Gian van Veen had the US Darts Masters semi-final in his hand. That is exactly why the defeat should sting more than a routine near-miss.
The Dutchman led Luke Humphries 6-3 at Madison Square Garden, only for the defending champion to reel off the closing legs and survive two match darts before winning 7-6. Sky Sports reported Humphries then beat Luke Littler 8-7 in the final, turning Van Veen’s missed chance into the decisive hinge of the night.
Van Veen let a statement slip
This was not a case of Van Veen being outclassed. It was the opposite: he put the world No.2 under full scoreboard pressure and forced Humphries into survival mode before the final.
That matters because Van Veen is already sitting third in the live World Matchplay race, behind only Littler and Humphries. His Blackpool seeding position is secure; the next question is whether he can close these television matches when the line is visible.
HUMPHRIES COMPLETES THE COMEBACK! Incredible! Reigning champion Luke Humphries battles back from 6-3 down to deny Gian van Veen in a last-leg thriller, surviving two match darts along the way!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) June 27, 2026
NineDartNews had already noted Van Veen’s MSG stage presence before the Clayton test. This result sharpens the same theme: the level is there, but the kill shot was not.
For Humphries, the escape fed straight into another title night. For Van Veen, it leaves a harder lesson before Blackpool: at this level, controlling the match is no longer enough.
