Ben Robb bowed out of the World Darts Championship midweek but said his debut experience was ‘massive’.
The 31-year-old from Rangiora lost 3-0 to world No.52 Ron Meulenkamp of the Netherlands.
While it might look like a bit of a hiding, the scoreline did not reflect how well Robb played, as he scored an average of 88.36 in the match, hitting two 180 maxims and two 100-plus finishes.
Robb, nicknamed ‘The Big Rig’, said that the buildup was unlike anything he had experienced before, with a long wait in the warm-up room playing into his nerves.
“I overplayed it in my mind but I’ll be better for it next time,” he told Te Ao.
Despite the loss, Robb wowed the Alexandra Palace crowd with a huge 170 finish in the first set. He was philosophical about the loss and knows that it will ultimately prove beneficial in the long run.
“I know I can play a lot better than that. The best part about losing is looking back and seeing where I can build.
“To have this opportunity this early in my career was massive moving forward.”
Robb also took time to thank whānau and friends for their support, as well as the wider sporting community for embracing his effort.
While he did not get a win, Robb does walk away with $15,000 in prize money.