‘Snakebite’ too good in first round at the Auckland Darts Masters

CONCENTRATION: Gisborne’s Tahuna Irwin takes aim in the first round of the Auckland Darts Masters last night. Irwin lost 6-3 to world No.2 Peter “Snakebite” Wright. Photosport/PDC picture

World No.2 Peter “Snakebite” Wright proved too good for Gisborne’s Tahuna Irwin in the first round of the Auckland Darts Masters last night.

Irwin, 21, described his first time on “the big stage” as “nerve-racking” after falling 6-3 to the colourful Scotsman, who wore a bright green Mohawk and had two Kiwis painted on to the right side of his head.

Wright was a hot favourite and underlined that with a comfortable victory over the young qualifier known as “the Beast”, who made his entry on to the stage to the sound of the classic New Zealand song Poi E.

Irwin, who warmed up for three hours for the biggest moment of his rising career so far, struggled to find his range, and did not make enough triples.

He averaged 86.59 to Wright’s 94.77, which had been over 100 in the earlier stages of the match.

Wright quickly went 2-0 up but Irwin took his chance when it came to close it to 2-1, only for Wright to win the next two legs.

Irwin fought back to make it 4-2, then 5-3 before Wright closed it out with a bullseye for a 6-3 win.

Commentator and two-time world champion Rod Harrington noted the nerves in Irwin’s play but pointed out that it was the Gisborne player’s first time competing at this level. Irwin would only get better from here, he said.

Irwin captured attention in Auckland and will have learned plenty from this short but intense experience as he builds towards the world youth championships and world championships in London at the end of the year.

The Auckland Masters features several of the world’s top players, including world No.1 Michael van Gerwen and reigning world champion Rob Cross.

Cross sneaked into the quarterfinals with a 6-5 win against Christchurch qualifier John Hurring, while Van Gerwen eased past Aucklander Cody Harris 6-2.

The upset of the night was provided by Ashhurst 50-year-old Mark McGrath, who beat Englishman Mike Smith 6-4.