Meet the Oceania Representatives for the 2025 New Zealand Darts Masters

The seventh World Series event of the season, and the second leg of the Down Under double-header, takes place this weekend. It’s the final World Series tournament of the year before the finals next month.

From Friday 15th to Saturday 16th August, the action heads to Auckland’s Spark Arena for the 2025 New Zealand Darts Masters.

The 16-player field features eight Oceania representatives: Australian legend Simon Whitlock, who has appeared in every World Series event held in Oceania, PDC Tour Card holder Haupai Puha; the top three players from the Darts Players New Zealand (DPNZ) tour; two DPNZ qualifiers; and a final spot claimed by a DPA qualifier. Let’s take a closer look at the Oceania hopefuls competing in Auckland.

Simon Whitlock

Nickname: The Wizard

At 56, Simon Whitlock remains the most recognisable and successful darts player from the Southern Hemisphere. Over a decorated two-decade career, The Wizard has claimed 18 PDC titles, including his breakthrough victory at the 2012 European Championship. Before joining the PDC, he reached the 2008 BDO World Championship final and two years later was runner-up to Phil Taylor at the 2010 PDC World Championship, losing 7–3 in sets.

Prior to turning professional full-time, Whitlock dominated the Darts Players Australia (DPA) circuit, winning 30 titles. One of his proudest achievements came in 2022, when he partnered Damon Heta to clinch Australia’s first PDC World Cup of Darts title. A consistent presence for his country, he’s known for passionate, high-quality performances in the green and gold.

After losing his PDC Tour Card at the end of 2024 and missing out on regaining it in 2025, Whitlock has turned his focus to the World Seniors Tour. He will also compete in Australia’s inaugural ANZ Premier League, set to kick off in October.

Round 1 Opponent: Chris Dobey

Haupai Puha - PDC World No.95

Nickname: Hopes

A latecomer to darts, Haupai Puha only started playing in 2017 but quickly rose through the ranks, winning DPA Pro Tour titles within two years. In 2018, he qualified for two World Series events as No. 2 on the DPNZ rankings, falling in the first round to Rob Cross and the late Kyle Anderson.

Since then, Puha has added six DPNZ Pro Tour titles to his name and made history in January 2024 by becoming the first New Zealander to earn a PDC Tour Card. A four-time World Cup of Darts participant representing New Zealand, he has proudly competed in both WDF and PDC events, appearing once at the WDF World Championship and twice at the PDC World Championship, exiting in the first round on all three occasions.

Round 1 Opponent: Luke Humphries

Jonny Tata - DPNZ #1

Nickname: JT

Tata’s darts journey began at age nine, inspired by his father, Ra Tata, a former national champion. After winning multiple national youth titles, he stepped away from the sport for a few years before returning in 2020 with renewed focus. Since then, Tata has established himself as New Zealand’s top player.

The 32-year-old from Wainuiomata has claimed five WDF-ranked titles and secured two DPNZ titles this season in Nelson and Hamilton, solidifying his No. 1 spot on the DPNZ tour. Tata impressed at the 2023 WDF World Championship, reaching the quarter-finals before narrowly losing to eventual champion Andy Baetens.

He made his World Series debut in 2023 at Hamilton, stunning Peter Wright 6-3 before a close 6-5 loss to Rob Cross. Tata returned in 2024 with another solid showing, falling 6-3 to Luke Littler. With his skill and experience, he remains a genuine threat capable of causing major upsets in Auckland.

Round 1 Opponent: Gerwyn Price

Mark Cleaver - DPNZ #2

Nickname: The Maestro

Cleaver, 57, from Taranaki, New Zealand, started playing darts relatively late at age 42 in 2009. He began competing in ranked events in 2012 and has since won seven BDO/WDF ranked titles, including being a three-time Auckland Open champion.

Cleaver made his World Series debut in 2015 at the Auckland Darts Masters and returned for the 2017 event and the 2018 Brisbane Masters. Despite tough draws, losing in the opening round on all three occasions to PDC elite opponents, he remains a strong competitor on the New Zealand darts scene.

Currently the No. 2 on the DPNZ rankings, Cleaver has claimed six titles since 2022, including back-to-back wins in Wellington earlier this year. In June, he made his debut representing New Zealand at the PDC World Cup of Darts alongside captain and Tour Card holder Haupai Puha, narrowly missing out in the group stages. He will look to make an impact on home soil in his fourth World Series appearance this weekend in Auckland.

Round 1 Opponent: Luke Littler

John Hurring - DPNZ #3

Nickname: The Danger

Hurring, 40, from Christchurch, New Zealand, is another latecomer to darts, having started the sport at age 29 in 2013. He made his World Series debut at the 2018 Auckland Darts Masters, narrowly losing 6-5 to then-reigning World Champion Rob Cross after missing match darts.

Hurring has since appeared twice more on the World Series, competing in New South Wales in 2023 and Wollongong in 2024, though both outings ended in heavy defeats to Rob Cross and Damon Heta, respectively.

Locally and nationally, he has shown solid improvement, capturing six DPNZ Pro Tour titles since 2023, including back-to-back wins in his hometown of Christchurch in March this year. He will aim to build on that form and enjoy the experience as he makes his fourth World Series appearance on home soil this weekend.

Round 1 Opponent: Josh Rock

Ben Robb - DPNZ Qualifier 1

Nickname: Big Rig

Robb, 36, from Canterbury, is one of New Zealand’s most high-profile and talented players over the past decade. He began competing in WDF events in 2018 and PDC events in 2019, amassing 14 WDF-ranked titles and a WDF World Cup pairs title in 2023.

Robb made his World Series debut at the 2018 Auckland Darts Masters, losing to Simon Whitlock, but avenged that defeat with a win over Whitlock in Hamilton 2019. He has since made five more World Series appearances across Oceania.

He dominated the DPNZ rankings from 2020 to 2023, claiming 18 DPNZ titles plus three DPA titles. Robb has represented New Zealand at the PDC World Cup three times (2022–24), narrowly exiting in the group stages twice and once in the second round. A five-time PDC World Championship qualifier, he has yet to progress beyond round one but has shown elite levels with a career-best average of 115.04 in a DPA event.

Robb remains determined to earn a Tour Card and develop greater consistency, making him a genuine threat backed by passionate home support in Auckland this weekend.

Round 1 Opponent: Stephen Bunting

Dean Reyland - DPNZ Qualifier 2

Based in Katikati, Dean Reyland is a relative unknown on the wider stage and currently sits 22nd in the DPNZ rankings. He has narrowly missed out on qualifying for previous World Series events in New Zealand.

Reyland runs a kiwifruit orchard with his wife and will likely feel a mix of nerves and excitement as he makes his televised debut against elite PDC competition on the World Series stage. He has shown competitive spirit locally, posting a career-high average of 88.39 earlier this year at a DPNZ event in Hamilton, including a notable victory over Ben Robb, before falling in the quarter-finals to tour card holder Haupai Puha.

Round 1 Opponent: Damon Heta

Gordon Mathers - DPA Qualifier

Nickname: GG

Mathers, 43, from Brisbane, is a seasoned figure in Australian darts with a career spanning competitive WDF and PDC events since 2011. He made his World Series debut at the 2018 Brisbane Darts Masters but was heavily beaten by Raymond van Barneveld in the first round.

A two-time winner of the WDF-ranked Sunshine State Classic, Mathers boasts an impressive 19 DPA Pro Tour titles, from his first in 2012 to a recent victory just two months ago in Albury.

Mathers earned a PDC Tour Card in January 2021 after finishing 8th on the UK Q-School Order of Merit. Despite valuable experience across 2021-22, inconsistent performances limited his success, with just one Players Championship quarter-final before losing his card in December 2022.

Returning to Australia, Mathers underwent a remarkable body transformation in 2024, shedding over 50kg, inspired by family and the loss of his father to heart failure.

He made a strong comeback by winning the 2024 DPA Oceanic Masters, defeating Harley Kemp 3-1 to secure his fourth PDC World Championship appearance. Though he has exited in the first round each time, he came closest this year, narrowly losing 3-2 to Ricky Evans while posting a higher average.

His standout World Series performance was a semi-final run at the 2022 Queensland Darts Masters, with wins over Fallon Sherrock and Michael Smith before losing to Gerwyn Price. Mathers will be aiming to cause more upsets in Auckland this weekend.

Round 1 Opponent: Mike De Decker

Closing Thoughts

This year’s Oceania line-up blends familiar faces with fresh talent and quality operators, all eager to claim scalps in Auckland. Backed by a passionate Spark Arena crowd, the local contingent will be fired up and ready to make their mark as the New Zealand Darts Masters gets underway.