Haupai Puha returned to winning ways on the DPNZ ProTour last weekend, as Jonny Tata secured his second title of 2025 in Hamilton.
New Zealand’s number one Puha kicked off the weekend’s double-header with Event Seven glory, dispatching John Hurring 7-2 to clinch his sixth DPNZ ProTour title.
Following four successive wins in the round-robin phase, Puha powered past Zacarno King and Marc Cossey before whitewashing Jaymie Hilton-Jones in the quarter-finals.
The 40-year-old continued his march towards the title with a resounding 6-2 victory against David Adams in the last four, which he backed up with another emphatic success against Hurring.
Tata – an Event Six winner in Nelson last month – then doubled his yearly title tally with a stunning 7-0 whitewash of Mark Cleaver in Sunday’s Event Eight showpiece.
The 32-year-old relinquished just two legs in his four group-stage victories, and two further whitewash wins against Clinton Julies and Andy Watkins confirmed his place in the last eight.
Tata then demolished Craig Caldwell in the quarter-finals, although he was forced to defy a spirited fightback from Anthony Benitez to complete a deciding-leg win in the semi-finals.
Tata’s exploits have seen him leapfrog Cleaver and move to the top of the DPNZ Order of Merit, with Event Seven runner-up Hurring retaining third place over former World Cup star Ben Robb.
Tata, Cleaver and Hurring have subsequently secured their qualification for the SkyCity New Zealand Darts Masters, which will take place at the SparkArena in Auckland on August 15-16.
The DPNZ ProTour season will continue in Auckland on September 13-14, as the Howick Club in Auckland plays host to the year’s penultimate weekend of ProTour action.
2025 DartPlayers New Zealand ProTour
Event Seven
Quarter-Finals
David Adams 5-1 David Bowers
Haupai Puha 5-0 Jaymie Hilton-Jones
Jonny Tata 5-2 Dean Reyland
John Hurring 5-3 Craig Caldwell
Semi-Finals
Haupai Puha 6-2 David Adams
John Hurring 6-2 Jonny Tata
Final
Haupai Puha 7-2 John Hurring
Event Eight
Quarter-Finals
Mark Cleaver 5-4 Jack Sheppard
Haupai Puha 5-4 Jaymie Hilton-Jones
Jonny Tata 5-1 Craig Caldwell
Anthony Benitez 5-2 Tukina Weko
Semi-Finals
Mark Cleaver 6-4 Haupai Puha
Jonny Tata 6-5 Anthony Benitez
Final
Jonny Tata 7-0 Mark Cleaver