Mark Cleaver, Kayden Milne and Ben Robb will all feature in August’s New Zealand Darts Masters, after sealing their qualification in Hamilton last weekend.
Cleaver and John Hurring shared the spoils in last weekend's DartPlayers New Zealand ProTour double-header, with Cleaver, Milne and Robb finishing in the top three of the DPNZ NZ Darts Masters rankings.
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Hurring defeated Cleaver in Saturday’s Event Seven showpiece, conceding just three legs in eight matches before prevailing in a last-leg decider to secure his third title of 2024.
Cleaver whitewashed Darren Herewini and swept aside Milne in the semi-finals, although he surrendered a 4-2 advantage in the Event Seven decider, with Hurring running out a 7-6 winner.
However, Cleaver captured his second title of the campaign in Sunday’s Event Eight, dispatching Hipirini Tewhakaara 7-1 to secure top spot on the DPNZ NZ Darts Masters rankings.
The 56-year-old also overcame Frank Bush and Alan Skayman in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively to confirm his big stage return in August’s World Series of Darts event.
Milne - a quarterfinalist at the 2022 NZ Darts Masters - will also star after finishing second on the rankings above Ben Robb, who will partner Haupai Puha at next month’s World Cup of Darts.
Puha, currently playing on the will also headline the NZ Darts Masters on home soil alongside Australian stalwart Simon Whitlock, with a further three Oceania representatives to be confirmed in July.
World No 1 Luke Humphries and teenage superstar Luke Littler will both make their debuts Down Under, with reigning NZ Darts Masters champion Rob Cross set to defend his title.
Former world champions Michael Smith, Gerwyn Price and Peter Wright have also been included, as have UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh and Australian No 1 Damon Heta.
The 2024 New Zealand Darts Masters will take place at Hamilton's Globox Arena on August 16-17, as the 16-player field compete for the coveted title across two days of action.
DARTPLAYERS NEW ZEALAND PROTOUR RESULTS
Event Seven Saturday, May 11, Hamilton
Quarterfinals Wayne McRae 5-3 Ben Robb John Hurring 5-1 David Adams Kayden Milne 5-1 Jaymie Hilton-Jones Mark Cleaver 5-0 Darren Herewini
Semifinals John Hurring 6-1 Wayne McRae Mark Cleaver 6-2 Kayden Milne
Final John Hurring 7-6 Mark Cleaver
Event Eight Sunday May 12, Hamilton
Quarterfinals Ben Robb 5-3 David Adams Hipirini Tewhakaara 5-4 John Hurring Alan Skayman 5-1 Kayden Milne Mark Cleaver 5-3 Frank Bush
Semifinals Hipirini Tewhakaara 6-4 Ben Robb Mark Cleaver 6-4 Alan Skayman
Final Mark Cleaver 7-1 Hipirini Tewhakaara
NZ DARTS MASTERS QUALIFIERS
PDC Players Luke Humphries (ENG) Michael Smith (ENG) Gerwyn Price (WAL) Rob Cross (ENG) Peter Wright (SCO) Luke Littler (ENG) Dimitri Van den Bergh (BEL) Damon Heta (AUS)
Oceania Players Haupai Puha (NZL) Simon Whitlock (AUS) Mark Cleaver (NZL) Kayden Milne (NZL) Ben Robb (NZL) DPNZ Q1 (July 6) DPNZ Q2 (July 7) DPA OOM leader (July 14);