The Isle of Wight’s Joe Hunt has claimed his first PDC Winmau Challenge Tour title with a narrow 5-4 win over Derek Maclean in Leicester.
The victory came in Event 16 of the 2025 Challenge Tour at the Mattioli Arena, where Hunt held his nerve to secure the final leg with a 15-darter.
This marks a major step forward in Hunt’s career, moving him up to 12th on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. His previous best result this year had been a semi-final finish in Event 4.
To lift the title, Hunt battled through a field of more than 190 competitors. His run included decisive wins over Michael Barnard, Dmitriy Zhukov, Trevor Burkhill, David Evans, Ultan McDyer, Scott Campbell and Ashley Coleman. The title win earned him £2,500 in prize money.
The PDC Challenge Tour is the second tier of professional darts. The top two players at the end of the season gain a two-year PDC Tour Card, while the top three qualify for the World Darts Championship.
Hunt follows in the footsteps of fellow Isle of Wight player Keegan Brown, a two-time Players Championship winner from Newport. His recent success is being hailed as an inspiration to aspiring darts players across the Isle of Wight.
