Luke Humphries finds form, as he wins Players Championship title and survives Bunting epic

Luke Humphries clinched his maiden Players Championship title of 2024 in Wigan last week, producing a late burst to deny Stephen Bunting in a compelling final.

Humphries fought back from 7-6 adrift to triumph, marking the perfect preparation ahead of his BoyleSports World Grand Prix title defence.

“This was important for me,” said Humphries, who was featuring in his first ranking final since July’s World Matchplay.

“You go through spells where you’re playing fantastic darts, and then you go through spells where you can’t buy a win, and that can happen.

“I’m dedicated to this sport and I know I can push the levels higher and higher, but it’s important to gain a bit of confidence from somewhere.”

“When you’re on the big stage, it feels different. I feel better than ever on that big stage,” added the World Champion.

Humphries then went on to produce one of the most astonishing comebacks in World Grand Prix history, as he kicked off his title defence on Monday night.

Two-time semi-finalist Bunting made a blistering start to the contest, winning the first five legs to leave Humphries staring down the barrel.

Nevertheless, after the St Helens star missed one dart at double 16 for a whitewash win, Humphries came roaring back with a three-leg blitz of his own to level the contest at one set apiece.

The world number one then powered to victory in the closing stages, winning three of the last four legs to complete a remarkable fightback.

“As soon as I won the first leg, I knew the opportunity was there, and I worked incredibly hard to get myself back into the game,” he said.