The 2024 New Zealand Darts Masters begins on Friday, as reigning champion Rob Cross and New Zealand’s number one Haupai Puha renew their rivalry in Hamilton.
The second leg of the PDC's World Series of Darts Oceanic double-header will take place on August 16-17, as 2018 World Champion Cross sets his sights on retaining the title at the GLOBOX Arena.
The 33-year-old denied Nathan Aspinall to triumph at this event 12 months ago, before adding a fourth World Series of Darts title to his résumé with victory in June’s US Darts Masters.
However, Cross faces a tough assignment against home favourite Puha, after edging through a deciding-leg clash when the pair went head-to-head in Wollongong last weekend.
“My performances weren’t really there in Wollongong,” conceded Cross, also a runner-up at the Nordic Darts Masters and Poland Darts Masters in 2024.
“I’ve just got to put that down to a blip, and now I need to make sure I put on a bigger and better performance this week.
“It will be another tough game against Haupai, but I feel really good, I feel refreshed and I think I’ll be a lot better prepared.”
Puha made history in January when he became the first New Zealander to win a PDC Tour Card at Qualifying School, and the 39-year-old is relishing his latest showdown against Cross.
“I'm really looking forward to it,” insisted home hero Puha, a World Cup of Darts quarter-finalist in 2019.
“This is one of the tournaments at the top of the list for me, playing in front of my home crowd and in front of my family, and hopefully I can produce my A-game.
“I was lucky not to lose 6-0 against Rob last week, but then I was a bit unlucky not to win in the end, so hopefully I can start a little bit better and build on the finish that I had.”
Gerwyn Price celebrated New Zealand Darts Masters glory back in 2022, and the Welshman is now bidding to complete the double Down Under after winning last weekend’s Australian Darts Masters.
The 2021 World Champion also celebrated victory in June’s Nordic Darts Masters, and he’s in buoyant mood ahead of his first round clash against New Zealand’s number two Ben Robb.
“I’m looking forward to playing here in New Zealand, and fingers crossed I can do the double,” claimed Price, the number two seed this weekend.
“I came to Australia with no confidence at all, so I was glad to get over the winning line in Wollongong, and it was nice to play well in the final.
“Coming Down Under over these last two weeks is hopefully going to push me on and give me confidence for the rest of the season, where I’ll hopefully get my top form back.”
Price dispatched Luke Littler 8-1 to triumph in the Australian Darts Masters showpiece, and the teenager is determined to make amends when he makes his debut in New Zealand on Friday.
The 17-year-old will play last year’s quarter-finalist Jonny Tata in his opener, as he bids to join Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson in claiming a hat-trick of World Series titles in the same calendar year.
"It’s been a great experience coming to Australia and New Zealand and meeting all the fans,” revealed the Premier League champion.
“I’ve struggled to adjust my sleeping pattern so I’ve felt a bit tired at times, but I’ll be well rested for Friday.
“I want to end the trip with a bang and hopefully go one better than last week.”
World Champion Luke Humphries will also headline this weekend’s action in Hamilton, and the world number one has been pitted against Kayden Milne, who made the quarter-finals back in 2022.
Humphries suffered a quarter-final exit at the hands of Dimitri Van den Bergh in Wollongong last weekend, although he’s hopeful of bouncing back and ending this year’s World Series of Darts roadshow in style.
“The World Series hasn’t gone to plan for me so far, so I am hungry to win a title and I’d love it to be here in New Zealand,” declared the World Matchplay champion.
“It’s been an amazing trip so far. Coming to the other side of the world with my dad is a dream for both of us and we’ve made some great memories.
“It’s a long way home and I’d love to be travelling back with the title ahead of a busy end to the year.”
Van den Bergh will kick off his campaign against New Zealand’s Mark Cleaver, and victory for the Belgian could set up a repeat of last weekend’s semi-final showdown against top seed Littler.
Having combined to lift the World Cup of Darts title in 2022, Australian icons Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock will also go head-to-head, with Cross or Puha awaiting the winner in the last eight.
Elsewhere, world number two Michael Smith faces DartPlayers Australia Order of Merit leader Jeremy Fagg, while two-time World Champion Peter Wright meets debutant Daniel Snookes in the tournament’s curtain-raiser.
Friday's first round begins at 1900 local time (0800 BST) at the GLOBOX Arena, before the decisive quarter-finals, semi-finals and final are held on Saturday August 17.
The 2024 New Zealand Darts Masters will be broadcast live on Sky Sport in New Zealand and Fox Sports in Australia, through DAZN in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and on PDCTV in all other global territories.
UK fans can also watch live on PDCTV and ITVX, with delayed coverage on ITV4 getting underway from 1900 BST on Friday, and 1700 BST on Saturday.
2024 New Zealand Darts Masters
August 16-17, GLOBOX Arena, Hamilton
Draw Bracket
(1) Luke Littler v Jonny Tata
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Mark Cleaver
(4) Luke Humphries v Kayden Milne
Michael Smith v Jeremy Fagg
(2) Gerwyn Price v Ben Robb
Peter Wright v Daniel Snookes
(3) Rob Cross v Haupai Puha
Damon Heta v Simon Whitlock
Friday August 16 (1900 local time)
First Round
Peter Wright v Daniel Snookes
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Mark Cleaver
Michael Smith v Jeremy Fagg
Luke Humphries v Kayden Milne
Gerwyn Price v Ben Robb
Rob Cross v Haupai Puha
Luke Littler v Jonny Tata
Damon Heta v Simon Whitlock
Saturday August 17 (1900 local time)
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Format
First Round - Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals - Best of 11 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 13 legs
Final - Best of 15 legs