Ben Robb and Kayden Milne have kicked off the 2026 DartPlayers New Zealand ProTour season by claiming the first two tournament titles in Wellington. Robb, who finished second on last season's DPNZ Order of Merit, won the second event with a convincing 7-2 victory over last year's winner Jonny Tata in the final. The 37-year-old's path included two deciding-leg group stage wins against Lance Odgers and Darren Herewini, a 6-4 semi-final victory over Herewini, and a dominant final performance for his 21st career DPNZ circuit title.
Kayden Milne opened the season by winning the first tournament, defeating former Tour Card holder Haupai Puha 7-2 in the final for his first ProTour title since February 2024. The 25-year-old won three of four group matches, including a ton-plus average display against Ian Makuch, survived match darts against Tony Lee in the knockout phase, then brushed aside Terry Jowett 5-1 before beating World Championship participant Jonny Tata 6-4 in the semi-final. This marked Milne's third career ProTour title.
Despite missing out on tournament wins, Jonny Tata tops the DPNZ Order of Merit after the opening weekend. The 2025 ANZ Premier League competitor reached the semi-finals of the first tournament and the final of the second, winning seventeen matches total while dropping just three legs across his first seven victories. His consistent performances give him the provisional rankings lead ahead of Robb and Milne.
The DPNZ ProTour continues in Christchurch with the third and fourth tournaments of the season scheduled for March 21 and 22, 2026. The player who finishes the year atop the rankings will earn a ticket to the World Darts Championship.
