Humphries has to settle for second again after third European Tour title defeat in 2023

Newbury’s Luke Humphries suffered a second European Tour final defeat in a row, losing 8-6 to Michael van Gerwen in the Blaklader Belgian Darts Open at the weekend.

Cool Hand Luke, who was the tournament’s top seed, finished with a higher average and threw more 180s than van Gerwen, but the Dutchman’s finishing proved decisive as he returned to the European Tour winner’s circle for the first time in 12 months.

Humphries, who was beaten in the final of the Dutch Darts Championship last week by his close friend Dave Chisnall, beat world-number-nine Nathan Aspinall 6-2 in the quarter-finals before edging past Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode 7-6 in the semis.

However the 28-year-old was unable to go double Dutch as he lost out in the final to van Gerwen, who made it 35 European Tour titles and moved back up to number two in the world rankings.

Humphries, who was a regular on Newbury’s amateur darting circuit while a youngster, led 5-4 but a failure to convert chances cost him as van Gerwen won three successive legs before finishing with a 129 checkout to win 8-5.

Humphries, who won four European Tour titles in 2022 but has been a beaten finalist three times this year, refused to be too disappointed despite missing out on the title.

“I don’t feel disappointed, I think I played well,” he said.

“I played an A+ Michael van Gerwen and you can’t afford to make a mistake.

“I did in a couple of legs, I missed a dart here and there and I got punished.

“I thought I played a good game but a couple of mistakes cost me and if I’d have taken those finishes out I probably would have won.

“It was a closely contested game, it was nip and tuck and he pulled out the good legs at the end.

“I was proud of myself and the way I played, but the better player won in the end.

“Obviously, it’s always disappointing to lose but I’ll get that title this year soon, I’m sure.

“I’ve run into three brilliant performances in the final, but it’s coming.”

World-number-six Humphries is top seed in a 48-strong field for this weekend’s Gambrinus Czech Darts Open in Prague.