Luke Humphries has secured his place in the Premier League Darts play-offs. He described his victory as a relief, acknowledging the struggles he has faced this year. Humphries credited a change in his flights for his improved performance.
Speaking after winning the night, Humphries told Sky Sports: “It’s relief. You see it with how I felt at the end. It’s been a struggle this year. It’s not been the best from me this year. I worked incredibly hard, I changed back to my old flights and it worked. I’m proud of myself. It’s easy when you’re winning, but it shows true grit to come from my position to then get through and win it tonight.”
Humphries on Overcoming Pressure
Humphries discussed the pressure he felt in recent weeks. “The last three weeks, there’s been a lot of pressure on my shoulders.”
He revealed that his girlfriend’s support helped him. “My girlfriend said I had it in me and sometimes I need that. To not even have a chance of regaining the title, it would have hurt me a lot. I’m really glad I can go back to the O2.”
Humphries believes his experience in major finals has helped him cope with pressure. “Experience has helped me a lot. I didn’t expect to be in a position where I’ve qualified. I wanted to be in a position on week 16 to have a chance.”
Potential Play-Off Matchups
Humphries discussed potential opponents in the play-offs. “If I’m fourth, then I play Luke. He knows how to beat me and I know how to beat him. If I finish third, then maybe we can rerun the script.”
The Road to the Final
The play-off spots are now confirmed, regardless of the results in week 16. The quarter-final matchups are determined by the league standings after week 15. Next week’s matches will only determine final positions for the play-offs.
Luke Humphries secured his play-off spot after a match with Gerwyn Price. Price narrowly missed a 170 finish, allowing Humphries to secure his place in the top four. Humphries responded with an opening 180 to gain control, eventually finding the D8 to move one leg away from the play-offs.
The Premier League Darts champion will be crowned on 28 May. The contenders include Luke Littler, Jonny Clayton, Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries.
Humphries plans to relax and play pro tours during the week. He also mentioned playing golf recently as a way to unwind.