Jonny Clayton has been drawn against Gary Mawson in the first round of the 2026 bet365 US Darts Masters at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden.
The Welshman is part of the eight-player PDC contingent in New York, where Thursday’s opening round pits the invited PDC names against North American representatives before Friday’s Finals Day.
Clayton’s assignment carries a useful edge for the Madison Square Garden crowd. Mawson is a seasoned American-based campaigner and former UK Open runner-up, while Clayton arrives as one of the established PDC names trying to turn World Series opportunity into a deep run.
Clayton Given Mawson Test In New York
According to Sky Sports’ US Darts Masters schedule, Clayton v Mawson sits on a first-round card that also includes Luke Littler v David Cameron and Luke Humphries v Leonard Gates.
The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are all scheduled for Friday evening in New York, making a fast start essential for Clayton if he is to stay in the title race after one short-format opener.
The event also runs alongside the North American Championship, with the regional field playing for major rewards including World Darts Championship and Grand Slam of Darts qualification.
For Clayton, that gives the opener a clean brief: handle Mawson quickly, avoid a North American upset, and arrive on Finals Day with rhythm already established.
