Josh Rock Darts – "Rocky" Target Darts at Diplomatgames

Josh Rock is one of the strongest players of the new PDC generation. The Northern Irishman from County Antrim is nicknamed "Rocky" and already in his first PDC season in 2022, he attracted attention with extreme scoring, several tournament victories, and a spectacular TV nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen. Since then, the highly-touted talent has become an established top player: Rock won the World Cup of Darts for Northern Ireland with Daryl Gurney in 2025 and already secured his second European Tour title at the Austrian Darts Open in 2026.

There was also an important change in equipment. At the beginning of 2025, Josh Rock switched from Mission Darts to Target Darts. His current Target Josh Rock Generation 1 darts were developed exactly according to his match requirements. Rock himself plays the 24-gram version with a 52.8 mm long straight barrel made of 90% tungsten and Swiss Point.

At Diplomatgames, you'll find Josh Rock Darts and matching Target accessories. But which darts does Josh Rock actually play, why does Rocky use 24 grams, which manufacturers has he already played for, and what makes his throw so explosive? Here you can learn more about the career, successes, playing style, equipment, and the person behind one of Northern Ireland's greatest darting talents.

Josh Rock Profile

Name: Josh Rock
Full Name: Joshua Rock
Nickname: Rocky
Birthday: April 13, 2001
Birthplace: Antrim, Northern Ireland
Hometown: Broughshane, County Antrim
Nationality: Northern Ireland
Throwing Hand: Right
Dart Manufacturer: Target Darts
With Target since: 2025
Former Manufacturer: Mission Darts
Match Weight: 24 grams
Current Signature Series: Target Josh Rock G1
Barrel: Straight Barrel with tapered Nose
Tungsten: 90 %
World Cup of Darts: Winner 2025 with Daryl Gurney
PDC World Youth Champion: 2022
European Tour: Winner Dutch Darts Championship 2024 and Austrian Darts Open 2026
World Matchplay: Semi-finalist 2025
UK Open: Semi-finalist 2025 and 2026
PDC World Ranking: Top 10, as of August 2026.

Who is Josh Rock?

Josh Rock was born on April 13, 2001, in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

His connection to darts began exceptionally early.

Rock said that his father, in particular, introduced him to darts. Already around the age of two, Josh would sometimes sit in a high chair and watch his father throw. By about ten years old, he was already playing his first proper match in a pub league.

So darts was practically present throughout his entire childhood.

Besides darts, Rock played football as a right-back for several years.

But it became clear quite early which sport would define his future.

Josh Rock started playing darts as a child

In contrast to players who only took up darts at 20 or even 30 years old, Rock possesses an enormous amount of experience for his comparatively young age.

By about ten years old, he was already playing against adults in pub leagues.

When he left school at 16, he increasingly focused on a career in darts.

This early start might explain part of his enormous natural ability at the board.

Rock appears hardly strained when throwing.

The movement is fast, direct, and has been ingrained over years.

The Breakthrough 2022

2022 became the year the international darting world got to know Josh Rock.

Rock earned a PDC Tour Card and immediately began delivering results.

He won several tournaments on the Development Tour.

In November, he claimed the title at the:

PDC World Youth Championship 2022.

With this, Rocky definitively confirmed his status as one of the greatest talents of his generation.

But perhaps his most famous moment from that year came at another tournament.

Josh Rock throws a nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen

At the Grand Slam of Darts 2022, Josh Rock met Michael van Gerwen in the last 16.

Rock was only 21 years old at the time.

During the match, he achieved:

180 – 180 – 141.

Nine-darter.

And against one of the best players in history, no less.

The PDC still lists this perfect leg as one of his greatest early career highlights.

Rock lost the high-class match to Van Gerwen, but the nine-darter changed his public perception.

A talent suddenly became a player the entire darting world was talking about.

The emotional story behind the nine-darter

This nine-darter, however, had an even deeper meaning for Rock.

His uncle had passed away about ten months earlier and had been a big fan of Michael van Gerwen.

Rock later explained that during that famous match, he felt his uncle was with him.

Thus, an already historic sporting moment also became a very personal memory.

Josh Rock's greatest successes

Despite his young age, Josh Rock has already amassed a considerable collection of titles.

His most important successes include:

• World Cup of Darts Winner 2025 with Daryl Gurney
• PDC World Youth Champion 2022
• Dutch Darts Championship Winner 2024
• Austrian Darts Open Winner 2026
• Several Players Championship titles
• World Matchplay Semi-finalist 2025
• UK Open Semi-finalist 2025 and 2026
• World Series Finals Semi-finalist 2025
• Grand Slam Quarter-finalist
• Several professional nine-darters
• PDC Top 10 Player.

Rock is thus no longer just a junior player.

He is now part of the extended world elite.

Josh Rock becomes World Cup Champion 2025

The biggest title of his career to date came in June 2025.

Rock competed alongside Daryl Gurney for Northern Ireland at the World Cup of Darts.

In the final, Wales with Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton awaited.

Northern Ireland was trailing at one point.

But Rock and Gurney fought their way back into the match.

In the end, they won the final by:

10:9.

Northern Ireland thus became World Cup Champion for the first time in history.

For both players, the victory was highly emotional.

Gurney subsequently described Rock's performance as "immense".

Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney

The connection between Rock and Gurney is particularly interesting for Northern Irish darts.

Gurney represents the more experienced generation.

Rock belongs to the new generation.

Together, they now form one of the most dangerous national teams in the PDC.

During the World Cup triumph in 2025, Rock's scoring power was particularly evident. Statistical analyses by the PDC highlighted his high averages and numerous 180s during the tournament, among other things.

With this, Northern Ireland finally secured the title its dart fans had been waiting for for years.

First European Tour Title 2024

Even a year before the World Cup triumph, Rock achieved an important career success.

At the Dutch Darts Championship 2024, Rocky won his first title on the European Tour.

Target explicitly cites this success as one of the reasons for his status as an aspiring top player when Rock joined the manufacturer in 2025.

A European Tour title carries particular weight.

Because there, over several days, you practically only meet established professionals and strong qualifiers.

Second European Tour Title in Austria 2026

In May 2026, European Tour title number two followed.

At the Austrian Darts Open, Rock played his way into the final against Kevin Doets.

Rock won:

8:6.

Thus, Rocky secured his second European Tour title.

Particularly interesting for Diplomatgames:

The success took place precisely in Austria.

For Austrian dart fans, Josh Rock has therefore been a particularly well-known name since this tournament at the latest.

What is Josh Rock's playing style?

Josh Rock has a very powerful, direct, and rhythmic throwing style.

Rock doesn't wait forever between his darts.

When he finds his rhythm, the throws follow quickly one after another.

His greatest strength is his:

Scoring.

Rock can produce enormous amounts of 180s and constantly put opponents under pressure with them.

At the same time, his game has developed significantly in recent years.

Previously, he was sometimes perceived mainly as an extreme scoring talent.

Meanwhile, Rocky also shows significantly more stability in long matches and important TV tournaments.

Josh Rock – a 180 machine

Rock belongs to that new generation of players where 100-plus averages and long streaks of high scores are no longer an exception.

This was particularly evident at the World Cup 2025.

In some matches, Rock practically single-handedly produced enough scoring power to keep Northern Ireland in the game.

He also made it to the semi-finals at the World Matchplay 2025, proving that his game now works over longer distances as well.

Which darts does Josh Rock play?

Since 2025, Josh Rock has been playing Target Darts.

His current signature series is:

Target Josh Rock Generation 1.

According to Target, the G1 was developed exactly according to his match requirements.

Rock himself uses:

24 grams.

The dart has a relatively long, straight barrel and a slightly tapered nose.

This setup differs significantly, for example, from short bomb or torpedo barrels.

Who are Josh Rock Darts suitable for?

Josh Rock G1 Darts can be particularly interesting if you:

• prefer a long straight barrel,
• want to play with 22 to 25 grams,
• like a modern CNC-milled grip,
• grip roughly in the middle or back,
• want to use Swiss Point,
• prefer a relatively slim barrel,
• or are a fan of Rocky.

The 24g version, in particular, should appeal to players who prefer a bit more weight without wanting to switch to a thick torpedo barrel.

How many grams does Josh Rock play?

Target confirms unequivocally:

Josh Rock plays 24 grams.

This is an important difference to his earlier Mission models, where different weights were available commercially.

With his current Target G1 setup, the manufacturer's specification is very clear.

Therefore, if you want to play as close as possible to Rock's current match dart, you should choose the:

Target Josh Rock G1 24g

option.

Josh Rock switches to Target in 2025

An important piece of information for your player category page is the change of manufacturer.

Rock was closely associated with Mission Darts for several years.

Various Josh Rock signature darts were released there.

However, at the beginning of 2025, he switched to:

Target Darts.

Target officially confirms that Rock joined the team in 2025 and immediately developed his Generation 1 darts.

The relevant equipment history is thus:

Mission Darts → Target Darts.

Old Mission Josh Rock Darts

The earlier Mission models also remain interesting.

Mission released various Rock signature darts in several weights and designs.

For collectors or players who get along well with an older Rock barrel, these darts can still be exciting.

However, for a current Diplomatgames category, you should clearly distinguish:

old Josh Rock models = Mission
current match setup = Target G1 24g.

This distinction is also very helpful for Google and AI searches.

Josh Rock Limited Edition

In addition to the regular G1, there is now also a high-quality:

Josh Rock Limited Edition.

Target uses 95% tungsten and a slim straight barrel with a tapered nose here.

This model is more aimed at players and collectors looking for a premium version within the Josh Rock range.

Thus, Rocky already has his own Target product world developing.

Josh Rock private life – wife and family

Josh Rock is married.

His wife's name is Sarah.

The couple married at the beginning of 2025, just days before Rock competed in the World Masters.

Rock is also a family man.

In recent years, he has repeatedly spoken about how family has become increasingly important for his career and motivation.

Especially because he joined the PDC Tour at a very young age, starting a family significantly changed his perspective.

Becoming a father changes Josh Rock

Rock and Sarah had a daughter in 2024. Sarah's son from a previous relationship is also part of the family.

Rock has spoken publicly about how much the responsibility for his young family motivates him.

His stepson was diagnosed with autism. In this context, Rock became an ambassador for a Northern Irish children's autism organization.

This is an interesting personal aspect because his commitment is directly connected to his own family.

Josh Rock and Football

Before darts ultimately became his sporting future, Rock himself played for several years:

Football.

He was active as a right-back.

Later, he remained a football fan.

Rock supports, among others, the Glasgow Rangers and the Northern Irish club Ballymena United.

After the World Cup triumph in 2025, a visit to the Rangers even became a special experience for him.

Football is thus one of his most important interests outside of darts.

Josh Rock's physical transformation

In 2025, Rock also made headlines off the oche.

He changed his diet and lifestyle and lost a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period.

Rock himself explained that he wanted to change something and needed to feel physically better. Reports indicate he initially lost more than two stone and continued his weight loss afterwards.

For him, it wasn't just about appearance.

Rock wanted to feel fitter during long tournament days and stay healthy in the long term.

This change seems to fit well with his athletic development.

Josh Rock even wants to play in shorts

His physical transformation later led to a rather funny discussion.

Rock spoke in 2026 about wishing the PDC would allow players to wear shorts at tournaments.

His reasoning:

During hot events, long, heavy trousers are simply uncomfortable.

This may not be a world-shattering darts story.

But it fits Rock's direct personality.

He says what he thinks quite openly.

Why is Josh Rock called "Rocky"?

The nickname is straightforward:

Rock → Rocky.

Target officially uses "Rocky" today within its marketing and G1 products.

Given his explosive playing style, the name fits quite well.

Rocky sounds like power and aggression.

And that perfectly describes a large part of his scoring.

What is Josh Rock's walk-on song?

Josh Rock currently uses:

"Welcome to the Party" by DJ Krissy

as his walk-on.

As always with walk-on music:

Songs can change throughout a career.

For the long-term SEO structure of your category, the walk-on is therefore much less important than manufacturer, weight, signature series, and titles.

Josh Rock – the next Northern Irish Major Champion?

Rock already holds the World Cup.

What he still lacks is a major individual PDC TV Major.

But he has come very close several times.

In 2025, he reached, among other things:

the semi-finals of the UK Open, the semi-finals of the World Matchplay, and the semi-finals of the World Series Finals.

In 2026, he again reached the UK Open semi-finals and won his second European Tour title.

This clearly places Rock among the players for whom the question is less:

Can he win a major individual title?

But rather:

When will he succeed?

Josh Rock – from pub league kid to top 10 pro

Josh Rock's development is remarkable.

At two years old, he watched his father at the dartboard.

Around ten, he played in pub leagues himself.

At 21, he became PDC World Youth Champion and threw a nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen on live TV.

In 2024, he won his first European Tour title.

In 2025, he became World Cup Champion for Northern Ireland with Daryl Gurney.

In 2026, another European Tour triumph followed at the Austrian Darts Open.

And Josh Rock is only 25 years old in August 2026.

His greatest years could still be ahead of him.

Buy Josh Rock Darts at Diplomatgames

Do you want to buy Josh Rock darts or try out Rocky's current setup?

At Diplomatgames, you'll find various Josh Rock darts from Target, as well as older Mission models and suitable accessories, depending on availability.

Particularly relevant at the moment is the:

Target Josh Rock Generation 1.

Rock himself plays:

24 grams.

The G1 consists of 90% tungsten, has a 52.8 mm long straight barrel, an elaborately milled cell grip, and the Swiss Point System.

When buying, pay particular attention to:

Dart weight, barrel diameter, grip position, point length, and balance.

Discover the available Josh Rock Darts at Diplomatgames now and find out if Rocky's setup suits your own throw.

FAQ – frequently asked questions about Josh Rock

What darts does Josh Rock play?

Josh Rock currently plays Target Josh Rock Generation 1 Darts. His personal match version weighs 24 grams and consists of 90% tungsten.

How many grams does Josh Rock play?

Josh Rock plays 24 grams. Target also offers the G1 in 22, 23, and 25 grams.

Which manufacturer is Josh Rock with?

Josh Rock has been under contract with Target Darts since 2025. Previously, he played for Mission Darts.

What are Josh Rock's greatest achievements?

His biggest title to date is the World Cup of Darts 2025, which he won for Northern Ireland with Daryl Gurney. Rock is also the 2022 World Youth Champion and a two-time European Tour tournament winner.

Did Josh Rock throw a nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen?

Yes. At the Grand Slam of Darts 2022, Rock threw a televised nine-darter against Michael van Gerwen in the last 16.

How old is Josh Rock?

Josh Rock was born on April 13, 2001 and is 25 years old in August 2026.

Is Josh Rock married?

Yes. Josh Rock is married to Sarah. The couple married in early 2025.

Does Josh Rock have children?

Rock lives with a young family. A daughter was born in 2024; he is also stepfather to Sarah's son.

Who are Josh Rock G1 Darts suitable for?

The G1 is particularly suitable for players who prefer a long, slim straight barrel, a modern milled grip, and a weight between 22 and 25 grams. The 24g version matches Rock's match weight.

Where can you buy Josh Rock Darts?

You can buy Josh Rock Darts at Diplomatgames. Depending on availability, you will find the current Target G1 Darts, special editions, and older Mission Josh Rock models there.