Haupai Puha

Last updated

Haupai Puha
Personal information
Nickname"Hopes"
Born (1985-02-12) 12 February 1985 (age 39) [1]
Gisborne, New Zealand
Home town Wellington, New Zealand
Darts information
Playing darts since2017
Darts26g Shot Darts
Laterality Right-handed
Walk-on music"35" by Ka Hao ft. Rob Ruha
Organisation (see split in darts)
PDC 2017–
WDF 2021–2023
Current world ranking 119 Decrease2.svg 4 (3 October 2024) [2]
WDF major events – best performances
World Ch'ship Last 48: 2022
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'ship Last 96: 2021, 2024
UK Open Last 128: 2024
World Series Finals Last 16: 2023
Other tournament wins
Alan King Memorial 2018
Canterbury Classic 2023
Oceanic Masters 2023
Canterbury Open 2022, 2023
New Zealand Masters 2022
New Zealand Open 2021, 2023

DPA Pro Tour

DPA Pro Tour (Barooga) 2019
DPA Pro Tour (Dubbo) 2019 (x2)

DPNZ Pro Tour

DPNZ Pro Tour (Auckland) 2023
DPNZ Pro Tour (Christchurch) 2023
DPNZ Pro Tour (Dunedin) 2022
Medal record
Men's Darts
Representing Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
WDF World Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Esbjerg Men's pairs

Haupai Puha (born 12 February 1985) is a New Zealand professional darts player who currently plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He won a PDC tour card on 14 January 2024, making him the first ever New Zealand player to gain a card. [3] He is also a professional golfer.

Contents

Darts career

Puha qualified for two 2018 World Series of Darts events in Australia and New Zealand as the number two ranked player in the DPNZ rankings. He would lose in the first round of both events to Kyle Anderson in Auckland and to Rob Cross in Melbourne. He made his first PDC major appearance at the 2019 World Cup of Darts in Hamburg together with Cody Harris. They beat Lithuania and South Africa to reach the quarter-finals, eventually losing to Japan.

Puha also qualified for all three World Series events in Australia and New Zealand in 2019. He lost to Raymond van Barneveld in the first round of both the 2019 Brisbane Darts Masters and the 2019 Melbourne Darts Masters, and to Gary Anderson in the first round of the 2019 New Zealand Darts Masters.

Puha has played once in the WDF World Championship and twice in the PDC World Championship, losing in the first round on all three occasions.

Having won his PDC tour card in January 2024 Puha competed at the 2024 UK Open, beating Jelle Klaasen in the first round before losing to Wesley Plaisier in the second round. [4] On the 8th May 2024 Puha qualified for a European Tour event for the first time, [5] going on to lose to Niels Zonneveld in the opening round of the 2024 Dutch Darts Championship. [6]

Puha credits his experience with golf in making the transition to darts. [7]

World Championship results

PDC

WDF

Performance timeline

Tournament201920202021202220232024
PDC Ranked televised events
World Championship DNQ 1R DNQ 1R
UK Open DNQ 2R
WDF Ranked televised events
World Championship DNQ 1R DNQ
Australian Open DNQ RU QF DNQ
PDC Non-ranked televised events
World Series of Darts Finals DNQ 1R 2R 1R
World Cup of Darts 1R 1R DNQ RR

Related Research Articles

Andy Boulton is a Scottish professional darts player who plays in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He is nicknamed X-Factor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Henderson (darts player)</span> Scottish darts player

John Henderson is a Scottish darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is the current World Seniors Tour World and Matchplay champion. Henderson also won the 2021 PDC World Cup of Darts partnering Peter Wright for Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krzysztof Ratajski</span> Polish darts player (born 1977)

Krzysztof Ratajski is a Polish professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. His biggest achievement to date was winning the 2017 World Masters. Ratajski also plays on the Professional Darts Corporation's ProTour and has represented Poland at the PDC World Cup of Darts on numerous occasions. He is the most successful darts player to come from Poland. Together with Krzysztof Kciuk, he is the world record holder in pairs match average.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ross Smith (darts player)</span> English darts player

Ross Smith is an English professional darts player who plays in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He was the winner of the 2022 European Championship.

Jan Dekker is a Dutch former professional darts player. He reached the semi-finals of the BDO World Darts Championship twice, in 2011 and 2014.

MichaelMansell is a Northern Irish darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.

Joe Murnan is an English darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.

Noel James Kyle Anderson better known as Kyle Anderson, was an Australian professional darts player who played within the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) from 2012 to 2021. He won the 2017 Auckland Darts Masters tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Wilson (darts player)</span> English darts player

James Wilson is an English darts player who plays in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimitri Van den Bergh</span> Belgian darts player (born 1994)

Dimitri Barbara Peter Van den Bergh is a Belgian professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked No. 10 in the world. Nicknamed "The Dreammaker", he is a two-time World Youth Champion, the 2020 World Matchplay champion, after beating Gary Anderson 18–10 in the final, in his first time competing in the Matchplay, and also the reigning UK Open Champion, after beating Luke Humphries 11–10 in the final.

Corey Cadby is an Australian professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He was the 2016 World Youth champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Lennon</span> Irish darts player

Stephen Brendan Lennon is an Irish professional darts player who plays in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron Menzies</span> Scottish darts player

Cameron Menzies is a Scottish darts player who competes in events of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Schindler</span> German darts player

Martin Schindler is a German professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. He is the current International Darts Open and Swiss Darts Trophy champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Callan Rydz</span> English darts player

Callan Rydz is an English professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.

The 2018 bwin World Series of Darts Finals was the fourth staging of the World Series of Darts Finals tournament, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation. The tournament took place in the Multiversum Schwechat, Vienna, Austria, from 2–4 November 2018. It featured a field of 24 players.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Heta</span> Australian darts player (born 1987)

Damon Heta is an Australian professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is currently ranked No. 8 in the world. He won the 2019 Brisbane Darts Masters and also, in pairs with Simon Whitlock, the World Cup of Darts in 2022. His nickname is "The Heat", a play on letters within his surname.

Tim Pusey is an Australian professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 PDC World Darts Championship</span> 28th edition of the PDCs World Championship event

The 2021 PDC World Darts Championship was the 28th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. The collapse of the BDO in September 2020 and subsequent postponement of the World Darts Federation-sanctioned event meant that this edition was the first undisputed World Championship in the sport since John Lowe won the BDO World Darts Championship in 1993. The event took place at the Alexandra Palace in London from 15 December 2020 – 3 January 2021, and was played behind closed doors, except for the first day of the tournament, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2024 New Zealand Darts Masters was the fourth staging of the tournament by the Professional Darts Corporation, and the seventh entry in the 2024 World Series of Darts. The tournament featured 16 players and was held at the Globox Arena in Hamilton, New Zealand on 16–17 August 2024.

References

  1. "Haupai Puha". Mastercaller.com. 12 February 1985. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  2. "PDC Order of Merit". PDPA. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  3. "Haupai Puha becomes first ever New Zealander to win PDC Tour Card at Q-School". 14 January 2024.
  4. "Darts results: Dimitri van den Bergh survives last-leg decider to beat Luke Humphries in the UK Open final".
  5. "De Graaf, Taylor & Bates complete ET7-8 qualification double". 8 May 2024.
  6. "Magnificent Menzies breezes past Barney in Rosmalen". 24 May 2024.
  7. "Darts: Fearless Haupai Puha ready to face world's best at Auckland Masters". Newshub.