"I don't know how I'm going to feel at the end of the year" - Luke Humphries explains decision to skip Pro Tours as schedule gets busier than ever

The world champion and world number one, Luke Humphries is either qualified or invited to every single tournament on the PDC calendar. Whilst that is a blessing in some regards, the exhaustive amount of travel involved can bring issues.

With the PDC now more global than ever before for Humphries and the rest of the elite, the air miles are only growing every year. As such, the schedule must be managed. "Yeah you know, everyone has probably seen by now, I'm missing the Pro Tours this week and I'm missing the Hildesheim Euro Tour as well. Just because of the fact that when I get back from New Zealand, I want to go on holiday and then I've got to take five for six days to recoup from that," Humphries explains in conversation with Online Darts, wary of the dangers of over-scheduling his calendar.

Although Humphries doesn't enjoy missing the tournaments, the world champion seems to realise it's something that can't be avoided at times. "They'll possibly be the last events that I will pull out of, except for the Pro Tours straight after New Zealand, I won't be in them," he continues. "Apart from that, I'll probably be in everything after."

"It is important to manage your calendar. Obviously, I've looked well in advance and made sure that I'm not burning out and doing too much," 'Cool Hand Luke' explains his thought process. "Last year was completely different. I didn't do the Premier League last year, I didn't do Australia so it's going to a lot different this time and a lot busier. A lot more exhibitions, more corporate events so I don't know how I'm going to feel at the end of the year. I don't know if I'm going to be full of energy but I'll make sure when we reach that Grand Prix stage, I'm in a fit state because that is when the real ranking money starts and I want to stay the number one in the world."

Although Humphries won't be defending the prize money of the numerous major titles he won in the later half of 2023 just yet, that doesn't mean he wants to give them away. "That's where you want to feel your best so I'll make sure regardless, that I'm at my best," he concludes fiercely. "It's just up to me that I manage things properly.