Big-stage debutant Jonny Tata and seasoned professional Haupai Puha (Ngāti Porou) have delighted fans with high-profile victories at the 2023 NZ Darts Masters in Hamilton.
Tata, 30, claimed a stunning 6-3 victory over two-time world champion and world no. 2 Peter Wright, 53, of Scotland in a dream world series debut on Friday, while Puha defeated world no. 13 Dimitri Van den Bergh of Belgium, 6-2.
“It’s an unreal feeling, I can’t really explain it,” said Tata. “It’s something I thought would never happen, and it did.”
The Hutt Valley truckie said the experience was truly “magical”.
“Even to compete against Peter Wright I was happy, so coming out with the win on top is something magical. I’m absolutely thrilled.”
Wright led 2-1 in the early stages but Tata fought back to level and then go ahead 5-2. And although Tata missed the first opportunity to take out the match, he didn’t let the second chance pass him by.
“It’s something I was so excited for and I suppose the nerves weren’t there as much as I thought they would have been. Once I got onto stage, everything fell into place.”
Tata will now meet another former world champion Rob Cross in the quarter-finals on Saturday after the English star overcame veteran Kiwi Warren Parry 6-3.
Puha, meanwhile, enjoyed his first world series of darts win in New Zealand, overcoming Van den Bergh after the Belgian also took an early 2-1 lead.
“It’s awesome, to do what I did in front of the New Zealand crowd is an honour and a privilege,” Puha said.
Puha, 38, landed a trio of 180s and three ton-plus finishes of 110, 112 and 126 to surge into a 5-2 lead before completing a huge win on double one.
“I’m very happy - it’s one of the best moments of my career. I treated it like it was just another game in the garage,” he said.
Puha’s quarter-final opponent is England’s Nathan Aspinall after the new world matchplay champion saw off Kiwi youngster Kayden Milne 6-2.