Luke Humphries is the champion once again at the US Darts Masters, taking down Luke Littler in a thrilling final 8-7 at Madison Square Garden. Humphries averaged 104 in the process and, after winning the title last year, keeps it in his trophy cabinet. He also denied Littler another title, with Michael van Gerwen the other main victor including last time in Copenhagen this year on the World Series. It will be different winners to come, with Littler and Humphries both absent from Australia and New Zealand. But Humphries heads towards the World Matchplay now with the confidence boost of being US Darts Masters champion again.
To kick off the final, Humphries hit 41 to make it 1-0. He then hit 60 to make it 2-0 before Littler hit 81 to go 2-1 down. Humphries stretched his lead to 3-1 hitting 41 breaking before hitting double 14 for 4-1. But Littler's return was incoming as he hit double 20 to go 4-2 down and then broke with an 81 checkout for 4-3. He was soon 4-4 after Humphries missed darts to break. He then snared momentum back going 5-4 up. But Humphries wasn't done hitting double 20 for 5-5. Humphries hit 96 to hit the front again at 6-5 up. Littler made it 6-6 on double 20. Double 16 for Humphries then to go 7-6 up and towards the title. But Littler hit 56 to send it all the way at 7-7 and Humphries had the throw leaving 41 from 181. He sealed the title from there as Littler was denied a chance at 86.
Luke Littler started the night off by seeing off Jim Long in the Quarter-Finals in a 6-1 win. The Canadian hit a 180 to leave 77 in leg one but eventually after Long missed it, Littler returned for double 20 for 1-0. He then held throw on 47 for 2-0 before hitting two after hitting 180 to leave it to break in a cheeky move. He hit 101 to go 5-1 up before he rubber stamped the win on double 19. It was James Wade who would lock horns with Littler in the semi-final after The Machine took down Gerwyn Price. It was a 6-3 win for Wade with a 102 average with Price averaging 103 in defeat. A 124 saw him break to go 2-0 up before he consolidated on double 20. He went 4-1 up with a double 20 before then Price came back breaking with a 76 checkout for 4-3 down. But after exchanging 180's, it was double 10 for Wade that saw him break after Price missed 72. He then held with a 64 checkout to move through.
Luke Humphries did even better as he bookended his semi-final spot with a 105 average in taking down Stephen Bunting 6-3. He broke for 3-1 with a 44 checkout before then holding with a 73 for 4-1. A 74 checkout in return for Bunting who made it 4-2 down. But Humphries lost his throw to Bunting who hit double eight for 4-3 down only for Humphries to return for double 10 for 5-3. He then sealed it with a wonderful 107. It was the night of high averages with Gian van Veen pinning 106 for a 6-3 win over Jonny Clayton. He hit double six for 1-0 before then replying with 77 for 2-0. Van Veen was back for 3-1 with a 138. Clayton hit 74 but Van Veen hit 81 to go 5-3 up and then had the momentum to steal the win with a 119 checkout.
A lesser average but Luke Littler then took down James Wade with a 7-4 win. Wade lost throw missing the chance to go 2-2. Littler hit double 20 but then Wade hit 76 to go 4-2 down. Littler lost throw at 4-3 down with a 120 from Wade but then Littler got it straight back on double 10. Littler went 6-3 up but then he stole the win on double 20 at 7-4. Luke Humphries though was more luckier to reach the final winning 7-6 against Gian van Veen. Van Veen went 5-3 up with a 50 checkout then one away with 130 at 6-3. But Humphries came back to go 6-5 down on double 20 then made it 6-6 with a 46 checkout before pinning double 11 for a miraculous comeback.
