Raymond Smith has secured his place at the 2027 World Darts Championship. The 46-year-old Australian won the ANZ Premier League on Saturday, thrashing Tim Pusey 10-2 in the final. ‘The Guru’ earned not only 30,000 Australian dollars but also places at the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

The Brisbane triumph was a special moment for Smith. Last year, he lost the final of the same tournament to Simon Whitlock, who won 10-7. This time, Smith made sure the title did not slip away. In front of his home crowd at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, he was dominant against Pusey, who had won their previous four meetings.

Smith fell behind early in the final. Pusey broke his throw twice, but the match then turned completely. Smith won nine legs in a row, ending his compatriot’s hopes. He sealed the victory with eight maximums and an average of 87.28.

Smith overjoyed after securing World Championship place

Smith could barely contain his happiness afterwards. The Australian, who reached the last 16 at the 2022 World Darts Championship in a surprise run, can now prepare for another appearance on the sport’s biggest stage.

"This is beyond my wildest dreams," said Smith "I hope to represent my club at Inala. I hope to be a representative player, I wanted to play my zone and now I'm here doing things I never ever dreamt of. It’s been amazing.

Smith also had praise for his opponent. Pusey finished second in the league and established himself as a serious title contender with tournament wins in Melbourne and Newcastle.

"Tim's a class player and then every time I dropped off he just took the punishment for the shot. I stepped up and then the crowd came on my side and I just kicked to another level."

For Pusey, the defeat was a major disappointment. The 34-year-old Australian could also have earned a place at the World Darts Championship with a win, but had to accept that Smith was too strong in the final.

"It wasn't great but he's relentless, so if you don't rock up you lose,” admitted the 34-year-old. "I can't wait to go again next year, well hopefully!

Despite the disappointment, he was happy for his opponent. "But no, we'll get there and it's great and I wish Raymond all the best in the Grand Slam and the Ally Pally. Hopefully he knocks it out the park."

His ANZ Premier League title means Smith is set to make his fourth appearance at the PDC World Darts Championship.

Smith survives scare in semi-final

Smith’s eventual triumph had looked far from certain earlier in the evening. He trailed New Zealander Jonny Tata 4-2 in their semi-final. Tata had broken throw twice and underlined his strong performance with a 108 checkout.

The New Zealander then had chances to extend his lead in two successive legs but failed to take them. Smith made the most of the reprieve, winning five legs in a row. He turned the match around and moved within one leg of victory. Tata managed to hit back once, but Smith eventually won 8-5.

In the other semi-final, Pusey defeated defending champion Simon Whitlock. ‘The Wizard’ made a strong start with an immediate break, but then watched his compatriot move 6-2 ahead. Whitlock fought back by winning two legs, but could not avoid defeat.

The final therefore featured two of the season’s standout players. Smith had already won nights in Canberra and Auckland, while Pusey had claimed the titles in Melbourne and Newcastle. Pusey had also reached the final in Adelaide.

Four Oceania representatives confirmed for World Championship

With his title win, Smith will return to the World Darts Championship in London after five years away. At his previous appearance, in the 2021/22 edition, the Australian made a surprise run to the fourth round, where he was eventually knocked out by Mervyn King.

Smith joins Brody Klinge, Mal Cuming and Ben Robb, who have also qualified for the World Championship through Oceania’s qualifying routes.

The World Darts Championship will be held at Alexandra Palace in London from 11 December to 3 January. Smith will once again have the chance to showcase his game on the biggest stage in darts.

ANZ Premier League Finals Night results