records his third appearance in 2026.
ADVERTISEMENT
Several of the current generation’s biggest stars have now gained experience in New Zealand as well. Luke Littler and Luke Humphries both featured twice in 2024 and 2025. Jonny Clayton and Josh Rock also have two appearances, with both returning again in 2026.
Gian van Veen makes his New Zealand Darts Masters debut this year
Gian van Veen is making his debut at a World Series event in New Zealand. The Dutchman is among the players taking to New Zealand soil for the first time this year. Ross Smith, Adam Leek, and Raymond Smith are also set for their first appearance at a World Series event in the country.
All competitors in World Series of Darts events in New Zealand:
— Tom Nankivell (@dartingupdates) August 10, 2026
9
🇦🇺 Simon Whitlock (2015-26) ⬆️
7
🏴 Peter Wright (2015-24)
🇦🇺 Damon Heta (2016-26) ⬆️
🇳🇿 Ben Robb (2018-26) ⬆️
6
🇳🇿 Warren Parry (2016-23)
🇳🇿 Haupai Puha (2018-26) ⬆️
5
🏴 Gary Anderson (2015-19)
🇳🇱 Raymond van…
With names like Whitlock, Wright, Heta, Price, Wade, and Bunting, the World Series in New Zealand boasts a rich history of established stars. At the same time, the arrival of fresh faces such as Van Veen ensures the historical entry list continues to grow each year. The Australians and New Zealanders remain traditionally well represented, but Europe’s elite are increasingly leaving their mark on the event.
ADVERTISEMENT
This makes the World Series in New Zealand not only a key stage for the current generation, but also a tournament where the history of international darts is further written every year.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- She is a professional. If darts is her income, she is a professional. Same as Adrian Lewis, Martin Adams. A tour card just means someone can play on the PDC tour. You could even make a case that Clayton wasn't a professional (until recently I believe) because he had employment elsewhere.BandB04-11-2026
- She's technically not a professional though as she doesn't hold a pro tour card.mr-pablo04-11-2026
- Such a shame that lakeside has been reduced to this. Fantastic venue,and previously a great tournament. Not any morerick6703-11-2026
- Seems to me that the top 16 players pick and choose whatever they want to play. Good,all the money will get spread out more. They get more money from exhibitions than tournaments so let them all withdrawrick6703-11-2026
- Play all legs and the winners split the pot. Luke gets the lot of he wins them all. If your occupation is darts player you can't enter, regardless of ability.BandB01-11-2026
- I'm quite a jaded person all things considered, but to be honest I found Beat Luke Littler to be pretty entertaining. It certainly wasn't seamless, which is to be expected given the lack of precedence, but I actually think the pacing was pretty good, the production was impressive, and there was a good sense of humour and levity to it. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking but one that, for the most part, paid off. I liked the system with the four pots and I think it added to the drama and intrigue. I enjoyed seeing the diverse range of entrants and learning about their backstories. I think the interactivity was pretty clever and well-integrated. The panel was a little incoherent at times; Lee Mack shone however, and his improvisational skills were appreciated during some more awkward interstitial moments. As far as the darts is concerned, it was a shame that the format didn't allow Littler to get into full flow. You obviously don't want him to steamroll everyone but you want to feel like you're getting the full Littler package rather than seeing him struggling to get out of first gear. I will say that his leg against Jayden Walker was very impressive, but it was mostly downhill from there. The attraction revolves around Littler being this untouchable, indomitable force, yet the format doesn't really allow him to fulfil that characterisation. As for Fallon Sherrock, she was mightily impressive and deserved the victory. It is a testament to her unshakeable character that she was able to bang in a 14-darter under such mind-bending pressure. Everything that has been said about the misleading marketing is valid, though they were clear about their eligibility criteria and were able to offload the responsibility somewhat by bringing the viewers into the decision-making process in real time. What is clear though, is that Fallon played the game according to the rules, and she should not be criticised for that, much less abused. I will admit though that it is a kick in the teeth for those true amateurs who committed time and money to the course, and I would also question those who think pub players would have no chance, given that some of Littler's winning legs were dispatched in 7 visits to the board! The great thing about darts is that it isn't so much that amateurs cannot replicate the feats of brilliance pulled off by professionals of the sport, than it is that they simply cannot replicate the consistency of their output, something that this format almost entirely removes from the equation. It should also be noted that, financially, Fallon certainly stands to benefit much less in relative terms from the paycheque than would your average pub thrower, as I'm sure she nets a fair income from the lucrative exhibition circuit alone. What I do hope is that she might use this as an opportunity to really build up a head of steam heading into the new season, as it seems long overdue that she come through Q-School and really take it to the pros on a week-in week-out basis, but whatever she chooses to do, she has certainly achieved enough already for one if not several lifetimes, so who am I to dictate terms? To conclude though, I will state once again that I found Beat Luke Littler to be a pretty enjoyable evening of entertainment. I do feel for the contestants who never actually had the chance to try their luck against the world #1, although I suppose it comes with the format, but all which inevitably raises the question: will Netflix be tempted to do it all again next year? It's hard to say. Whether it would be financially viable, I can't weigh in there. One point I have been making though, and which I touched on earlier, is that the entire concept relies on a public perception that Littler is more or less unbeatable, and that certainly hasn't been the case of late. If the execs had been trying to pitch the show in recent months while Littler has seemed vulnerable, rather than when he was mopping up almost every major title on the calendar, it would certainly be a tougher sell. We will have to see in about 6 months' time whether Littler can still reliably command perception as a near-unstoppable force in darts, and then we'll have a clearer idea about whether we should expect a second helping. Even as a one-off experiment though, and with all the controversy taken into account, I still don't think they disgraced themselves by any means, and that will probably be my lingering assessment of the event when all is said and done.Deduce635801-11-2026
- Fair play to Fallon. But...shows the mockery when a professional players wins what was meant to be an amateur v Pro event, Littlers performance was poor, and what about the players who didn't get a game? Would have been better if the pot was split amoungst all the winners and they all got a leg.BandB31-10-2026
- Not even slightly interestedrick6730-10-2026
- And yet the PDC has decided to aggravate this problem by doubling the Players Championship Finals field from 2027. I can't imagine there will be fewer withdrawals next year with even less reason to turn up. I can only hope that a whole slew of Challenge Tour top-up players receive enough prize money in the absence of much of the elite, that some of the more complacent among them struggle to scrape into even a heavily diluted field! More semi-pro players will get to test their mettle, but the standard of competition will be much inferior. It could hardly be said that the Players Championship series will provide an opportunity for darts' second string to test their Tour Card credentials anymore, but at least it will underscore the achievements of those Challenge Tour players of current and previous years, who were able to prove themselves as more than capable of competing with, and beating, the elite of the sport on a consistent basis, and reaping the due rewards.Deduce635828-10-2026
- No point in being there? Champions want to win.Deduce635828-10-2026