Luke Humphries has turned his US Darts Masters defence into a fresh landmark, becoming the first player to win back-to-back titles in New York after beating Luke Littler 8-7 at Madison Square Garden.
The final on Friday night gave the PDC another premium chapter in the Luke v Luke rivalry, but the bigger point for Blackpool-bound darts is Humphries’ timing. He arrived in New York with Littler still carrying the pull of world number one status and England’s World Cup win, then left with a third World Series crown and a statement win over the game’s hottest opponent.
According to Sporting Life’s US Darts Masters report, Humphries averaged 104 in the final and finished the decider with an 11-darter after Littler had fought back from 4-1 down.
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The New York run also included wins over Stephen Bunting and Gian van Veen, the latter after Humphries survived two match darts in a 7-6 semi-final. That matters with the Betfred World Matchplay looming from July 18-26, because Humphries has not merely found another title; he has found one through pressure legs.
Littler’s nine 180s in the final underlined how hard it is to contain him, yet Humphries still closed out the night in front of a 5,000 sell-out crowd, reported as a US darts record. For a rivalry already carrying the sport’s biggest stage, New York added a useful reminder: Littler may be setting the pace, but Humphries is still making history alongside him.
