Home hero Klinge downs Smith at Australian Darts Masters to set up Van Veen clash

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/klinge-brody/UoZMGUEF/"]Klinge[/a] was the only Oceanic player to progress from Friday's action in Wollongong, producing an 11-dart break in the deciding leg to defeat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-ross/l8mIsYNm/"]Smith[/a].[/p][p]Smith hit eight 180s and averaged 102.88, but missed two match darts in the final leg as Klinge took his chance to secure the biggest win of his career.[/p][embed guid="6172fd83-834c-4b47-8709-718344f3a495" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2090735942403240100?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]“I’m over the moon with that. That was the adrenaline rush of my life,” [/b]said the 34-year-old, who averaged 96.[/p][p][b]“I felt a lot more comfortable playing this time around, and it showed in my performance, I think.[/b][/p][p][b]“Ross was throwing everything at me. I was lucky he missed at the end there, but I took my chance.[/b][/p][p][b]“I’m on a free rein now. I’m just going to do my best and keep going. There’s no pressure on me.”[/b][/p][p]Australia's Klinge will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-veen-gian/jgT1AT29/"]Gian van Veen[/a] in the last eight after the world number two beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smith-raymond/pvhgBhO5/"]Raymond Smith[/a] 6-3.[/p][p]Van Veen sealed his victory in style, producing a superb 161 checkout to finish off a tidy performance.[/p][image alt="Van Veen celebrates in Wollongong" id="77c725f2-65e6-430c-a805-72c6ede73983" credit-line="James O'Connor / PDC" guid="05f1224d-69c2-46da-aad6-7a363acb387c" original-width="1920" original-height="1280" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wade-james/MRrXjBAB/"]Wade[/a] then recorded the highest average of the day, posting 112.73 in a 6-0 battering of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pusey-tim/Mc6GDN26/"]Tim Pusey[/a].[/p][p]His average was the second-highest recorded at a World Series of Darts event in Australia. He finished with a sensational 164 checkout on the bull.[/p][p][b]“That felt amazing. Everything just fell into my hands there,”[/b] Wade said.[/p][p][b]“I think I’m guilty of sometimes forgetting how lucky I am to do what I do, but I’m just happy to be here, and I’m playing alright.[/b][/p][p][b]“I’m not here to make the numbers up, but I’m amongst some great players. If I replicate that level tomorrow, everyone is stuffed, but tomorrow is a different day!”[/b][/p][embed guid="2a79cc7e-3ef6-4690-aa5f-83ff678db76a" url="https://x.com/OfficialPDC/status/2090758489480036460?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Wade will meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bunting-stephen/xANKMtPG/"]Stephen Bunting[/a] in the quarter-finals after the Liverpudlian beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cuming-mal/YL8UgB9l/"]Mal Cuming[/a] 6-3. [/p][p]Bunting won the opening three legs before Cuming threatened to fight back, but 'The Bullet' held on to progress.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/price-gerwyn/8dDDoW0B/"]Gerwyn Price[/a] also moved into the last eight with a 6-2 victory over Australian fan favourite [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/whitlock-simon/GI5Dl2XG/"]Simon Whitlock[/a]. The Welsh star won four successive legs and finished with back-to-back checkouts of 124 and 108.[/p][p]Price will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rock-josh/xKxxNY1P/"]Josh Rock[/a], who also came from behind to beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leek-adam/6sV6YXsg/"]Adam Leek[/a] 6-3. Rock trailed 3-2 before winning four straight legs and producing two ton-plus checkouts.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/clayton-jonny/tx0y2xRD/"]Jonny Clayton[/a], meanwhile, began his bid for back-to-back World Series titles with a 6-3 triumph over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robb-ben/OQW8jWtR/"]Ben Robb[/a]. He will face Australian number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heta-damon/GYfQQCI6/"]Damon Heta[/a], who averaged 102.39 in a 6-2 win against compatriot [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/comito-joe/MP98efAG/"]Joe Comito[/a].[/p][p]The Australian Darts Masters concludes on Saturday, with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all taking place at the WIN Entertainment Centre.[/p][h2]Results[/h2][p]Brody Klinge 6-5 Ross Smith[/p][p]Stephen Bunting 6-3 Mal Cuming[/p][p]Josh Rock 6-3 Adam Leek[/p][p]James Wade 6-0 Tim Pusey[/p][p]Gian van Veen 6-3 Raymond Smith[/p][p]Jonny Clayton 6-3 Ben Robb[/p][p]Gerwyn Price 6-2 Simon Whitlock[/p][p]Damon Heta 6-2 Joe Comito[/p][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/darts/australia/australian-darts-masters/"]Follow the Australian Darts Masters with Flashscore![/a][/h2]