Gates Secures MSG Return with U.S. Darts Masters Qualifier Victory

Leonard Gates will return to the Madison Square Garden stage in June after winning the CDC U.S. Darts Masters Qualifier in Niagara Falls, New York.

The number three seed, who had struggled to find his best form throughout the weekend, produced a clinical run when it mattered most, dropping just ten legs across six matches on his way to the title.

Gates came through the final stages in commanding fashion, defeating Charlie Harrison 5-1 in the quarterfinals before accounting for B.J. Pollock by the same scoreline in the semifinals.

He then completed the job with a 5-3 win over Brad Farley in the final, securing his fourth career appearance at the U.S. Darts Masters.

Farley, now in his second year as a CDC Tour Card holder, continued to impress with a strong run to the final. He edged Kiley Edmunds 5-3 in the quarterfinals before producing a dominant 5-1 semifinal win over Fred Krueger to set up his meeting with Gates.

Edmunds had earlier delivered one of the day’s standout results, whitewashing Adam Sevada 5-0 in the Last 16. Sevada had been the hottest hand of the weekend after claiming back-to-back CDC Tour titles, and despite his qualifier exit, he remains the odds-on favorite to return to the MSG stage as the top American on the CDC Tour Points List after next month’s Philadelphia events.

For Gates, though, the qualifier belonged to a player who found his range at exactly the right time, rounding off the Niagara Falls weekend with a place at the 2026 U.S. Darts Masters.

Quarterfinals
Kiley Edmunds 3-5 Brad Farley
Jimmie Jones 1-5 Fred Krueger
B.J. Pollack 5-4 Joe Chaney
Leonard Gates (3) 5-1 Charlie Harrison

Semifinals
Brad Farley 5-1 Fred Krueger
B.J. Pollock 1-5 Leonard Gates

Final
Brad Farley 3-5 Leonard Gates

Sevada Survives, Then Soars to A-Z Darts Duel Title

Adam Sevada continued his dream start to the 2026 CDC Tour season on Saturday, claiming back-to-back titles with victory in the A-Z Darts Duel in Niagara Falls, New York.

The top seed followed up Friday’s Winmau Darts Championship success by coming through a 99-player field once again, defeating Canada’s Brayden Hall 7-2 in Saturday’s showpiece.

Hall enjoyed a breakout run in just his second career CDC Tour event, reaching his first final with wins over Ross Snook, Garrett French and third seed David Cameron.

However, Sevada proved too strong in the final, averaging 97 to complete a dominant finish to a day that had started with a major scare.

The American survived a remarkable 22 match darts from Ram Guevara, Jr. in their Last-16 clash, eventually edging through a dramatic 6-5 contest. That escape proved to be the turning point in Sevada’s day, as he averaged 82 in his quarterfinal win over Nick Linberg, 92 in his semifinal victory over Danny Young, and then 97 in the final against Hall.

Sevada’s 6-1 quarterfinal win over Linberg was followed by a 7-4 semifinal success against Young, who matched his deepest run in a CDC Tour event and produced his best showing since Event #7 of the 2025 season.

In the bottom half of the draw, Hall battled past Ross Snook 6-5 in the Last 16 before seeing off Garrett French 6-4 in the quarterfinals. He then claimed the biggest win of his young CDC career, defeating Cameron 7-5 to reach the final.

French and Jeremiah Millar also enjoyed notable runs to the quarterfinals, turning in their best CDC Tour performances since 2024. French edged tenth seed Kiley Edmunds 6-5 in the Last 16, while Millar defeated Tyler Rettie before falling to Cameron in the quarterfinals.

Elsewhere, Jeff Smith produced the highest average of the day with 87.79, while Cameron fired in a field-leading nine 180s.

Sevada’s back-to-back titles have put him in a commanding position in the race for the US Darts Masters. The top American and top Canadian players on the CDC Tour Points List after Event Four in Philadelphia will earn berths in the US Darts Masters and North American Championship at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in June.

With two events remaining, Sevada is now the clear favorite to secure the American berth. For him to be overtaken, another American would need to win both events in Philadelphia next month and finish with a better leg differential.

Last 16
Adam Sevada (1) 6-5 Ram Guevara, Jr
Nick Linberg (8) 6-4 Joey Lynaugh (9)
Mike Scarborough 1-6 Danny Young (13)
Fred Krueger 6-4 Scott Estle
Brayden Hall 6-5 Ross Snook
Garrett French 6-5 Kiley Edmunds (10)
David Cameron (3) 6-2 Ronald Sargent
Tyler Rettie 1-5 Jeremiah Millar

Quarterfinals
Adam Sevada 6-1 Nick Linberg
Danny Young 6-3 Fred Krueger
Brayden Hall 6-4 Garrett French
David Cameron 6-3 Jeremiah Millar

Semifinals
Adam Sevada 7-4 Danny Young
Brayden Hall 7-5 David Cameron

Final
Adam Sevada 7-2 Brayden Hall

Sevada Edges Buntz to Claim Winmau Darts Championship Crown

Adam Sevada claimed his ninth CDC Tour title on Friday night, edging out Stowe Buntz 7-6 in a dramatic Winmau Darts Championship final in Niagara Falls, New York.

The top seed came through a 99-player field to take the Event One title, drawing level with Buntz on nine career CDC Tour titles after denying the number two seed in a deciding-leg showpiece.

Sevada made a dream start to his campaign, sweeping aside Albert Anstey 6-0 in the Last 16 before accounting for Michael Nguyen 6-2 in the quarterfinals. Nguyen’s run marked a notable breakthrough, with the American reaching his first CDC Tour quarterfinal.

The eventual champion then survived a major semifinal test against Jeff Smith, prevailing 7-6 after the Canadian missed two match darts in a gripping last-leg decider.

Smith impressed in his first CDC Tour appearance in a year, defeating Marco Gonthier 6-3 in the Last 16 before dispatching 12th seed Jason Roker 6-2 to reach the semifinals.

Buntz progressed through the bottom half of the draw, opening the final stages with a 6-3 win over Charlie Harrison before edging Doug Boehm 6-5 in the quarterfinals.

He then produced a 7-3 semifinal win over Gary Mawson, who had earlier whitewashed third seed David Cameron 6-0 in a standout quarterfinal display.

The final brought together the top two seeds and two of the CDC’s most successful modern-era performers, with Sevada and Buntz both looking to gain the upper-hand in the race to New York in June.

It was Sevada who prevailed, taking the title in a deciding leg to cap off a superb day which also saw him lead the statistical charts. The American posted an 88.66 average across multiple matches — the highest of the day — and fired in a field-leading nine 180s.

Buntz and Smith were close behind in the maximum count, each landing eight 180s during their runs to the final and semifinals respectively.

Sevada’s victory also gives him the early advantage in the race for the US Darts Masters, putting him in pole position as the leading American on the CDC Tour Points List after Event One.

Smith, meanwhile, sits as the top Canadian after his semifinal return. The top American and top Canadian players on the CDC Tour Points List after Event Four in Philadelphia will earn berths in the US Darts Masters and North American Championship at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden in June.

Last 16
Adam Sevada (1) 6-0 Albert Anstey
Michael Nguyen 6-2 Mike Scarborough
Jeff Smith 6-3 Marco Gonthier
Tim Craft 2-6 Jason Roker (12)
Stowe Buntz (2) 6-3 Charlie Harrison
Doug Boehm (7) 6-0 Brayden Hall
David Cameron (3) 6-2 John Schaumann
Gary Mawson (6) 6-2 Tim Neal

Quarterfinals
Adam Sevada 6-2 Michael Nguyen
Jeff Smith 6-2 Jason Roker
Stowe Buntz 6-5 Doug Boehm
David Cameron 0-6 Gary Mawson

Semifinals
Adam Sevada 7-6 Jeff Smith
Stowe Buntz 7-3 Gary Mawson

Final
Adam Sevada 7-6 Stowe Buntz

Canada Claims Nations Cup while Cameron Denies Sevada for Cross-Border Crown

David Cameron capped a brilliant weekend for Team Canada on Saturday night, defeating Adam Sevada 7-3 to win the Fourth Annual CDC Cross Border Darts Challenge in Deer Lake, Newfoundland.

Night Two began with seven Canadians and one American still standing, with Sevada carrying the Stars and Stripes into the quarterfinals as the lone remaining U.S. player. The American #1 seed continued his strong run with a 5-3 victory over Jim Long to book his place in the semifinals, while Darryl Christie defeated Jacob Taylor 5-2, Cameron won 5-3 against Jeff Smith, and Kiley Edmunds powered past Albert Anstey 5-1.

Sevada then reached his first Cross Border Darts Challenge final by defeating Christie 6-4 in the last four, improving on last year’s semifinal finish. On the other side of the bracket, Cameron delivered a convincing 6-2 win over Edmunds to advance to the final for the second time in the event’s history after finishing runner-up in 2024.

That set the stage for a championship clash between the tournament’s top two seeds, and Cameron rose to the occasion. The Canadian #1 seed pulled away for a 7-3 victory over Sevada to claim the title, making this the first Cross Border Darts Challenge in which both #1 seeds reached the final. Cameron also completed a standout statistical weekend, leading all players with an 89.73 tournament average, while Sevada finished second on 89.09. Sevada led the event with six 180s, narrowly ahead of Cameron’s five.

In the final itself, Cameron averaged 94.80 in the 7-3 win, with Sevada posting 88.67 across the 10 legs. Sevada was strong out of the gate, landing back-to-back 14-dart legs to lead 3-2 at the break, but it was Cameron who returned to the stage rejuvenated, winning the last 5 legs in blistering fashion beginning with a 12-darter in the sixth leg and repeating the feat minutes later to prevent the American from recapturing any momentum.

The weekend also belonged to Team Canada in the international team contest, as Captain John Part guided his side to a third Nations Cup title over Team USA, captained by Larry Butler. The trophy was presented by special guest Derian Hatcher, captain of the 1999 Stanley Cup champion Dallas Stars and a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

With the Nations Cup already locked up after Friday’s play, Saturday night became the finishing touch on a memorable weekend for Team Canada, capped by David Cameron’s run to the Cross Border Darts Challenge title securing both individual and team glory for the hosts.

The 2026 Championship Darts Circuit begins in just a few short weeks as players descend on Niagara Falls May 8-9 with the first two Main Events of the season and an open qualifier for the bet365 US Darts Masters.

Deer Lake Delivers as Canada Seals Nations Cup on Opening Night

Team Canada fed off a raucous home crowd in Deer Lake, Newfoundland on Friday night, storming to seven wins from eight matches in the Last 16 of the Fourth Annual CDC Cross Border Darts Challenge to officially clinch the Nations Cup.

With every opening-round clash contested between the United States and Canada, the hosts delivered a statement performance on home soil, with Adam Sevada the lone American to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals.

Canada’s charge was led by top seed David Cameron, who turned in the performance of the night in a dominant 5-0 win over CDC Hall of Famer and USA Team Captain, Larry Butler. Cameron also posted the highest average of the session at 92.78.

Second seed Darryl Christie also moved through for the hosts with a 5-3 victory over Jason Brandon, while fourth seed Jim Long ran out a 5-2 winner over Doug Boehm. Third seed Kiley Edmunds completed a strong night for the seeded Canadians with a 5-3 win against Nick Linberg.

Albert Anstey and Jacob Taylor then gave the Newfoundland crowd two unforgettable moments in a pair of dramatic deciding-leg victories. Anstey survived six match darts from USA number two seed, Stowe Buntz, before producing a stunning 100 finish on single 20, double 20, double 20 to seal a 5-4 win and ignite the home support. Taylor followed with a thriller of his own, pinning double 1 in a last-leg decider to defeat USA number three seed Leonard Gates 5-4, having survived nine match darts along the way.

Elsewhere, Jeff Smith opened the evening with a 5-2 win over USA fourth seed Gary Mawson, while PDC and CDC Hall of Famer and Canadian Team Captain, John Part, saw his run ended by USA top seed Adam Sevada, who claimed the Americans’ only victory of the night with a 5-2 success.

Adding to the occasion in Deer Lake, legendary referee and PDC Hall of Famer Russ Bray made his CDC stage debut, taking charge of six of the evening’s eight matches.

On the scoring front, Smith, Anstey, Sevada and Linberg each landed two 180s.

The Fourth Annual CDC Cross Border Darts Challenge concludes on Saturday night in Deer Lake, with the quarterfinals, semifinals and final set to decide the individual title. Doors open at 6:00 PM local time, followed by the inaugural CDC Hall of Fame induction ceremony at 6:20 PM. Quarterfinal action begins at 7:00 PM Newfoundland time / 5:30 PM Eastern.

LAST-16 RESULTS
Jeff Smith 5-2 Gary Mawson
Jason Brandon 3-5 Darryl Christie
Larry Butler 0-5 David Cameron
John Part 2-5 Adam Sevada
Doug Boehm 2-5 Jim Long
Albert Anstey 5-4 Stowe Buntz
Jacob Taylor 5-4 Leonard Gates
Nick Linberg 3-5 Kiley Edmunds

SATURDAY NIGHT QUARTERFINALS ORDER OF PLAY (7:00 PM Newfoundland Time / 5:30 PM Eastern)
Adam Sevada v Jim Long
Darryl Christie v Jacob Taylor
David Cameron v Jeff Smith
Albert Anstey v Kiley Edmunds

CDC/CDLC Agree to Three-Year Extension of PDC Affiliate Tour Agreement

NEW AGREEMENT SEES BOOST TO PRIZE FUND, INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION ACROSS THE HEMISPHERE

LONDON/CHICAGO, December 24th, 2025 – Championship Darts Corporation (CDC) and its subsidiary, Championship Darts Latin America and Caribbean (CDLC), in conjunction with the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) today announce a three-year extension of their Affiliate Agreement. This extension, part of a large-scale initiative by the PDC to increase support for the game of darts at the highest levels across the globe, will see CDC (in North America) and CDLC (in Latin America and the Caribbean) remain at the center of professional darts across the hemisphere until at least 2028.

With the agreement comes an immediate increase to the prize fund on the CDC circuit, with a minimum of $250,000 paid-out across 16 events, the Cross Border Challenge and Continental Cup in 2026 and eyes towards further increases in the coming years. In addition, the following international opportunities are available to players in the CDC/CDLC ecosystem:

  • The CDC Tour Points leaders from the US and Canada at the conclusion of each year will receive a berth in the PaddyPower World Darts Championship, to be joined by the CDLC Tour Champion, CDC Continental Cup and CDC Cross Border Darts Challenge champions and the winner of the North American Darts Championship.
  • The top 8 players at the conclusion of each CDC and CDLC season will receive complimentary entry to PDC Q-School, with both Tour Champions receiving an exemption through to the second stage.
  • The Winmau World Masters will see the top-8 players on each tour compete in the preliminary round, vying to earn a spot in the main event to join the top-24 on the PDC Order of Merit on one of the biggest stages in darts.
  • Berths in the BetVictor World Cup of Darts for select nations as-available

“This is a huge show of support for all our Global Affiliate Tours and possibly the most significant announcement ever for the worldwide growth of darts,” said PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter. “We have worked hard alongside our local partners in each region to build their calendars and provide increased opportunities and pathways for their players – and the results we are starting to see in our Premier events, plus the growing spread of Tour Card Holders, shows that we are heading in the right direction to achieve our goal of truly globalizing professional darts.

Peter Citera, CEO of Championship Darts Corporation, said “We continue to see exponential growth in our sport across this hemisphere. This agreement provides certainty for our player base and demonstrates the shared commitment that the PDC, CDC and CDLC have in continuing to bring darts into the mainstream of the sporting landscape in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. I believe the next three years will truly be the brightest in the history of the sport on this side of the globe and look forward to working with Matt, Dave Allen and the rest of the PDC staff to take the game into the stratosphere.”

The 2026 CDC Tour will kick-off in Deer Lake, NL, Canada with the Cross Border Darts Challenge on April 17-18 and CDLC play will commence with weekend 1 on the CDLC Tour in Panama City April 23-26. Further details on both Tours will be released shortly.

The full announcement from the PDC can be found at: https://www.pdc.tv/news/2025/12/24/global-boost-pdcs-new-ps3-million-plus-investment-affiliate-tours

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