Koha Kokiri is returning to the World Series of Darts stage downunder once again with his acquisition of the two qualification positions going for the Queensland and NSW legs of the event on Friday at the Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club.
Kokiri last took the stage at the World Series of Darts in Brisbane 2019, the year that a fellow West Australian with Kiwi heritage in Damon Heta won the event. For Kokiri his representation in Townsville and Wollongong will mark his fifth and sixth times at this event. Add to that one appearance at the PDC World Championships and you have a man ready for the challenge.
“I am ready for this. It was nice to knock off the young blokes this morning. I really enjoy there rise, and they are great guys, but it is nice to remind them I have not gone anywhere yet. I will proudly represent both my country of birth and my adopted country at these events.”
“I did not have it my own way all this afternoon in the second event. I gave my opponents too many chances, but I stood strong and held on.”
“I am looking forward to the World Series, it will be great for my grand kids to see me play and for my family to be a part of this adventure once more.”
Kokiri made the stage at the NSW Darts Masters in Wollongong having defeated Brandon Weening 7-2 in the first final of the day. Prior to that he had survived a strong comeback from Dave Charnock in the semi-finals and another youngster threat in Blake Hatchett in the quarters.
In the afternoon event he took the final 7-1 against former World Series combatant James Bailey. In the semi final he had survived a single match dart from Joe Comito and also survived in a deciding leg against David Cairns in the quarters.
Saturday sees qualification attention turn to the New Zealand Darts Masters as both sides of the ditch players face off in matches to determine those who will join the PDC big guns on the stage at Hamilton New Zealand.
Tickets for all three events can be found at Ticketek
Koha Kokiri locked in a return to Queensland’s World Series of Darts (he played in the last Brisbane Darts Masters in 2019) with a 7-1 victory in the final of the Tuesday night qualifier at the Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club.
The first quarter final’s first leg saw Joe Comito unable to score on an attempt at tops after Brenton Lloyd had scored 165 to leave tops himself. Against the throw Lloyd pounced to take the first leg. The second leg saw Lloyd bust an attempt at 36 and this time it was Comito who punished with a double ten to move the match to 1-1. The third leg saw Comito hold throw with tops, although Lloyd failed to score in chasing 16 for the leg. In the fourth leg a visit of 140 helped Comito take a lead against the darts only for Lloyd to throw the same to leave 87 later in the leg. He made the most of it two visits later to hold throw and draw level at 2-2. Comito then held throw in 15 darts, including a maximum on his second visit, to move a leg ahead once more. Two visits of 100 and late visits of 90 and 86 left Lloyd on tops which he took to move the match back into parity at 3-3. Comito then opened with 174 on throw for Lloyd to respond with a 140. 137 from Comito was enough to leave him needing 190 and by his next visit he was aiming for 130. He was unable to take it though and Lloyd pounced to grab the break (thanks to a 119 score two visits prior to an 80 check out) and lead 4-3. Both players scored strongly in the next leg but Lloyd failed to collect 117 for the leg and handed Comito a shot at 110 (having set that up with visits of 177 and 99.) Comito missed tops for the leg only for Lloyd to miss out on his next visit. This time Comito made Lloyd pay and secured the break back immediately turning the match into a best of three affair. 119 from Comito was bettered with a 140 from Lloyd only for Comito to score the same in leg nine. 99 on his next visit left Comito needing 143, eventually securing the leg with his 17th dart to lead 5-4. A 119 and 140 from Comito in leg nine put him ahead on throw and soon after a 38 check out gave him the leg and moved him to 5-4 up in the match. Lloyd opened with 140 on throw in this critical leg for his survival only for Comito to throw the same on his second visit. A 174 left Comito needing 69 for the match and three darts later he had taken the break, and the match, by six legs to four.
The opening leg of the second quarter final match went the way of Koha Kokiri on throw before David Cairns opened with a 121 in the second leg. Kokiri responded with a 100 and set himself for a 100 but missed out on it only for Cairns to spurn a chance at a 97 check out. Two darts later and Kokiri was 2-0 ahead. A 121 on throw and then alternate visits of 100 and 105 left Kokiri needing tops in leg three and although he missed out at the first attempt Cairns busted 96 to give him another shot. Kokiri missed twice more and Cairns hit tops to secure his first leg and move the match back to on throw. That was not for long as 15 darts later (including two 140 visits) Kokiri was back to a two leg lead.
Cairns then threw 100 on his first visit against the throw in leg five but both players struggled through this leg. A 140 later in the leg left Cairns requiring 65 which he secured soon after to move within a leg of his opponent once more. Both players opened up with tons in the next leg but a 138 and 98 afterwards left Kokiri in a better position but he left 20 when trying to take out 72. Cairns was given a shot at tops and double ten but missed both before Kokiri finally took the double 5 required for the leg and a 4-2 lead. A 140 on his second visit helped Cairns take a formidable lead in the seventh leg. He failed to take down 22 though and gave Kokiri a chance at bull at the end of his next throw but Kokiri missed it. A double 4 later and there was yet another break as Cairns moved back to within one leg of Kokiri. The next leg went Kokiri’s way early as whilst Cairns did have a 140 visit Kokiri had been more consistent. Kokiri had a go at 164 but left 104 before Cairns (who had hit a ton to set it up) left 75 chasing 115. Cairns left tops after his next visit as Kokiri had left 70 in the previous visit and got a chance at it as the WA player only scored 30 next time around. Tops from Cairns with his next dart and the match was 4-4. Kokiri then opened his throw with two visits of 140 and a 100. Requiring 121 Kokiri left 32 and was well enough in front to have a shot at it on his next visit. He missed out twice to leave Cairns with a shot at 74 which he failed to put away. Kokiri missed out once again and this time Cairns took full toll to lead 5-4 and have the throw in the next leg. Both players struggled in the opening of the tenth leg but Kokiri still managed to take the darts mid leg, a 180 leaving him with 82 to score. He took this out on his next visit. Kokiri opened with 95 in the deciding leg and then backed it up with 97, 117 and 100 to leave 92 for the match. He secured 52 on his next visit to leave tops but was unable to get that at his next visit to the oche and proceeded to struggle to do so for the next few visits. Two 100 visits later from Cairns and the New South Welshman needed 95. He left 16, but never got a dart at it as Kokiri finally secured the double required to win the match 6-5.
The third quarter final saw Blake Hatchett take on Jonathon Kabay, the nephew of darting legend Greg Major. It was Kabay who made the most of poot finishing from Hatchett in the opening leg to secure the early break. He then held throw as more poor finishing cost Hatchett another leg. Hatchett then held throw, thanks in a big way to a 140 visit at the second time of asking, and then broke the Kabay throw with another 140 visit and a 124 check out. He held throw comfortably in leg five before missed opportunities for Kabay gave Hatchett the chance to win a fourth leg in a row, which he took. Another hold of throw and Hatchett was one leg away from a semi final appearance. Kabay held throw comfortably though but solid visits of 100, 98 and 99 and a 114 visit leaving 32 was too much for Kabay and Hatchett held throw in 16 darts to take the match 6-3.
The final quarter final was all James Bailey early in his clash with Jamie Browne as he broke the Browne throw in 15 darts before securing his throw (although Browne missed a shot at the bull to go 1-1.) Browne bounced back to hold throw for himself in 15 darts until three 100 visits helped Bailey to hold throw once more and take a 3-1 lead. He then threw consistently to break the Browne throw once more before a visit of 133 and check out of 58 had him a leg away from the match at 5-1. Browne then held throw after Bailey could not check out 82 and left tops but then had to watch as Browne got that target first. Visits of 100, 129 and 130 helped Browne to break throw in the eighth leg of the match and move to 5-3 before he opened up with 140 on his own throw and a 32 check out later moved him within a leg of a decider. In leg ten Bailey opened with a 140 on throw only for Browne to match it at his second visit. The problem was Bailey had thrown 100 and 125 to leave 136. Browne was not down and out though and threw 180 to leave 138. Bailey left tops for the match but Browne could not take out the big check out and Bailey stepped up to take out the match 6-4 on his next visit to the oche.
In the first semi final Joe Comito held throw early before breaking the throw of Koha Kokiri in 14 darts (including a maximum to open the leg and a 132 setting up a shot at 32) to go quickly 2-0 up. A 102 from Comito in the next leg left him on 40 and with Kokiri unable to convert 20 he made the most of it in two darts to lead 3-0. On throw Kokiri opened with 120 in the next leg and a 140 left him requiring 44. He did not put it away at first so Comito left 40 as a test for his opponent but Kokiri showed his bottle by collecting 16 to hold throw and move the match score to 3-1. A 96 and then 180 followed by 94 and 91 left Comito needing tops in leg five which he got in 2 darts to lead 4-1. Against the throw Comito then opened with 120 but Kokiri threw consistently to stay in the leg. Kokiri threw for 140 but left 10 as Comito once again left tops. Yet again Kokiri held his nerve, this time throwing double five to hold throw. Two 140 throws in three visits had Kokiri on 176 against the throw in leg seven but Comito had a chance at the big 170 check out. He missed the chance but then Comito missed the bull for a 126 check out and Kokiri pounced with a 71 check out in two darts to put the match back on throw at 4-3. A 140 from Kokiri’s third visit on throw in the eighth leg had him in front and later in the leg he had a shot at 32 for the leg and collected it to tie things up at four all. A 174 start from Comito, and follow up scores of 100 and 140 on his third and fourth visit, left him needing 28 which he gratefully accepted to move a leg from the final. On throw Kokiri started slowly and Comito pounced with 100, 115 and 97. A 135 left him needing 54 and with Kokiri unable to convert 161 Comito had a shot at the match but missed to leave 20. Kokiri hit the 64 he required to create a deciding leg. Koha secured a 140 visit to leave 138 in that deciding leg as Comito scored 100 to leave 184. 122 then left Kokiri requiring 16 for the match as he watched Comito throw a ton to move him to 84. Kokiri put it away the double eight required with his next dart to win the match 6-5.
James Bailey held throw in the second semi final before his opponent, Blake Hatchett, threw three 100 totals from four visits to leave 106 in leg two. Hatchett failed to take his chances over the next two visits, however, and Bailey pounced with a 58 check out to lead 2-0. Both players opened with tons in the third leg but Hatchett backed it up with two more. A 133 left Bailey needing 158 only for Hatchett to leave 62, having thrown 139, a target he got on his next visit to break the Bailey throw. 140 from Bailey against the throw in the next leg handed him the momentum in that leg, reinforced by the same on his second visit. Later in the leg a 171 left Hatchett needing 84 but a third 140 had Bailey needing 8. Hatchett left tops but double 4 from Bailey saw him never have a dart at it. 140 on his second visit gave Hatchett a strong lead in the fifth leg and despite inconsistent scoring at the end of the leg he managed to break the throw of Bailey once again. He then opened with a 140 on throw as he tried to hold throw for the first time in the match only to see Bailey do the same. He fired in 100 but Bailey hit two 140s in a row to leave 81. 133 from Hatchett left 74 as Bailey missed a check out chance on three successive visits and Hatchett pounced to tie the match up at three all. Hatchett threw 134 after Bailey opened with a maximum in the next leg. Visits of 100 (Bailey) and 93 (Hatchett) had Bailey in front and a 99 had him leaving 122. Both players spurned chances on their next visits with both finally sitting on 16 when Bailey collected the leg with last dart in hand to lead 4-3. Hatchett then opened with 134 on throw in the eighth leg and threw 171 at his third visit to the oche in the leg before checking out 48 to leave the match score at 4-4. Bailey opened his next throw with a pair of 140s, with Hatchett collecting a 134 to open his throw. An 82 check out from the Queenslander gave Bailey a 5-4 lead. Hatchett started slowly in the next leg and 140 from Bailey looked to punish only for Hatchett to match it. Two ton visits later and Bailey required 161 for the match. Visits of 104 and 12 finally gave Bailey a 6-4 win.
Koha Kokiri opened the final with a maximum before a 110 later in the leg left him needing 32 which he quickly secured to move a leg up. James Bailey then faced more pressure as Kokiri opened against the throw with a 140. Three visits in and Bailey threw his own 140 to stay in the leg. With Kokiti unable to check out 105 Bailey had three darts at 96 but missed the double 18 for the leg. Kokiri busted but had another throw and for the second time in the match double 16 was his friend. Kokiri opened with a ton in the third leg, matched by his opponent. Bailey secured a 140 on his second visit to take a good lead against the throw of his opponent, backing it up with a 125 to leave 136. A maximum from Kokiri left him on 104 which he had a chance at taking as Bailey left tops after his next visit. Bailey busted and Kokiri then punished him to lead 3-0. The next leg was a close affair but a 140 broke things wide open for James Bailey as he left 141. Three visits later and Bailey had secured his first leg of the match although it was nerve racking as a 137 had left Kokiri standing behind him requiring 36. Both players then opened the next leg with successive tons before Kokiri threw 100 and Bailey 140. A 139 from Kokiri left him on 62 and on his next visit he went 4-1 up. Kokiri then threw 98 and 140 on throw in the sixth leg to take the darts before a 96 left a 167 opportunity. A 135 left him needing 32 (again) and he got it to go 5-1 up. Two visits of 100 was countered by visits of 140 and 100 by Bailey in the next leg. Bailey was unable to put away 122 after Kokiri threw 133 to leave 50. Kokiri then left 16 and was given the opportunity to return to the oche by Bailey’s subsequent misses, converting the 16 to move one leg from the match. Kokiri opened with a 140 against the throw in leg eight and then backed it up with a 125. A 100 left him on 136 to win and a 112 left him needing double 12. With his opponent well behind Kokiri got to return to the oche but busted. He then had a second go and also missed, this time leaving 6. Bailey left himself requiring tops to put pressure on his opponent but yet again Kokiri helped his nerve and one dart landing in the double three bed was enough to win him the final seven legs to one and make the stage at the Queensland Darts Masters in Townsville.
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