World No. 1 Luke Littler and defending champion Luke Humphries advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 US Darts Masters on Thursday night, while Canadian veteran Jim Long delivered the major upset of the opening round by eliminating Josh Rock. Littler secured a 6-4 victory over David Cameron, and Humphries cruised past Leonard Gates 6-1 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden.
Littler faced early resistance from Cameron, falling behind 4-3 before rallying to win three consecutive legs. The 19-year-old hit five maximums to close out the match, securing his spot in Friday’s quarter-finals. The victory aligns with the official match results from the opening night in New York. Humphries, aiming for back-to-back titles, dominated Gates from the start and noted his confidence remains high following eight consecutive finals appearances across recent events.
The most surprising outcome belonged to Long, who defeated Rock 6-4. Rock recovered from a slow start to tie the match at 3-3, but Long won three of the final four legs to advance. The victory mirrors his 2023 performance at the same venue, where he defeated Michael Smith.
“It’s an amazing feeling to win on this stage,” Long said following the match. “I’ve played Josh three times on the tour so we’re familiar with each other, and I was fortunate he missed a couple of doubles at the end there.”
The remainder of the field advanced without incident. Gian van Veen defeated Fred Krueger 6-1, Gerwyn Price beat Brayden Hall 6-4, and James Wade secured a 6-3 win over Adam Sevada. Jonny Clayton and Stephen Bunting both recorded 6-2 victories over Gary Mawson and Alex Spellman, respectively. The Friday quarter-finals will feature Long facing Littler, while Humphries takes on Bunting.