Haupai Puha

{{short description|New Zealand darts player (born 1985)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox darts player | image = | name = Haupai Puha | fullname = | nickname = "Hopes" | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|2|12|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mastercaller.com/players/haupai-puha |title=Haupai Puha player profile |publisher=Mastercaller}}</ref> | birth_place = Gisborne, New Zealand | death_date = | death_place = | hometown = Wellington, New Zealand | since = 2017 | darts = 24g Shot Signature | laterality = Right-handed | music = "35" by Ka Hao ft. Rob Ruha | PDC = 2017–2025 (Tour Card: 2024–2025) | WDF = 2021–2023 | currentrank = | BDO World = Last 48: 2022 | World Masters = | World Darts Trophy = | PDC World = Last 96: 2021, 2024 | Matchplay = | Grand Prix = | UK Open = Last 64: 2025 | European = | Premier League = | World Series Finals = Last 16: 2023 | results = {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''Alan King Memorial''' | 2018 | '''Canterbury Classic''' | 2023 | '''Canterbury Open''' | 2022, 2023 | '''DPA Oceanic Masters''' | 2023 | '''New Zealand Masters''' | 2022 | '''New Zealand Open''' | 2021, 2023 }} '''''PDC Affiliate tours''''' {{aligned table|leftright=y|fullwidth=y|class=nowrap | '''DPA Pro Tour''' | {{plainlist| * 2019 (×3) }} | '''DPNZ Pro Tour''' | {{plainlist| * 2022 (×1) * 2023 (×2) * 2024 (×2) * 2025 (×1) }} }} | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's Darts}} {{MedalCountry | {{NZL}}}} {{MedalCompetition | WDF World Cup}} {{MedalGold | 2023 Esbjerg | Men's pairs}} }} '''Haupai Puha''' (born 12 February 1985) is a New Zealand professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. Nicknamed '''"Hopes"''', Puha is the first player from New Zealand to have won a PDC Tour Card, having won one in 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://dartsnews.com/pdc/haupai-puha-becomes-first-ever-new-zealander-to-win-pdc-tour-card-at-q-school | title=Haupai Puha becomes first ever New Zealander to win PDC Tour Card at Q-School | date=14 January 2024 |website=Darts News }}</ref>

He has won titles on both the affiliated Darts Players Australia and Darts Players New Zealand tours, and has represented New Zealand at both the PDC World Cup of Darts and the WDF World Cup.

== Early and personal life == Born on 12 February 1985 in Gisborne, Puha is Māori, of Ngāti Porou.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Māori world pro circuit darts player taking aim at the best |url=https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/08/05/maori-world-pro-circuit-darts-player-taking-aim-at-the-best/ |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=Te Ao Māori News |language=en}}</ref> He grew up in Wellington and started playing golf at age 15,<ref name=":0" /> going on to play for Wellington's men's team<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodcock |first=Fred |date=29 August 2009 |title=Rapid rise up the order surprises Wellington No 2 |url=https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-post-1022/20090829/282707633087953?srsltid=AfmBOorxvOsXFM3RPKmSUwj0qL1Amwn3AUUa31C4bQg9jGvQGQglC7ki |access-date=22 August 2025 |website=Dominion Post}}</ref> and winning the New Zealand Māori Golf Match Play Championship in 2010 and 2012.<ref name=":0" /> He started playing darts in 2015<ref name=":0" /> and has credited his experience with golf in making the transition to darts.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Darts: Fearless Haupai Puha ready to face world's best at Auckland Masters |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/08/darts-fearless-haupai-puha-ready-to-face-world-s-best-at-auckland-masters.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609020431/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/08/darts-fearless-haupai-puha-ready-to-face-world-s-best-at-auckland-masters.html |archive-date=9 June 2019 |newspaper=Newshub}}</ref>

Prior to going professional as a darts player, Puha worked as a roofer. He and his wife Kawhena have three children.<ref name=":0" />

==Darts career== In 2018, Puha qualified for two World Series events 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.

In 2019, he made his first appearance at the World Cup of Darts, partnering 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 Brisbane Masters and the Melbourne Masters, and to Gary Anderson in the first round of the New Zealand 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. He beat Jelle Klaasen in the first round before losing to Wesley Plaisier in the second round.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sportinglife.com/darts/news/darts-results-dimitri-van-den-bergh-survives-last-leg-decider-to-beat-luke-humphries-in-the-uk-open-final/216332 | title=Darts results: Dimitri van den Bergh survives last-leg decider to beat Luke Humphries in the UK Open final |publisher=Sporting Life}}</ref> On 8 May 2024, Puha qualified for a European Tour event for the first time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2024/may/08/de-graaf-taylor-bates-complete-et7-8-qualification-double | title=De Graaf, Taylor & Bates complete ET7-8 qualification double | date=8 May 2024 }}</ref> He lost to Niels Zonneveld in the opening round of the 2024 Dutch Darts Championship.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pdc.tv/news/2024/may/24/magnificent-menzies-breezes-past-barney-rosmalen | title=Magnificent Menzies breezes past Barney in Rosmalen | date=24 May 2024 }}</ref>

==World Championship results== ===PDC=== * 2021: First round (lost to Mickey Mansell 0–3) (sets) * 2024: First round (lost to Martin Lukeman 1–3) * 2026: First round (lost to Niels Zonneveld 0–3)

===WDF=== * 2022: First round (lost to Ben Hazel 1–2)

==Performance timeline== Source: <ref name="Database">{{cite web |title=Haupai Puha Player Profile |url=https://www.dartsdatabase.co.uk/player-profile-live.php?pid=24349/ |website=Darts Database}}</ref>

'''WDF''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Tournament !! 2022 !! 2023 |- | colspan="10" style="text-align:left" |'''WDF Ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;" | {{nowrap|World Championship}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|PDC |- | style="background:#efefef;" | Australian Open | style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|F | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF |- |}

'''PDC''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Tournament !! 2019 !! 2020 !! 2021 !! 2022 !! 2023 !! 2024 !! 2025 !! 2026 |- | colspan="10" style="text-align:left" |'''PDC Ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;" | PDC World Championship | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R |- | style="background:#efefef;" | PDC World Masters | colspan="6" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| Prel. | |- | style="background:#efefef;" | UK Open | colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Did not qualify | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|4R | |- | colspan="10" style="text-align:left" |'''PDC Non-ranked televised events''' |- | style="background:#efefef;" | World Series of Darts Finals | colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | |- | style="background:#efefef;" | {{nowrap|PDC World Cup of Darts}} | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| 1R | colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| RR | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"| RR | |- | colspan="13" align="left" |'''Career statistics''' |- |- bgcolor="efefef" | align="left" |{{nowrap|'''Season-end ranking (PDC)'''}} | style="text-align:center;|NR | style="text-align:center;|125 | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;|NR | style="text-align:center;|149 | style="text-align:center;|133 | | |}

'''PDC European Tour''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:50%; margin:0" |- ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2024 | colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNQ | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|BSD 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|DDC 1R | colspan="6" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Did not qualify |- |}

'''PDC Players Championships''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:20%; margin:0; font-size:84%" ! Season !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! 22 !! 23 !! 24 !! 25 !! 26 !! 27 !! 28 !! 29 !! 30 !! 31 !! 32 !! 33 !! 34 |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;" | 2024 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|MIL 2R | colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|MIL Did not participate | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | colspan="7" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Did not participate |- | style="text-align:center;"background:#efefef;"| 2025 | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 4R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|ROS 2R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|HIL DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 3R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|MIL DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|HIL 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 2R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|LEI 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|WIG 1R |- |}

'''PDC World Series of Darts''' {| class="wikitable" style="width:50%; margin:0" ! Tournament ! 2018 ! 2019 ! 2022 ! 2023 ! 2024 ! 2025 |- |align=left| Auckland Darts Masters | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held |- |align=left| Melbourne Darts Masters | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held |- |align=left| Brisbane Darts Masters | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held |- |align=left| New Zealand Darts Masters | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|NH | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R |- |align=left| Queensland Darts Masters | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|NH | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF | colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|NH |- |align=left| {{nowrap|New South Wales Darts Masters}} | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|NH | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|DNP | colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|NH |- |align=left| Australian Darts Masters | colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;"|Not held | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{DartsOrakel|Haupai Puha}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Puha, Haupai}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:New Zealand darts players Category:Professional Darts Corporation former tour card holders Category:Sportspeople from Wellington City Category:PDC World Cup of Darts team New Zealand Category:New Zealand Māori sportspeople Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen

Haupai Puha

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