The
Players Championship series continued on Tuesday with Event Four in Wigan being won by
Luke Humphries. He concludes the current double header with a first ProTour title in over a year.
Humphries joins Chris Dobey in the winners circle who won yesterday with Wessel Nijman defeated in the final by Humphries who won during the last double header and unlike the stage where he hasn't been exactly setting it alight, his
ProTour form has been exceptional.
In the final, Nijman breezed out of the gate going 2-0 up and Humphries has missed 160 for 2-1. Nijman needed 127 for the bull to go 3-0 up. Humphries broke back for 2-1 down.
A 41 checkout saw Humphries make it 2-2. But Nijman hit back with 101 for 3-2. Nijman hit 31 with Humphries only able to leave 170. He went 4-3 up in the race to eight. Nijman missed 170 but returned with Humphries unable to pounce and Nijman hit double eight to go 5-3 up. A 41 checkout though saw Humphries hit back breaking back for 5-4.
Humphries produces late surge after near untouchable day
Humphries hit 67 on double eight for 5-5 and he levelled for the first time. He would need another break though to establish any semblance of a cushion and he did. Humphries took the lead for the first time in this match going 6-5 up. He then hit 81 to go one away from the finishing line.
130 to leave 131 with Nijman way back and he pinned double 18 to seal it. Superb from Humphries. He won five of the next six legs after being down prior.
Luke Humphries wins first ProTour in over a year.
His run prior to that saw him defeat Gerwyn Price 7-4. He did so with a 101 average. He was the class of the field throughout in one of the best consistent runs of ProTour darts throughout. He only averaged less than 100 once the whole day. He did so in his opener against Martijn Dragt hitting 94 to win 6-5 in a close shave.
But from there he was untouchable really as he saw off Marvin Kraft 6-2 with a 103 average, he then defeated Luke Woodhouse 6-3 with a 104 average. Then it was Stephen Bunting who reached the final yesterday but could not back that up with Humphries winning 6-3 with a 100 average.
He then took down Niels Zonneveld 6-2 with a 108 average this time before seeing off Price in the semi-finals prior to the NIjman win. A 7-4 win over Price and the real icing on the cake for the former World No.1.
A double header that did not see Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen among others attend but in Humphries and Dobey triumphing, it is very much two players with points to prove as such. Humphries that he is still very much the leading rival in the battle of Luke v Luke and Dobey that he can push back towards Premier League heights. Nijman too proving once more how good he is.