Ben Robb and Kayden Milne claimed glory in the opening DartPlayers New Zealand ProTour events of 2026, as the season kicked off in Wellington. Robb – who finished second on last year’s DPNZ Rankings – took the Event Two title on the first weekend of ProTour action in New Zealand, downing last year’s winner Jonny […]
Ben Robb and Kayden Milne claimed glory in the opening DartPlayers New Zealand ProTour events of 2026, as the season kicked off in Wellington.
Robb – who finished second on last year’s DPNZ Rankings – took the Event Two title on the first weekend of ProTour action in New Zealand, downing last year’s winner Jonny Tata 7-2 in the final.
The 37-year-old won all four of his group stage clashes, despite being taken to last-leg deciders against Lance Odgers and Darren Herewini.
Robb then conceded just two legs in reaching the final, where he once again dispatched Herewini by a 6-4 margin, before seeing off Tata to claim his 21st DPNZ title.
However, Milne prevailed in the opening event of 2026, slaying former Tour Card Holder Haupai Puha 7-2 in the final.
The talented 25-year-old won three of his four group stage matches, including a ton-plus average in whitewashing Ian Makuch, to reach the knockout stage.
Milne – who hadn’t won a DPNZ ProTour title since February 2024 – then picked up a brace of whitewash wins before surviving match darts to edge past Tony Lee, before cruising past Terry Jowett 5-1.
The Invercargill-based arrowsmith then saw off World Championship star Tata in the semi-final 6-4, before bettering Puha to pick up a career third title on the ProTour circuit.
Despite not winning a title, Tata leads the Rankings after the opening weekend of action, thanks to reaching the semi-final and final in Events One and Two respectively.
The 2025 ANZ Premier League star ceded just three legs in his opening seven wins of Event One, winning 17 games across the weekend despite falling short to eventual winners Milne and Robb, who are placed third and second respectively in the Rankings.
The DPNZ ProTour will continue in Christchurch, with Events Three and Four taking place from March 21-22, as the player to secure top spot on the overall Rankings will qualify for the 2026/27 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
2026 DartPlayers New Zealand ProTour
Event One
Quarter-Finals
Jonny Tata 5-3 Tukina Weko
Kayden Milne 5-1 Terry Jowett
Caleb Hope 5-0 Alex Jessop
Haupai Puha 5-4 Josh Roberts
Semi-Finals
Kayden Milne 6-4 Jonny Tata
Haupai Puha 6-4 Caleb Hope
Final
Kayden Milen 7-2 Haupai Puha
Event Two
Quarter-Finals
Jonny Tata 5-0 Haunui Hira
Mark Cleaver 5-1 Alan Skayman
Ben Robb 5-0 Jack Sheppard
Darren Herewini 5-4 Haupai Puha
Semi-Finals
Jonny Tata 6-1 Mark Cleaver
Ben Robb 6-4 Darren Herewini
Final
Ben Robb 7-2 Jonny Tata