With a ban on smoking in pubs and clubs taking the puff out of dart-playing, Tauranga player Jeff Williams is hoping for a turnaround at a major tournament held in the city this month.

'Player numbers took a major dive when the smoking ban came in, but hopefully with all these top players it will create more interest,” says Jeff, who is the NZ Darts Association's Waikato-Bay of Plenty representative.

Papamoa's John Kelly will be lining up against some of the country's top darts players at the DPNZ Puma Open. Photo by Bruce Barnard.

One of the Western Bay's top players, Jeff would love to play in the DPNZ Puma Open, which is holding one of six qualifying North Island rounds in Tauranga to select a New Zealand representative for the world championships.

'It would be good to play. But I've got to focus on running a successful competition.”

Tournament co-organiser Faye Knaggs is hoping for 100 players to enter the May 10 competition at Club Mount Maunganui, set to be the region's biggest darts event in about 10 years.

'We're expecting top players from across the North Island – there has even been some interest from Australia.”

Together with her husband Ray, the pair of former national representative rifle shooters began playing 20 years ago, after a back injury prevented Ray from shooting.

'I don't know what it is, you just get hooked. It really is quite addictive,” says Faye.

Among Western Bay players aiming for the bull's eye at the tournament will be Papamoa-based former Brit John Kelly, who picked up the game to meet people when settling in the region seven years ago.

John has since established himself as a top player, collecting a series of titles along the way. In April he was runner-up in the North Island championships' mixed pairs event and won the Bay of Plenty men's pairs.

His attention is now set on the Puma Open round in Tauranga, where he hopes to maintain the top 16 placing he recently achieved in Wellington.

'I'm aiming to do as well as I can, but at the end of the day it's all about being social for me.”