New name at Alexandra Palace: Australian Darts Masters standout secures World Championship debut
PDCTuesday, 15 September 2026 at 16:00
Brody Klinge can look forward to his first appearance at the PDC World Darts Championship this December. The Australian topped the Australian Darts Association Tour 2026 ranking to secure his ticket to Alexandra Palace. Klinge dominated the season with nine titles from 24 events.
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The sixth and final weekend of the ADA Tour took place from 11.09.2026 to 13.09.2026 in Elizabeth North. With four tournaments left, the race for the World Championship berth was still open, but Klinge immediately made a key move towards Ally Pally by winning Event 21.
The Australian Darts Masters finalist started the weekend superbly. In his opener against Alexander Brackstone, Klinge averaged over a ton. He then whitewashed Corey Fortington and Jordan Ford on his way to the semi-finals.
There, Karl Schaefer also had little chance. Klinge won 6-1 to reach the final in style. He maintained that level in the decider against Danny Porter and claimed his ninth ADA Tour title of the season.
Smith piles on the pressure
Even so, Klinge was not yet certain of his World Championship debut. Raymond Smith set up a dramatic finale on Saturday by winning both Event 22 and Event 23.
At Event 22, Smith took out Stephen Schmitt, Dave Burke, and Sam Ballinger. In the quarter-finals he overpowered Jeremy Fagg 6-1. Next came Mal Cuming, who pushed Smith all the way. With a 97 average, Smith took the deciding leg. In the final he faced Klinge. Smith kept his World Championship hopes alive by beating his direct rival 6-3.
One tournament later, the script repeated. Smith posted three 6-1 wins to reach the Event 23 quarter-finals, then survived a tough tie against Ballinger. In the semi-finals he met Cuming again, and once more it went to a last leg.
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That set up another final between Smith and Klinge. This time it was a thriller. Klinge had ten match darts to seal the title but could not convert. Smith capitalised to win 6-5. It was the 46-year-old Australian’s fifth ADA Tour title of 2026 and kept the fight for top spot alive to the very last event.
Klinge produced a huge upset at the Australian Darts Masters 2026 by reaching the final.
Early defeat without consequences for Klinge
At Event 24, Klinge appeared to leave the door ajar. He lost his opening match to David Boyle and could only wait to see what Smith would do.
Klinge did not have to wait long. Smith fell in the last 16 against Braidon Charlton, which meant Klinge could no longer be knocked off top spot. His World Championship debut was secured.
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Charlton made the most of the opportunity to cap a standout weekend. He claimed his first ADA Tour title at the final tournament of the season.
After wins over Michael Chan and Curtis Patterson, Charlton ended Smith’s run in the last 16. He won the match 2-0 in sets. Fagg was then dismissed in the quarter-finals.
In the semi-finals, Charlton faced Cuming, who posted a seven-point higher average. Even so, Charlton turned the match his way. He completed the job in the final against Stuart Coburn. A straight-sets victory sealed Charlton’s maiden ADA Tour title.
Nine titles earn Klinge World Championship ticket
After 24 events, Klinge finished top of the 2026 ADA Tour ranking. The Australian won no fewer than nine tournaments and will make his Alexandra Palace debut in December.
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It caps a strong year for Klinge. Earlier this season he reached the Australian Darts Masters final, while on the national tour he impressed above all with his volume of titles.
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The final ADA Tour standings also impacted the ANZ Premier League. The top four on the ranking qualified for the 2026 edition. Alongside Klinge, Raymond Smith, Tim Pusey, and Joe Comito secured their places.
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.
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