Irwin has, however, already had the pleasure of taking on Taylor, who is now retired. He played him in an exhibition match in Upper Hutt in January and came within a double finish of beating the great one.
“It was unbelievable,” said Irwin. “I came out to my song, Adventure of a Lifetime by Cold Play, and he was dancing away to it. I lost but at least I will always be able to say I played the king of darts.”
Now a fulltime player, Irwin narrowly missed a place in the world champs last year when he was defeated in the Oceanic Masters final. He booked his spot in the world’s biggest darts tournament this year when he won the New Zealand qualifier at Invercargill.
It also qualified him for the star-studded Auckland Darts Masters, which starts on Friday night, and he also won the New Zealand youth title . . . not bad for someone who only took up the sport two years ago.
The first round draw is yet to be made for the Auckland Masters — featuring six of the world’s top 10 players including superstar world champion Michael van Gerwen — but Irwin knows who he wants to face.
“I hope it’s Kyle Anderson (the defending champion). He beat me in the first round of an invitation tournament in Melbourne and it would be good to get my revenge . . . Kiwi v Aussie.”
Irwin’s manager Lynmarie Edwards says he has come a long way in a short time,
“He’s not just a good darts player with the potential to make it as a professional, he’s also a great role model for all our club. We’ve got about 150 adults at the club, and 50 young ones, and they look up to Tahuna. He has made a huge impact and is already inspiring our younger players to improve.
“I’m convinced Tahuna will get there (become a top professional). It may not be this year, or the next, or even in three years, but he has time on his side. A lot of the top pros are a lot older.”
Good counters make good darts playersWhen asked what made a good player, Edwards and Tahuna gave the same reply: “Being a good counter.” It’s no good being able to throw well if you can’t count, they said.
“From 300 down (games descend from 501 with a double needed to finish), he’s already working out ways to finish,” Edwards said.
A nine-dart finish is the ultimate and while Tahuna is yet to achieve that, he has finished in 11.
“He should have finished in 10 but he’s working on that,” said Edwards, who is in Auckland and will video his first-round clash.
Following the Auckland tournament, Irwin will head across the Tasman to play for New Zealand in a transtasman invitation match in October. He will then prepare for the world youth champs also in London, followed a week later by the world champs. Ninety-six players will be vying for a share of the $NZ4.8 million in prize-money, including $965,000 to the champion.
“It would be nice to win some money but this is the experience of a lifetime, something money can’t buy,” said Irwin, who practices between seven and 10 hours a day.
Boredom from throwing dart after dart is not a factor.
“It’s not boring when you hit good scores and I’m not always on my own. I have mates who come in to play me. I play games against myself and practice my doubles, working out combinations to finish and counting. There is a caller with each game but I like to know my own score, and what I need to finish.
“My highest start is 180 (the maximum score) and my best finishes have been 170s (triple 20, triple 20, bullseye).
Irwin took up darts when grandfather Tom Irwin asked him to fill in one night for his RSA team.
“Mum (Thomasina) and dad (Dylan), who both play darts, thought he was ringing up to ask one of them to play but he wanted me. Up to then I used to think darts was for old people. I loved it and now it’s my goal to be a successful professional.
Irwin said he would not be where he was today if not for his family, Brezz’n and Edwards.
“Lynn takes care of everything, outside of throwing my darts.”
Edwards admits she gets more nervous than Irwin.
“My heart’s usually racing but I have confidence in Tahuna.”
