Luke Humphries held off a surprising fightback from Jonny Clayton to win the revamped Winmau World Masters in a deciding-leg shootout and declare his seventh main PDC title.
Humphries opened up a 5-2 result in transfer one set from victory in Milton Keynes, just for Clayton to rally to 5-5 after which break the world No 1 within the subsequent leg to earn the possibility to throw for the trophy.
Nevertheless, Humphries – who had missed a match dart on the bullseye within the tenth set earlier than Clayton nailed D19 to make sure there can be an eleventh – broke again instantly to set-up an exhilarating finale.
Humphries has now gained seven main PDC titles, together with the 2024 World Darts Championship
Cool Hand then hit tops for the title and the £100,000 prime prize after Clayton fluffed a end of 120 and didn’t even give himself a take a look at a match dart.
The Ferret’s comfort is the £50,000 runner-up payment, which strikes him up a spot to sixth within the PDC Order of Advantage, above Dave Chisnall.
Clayton had crushed reigning world champion Luke Littler 4-2 within the quarter-finals earlier than seeing off an out-of-sorts Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-2 within the semi-finals at Enviornment MK.
Humphries fought again from 2-0 right down to defeat Danny Noppert 5-2 within the semi-finals – a sport through which he missed his first eight makes an attempt at a double – after breezing previous Damon Heta 4-1 within the final eight.
Premier League subsequent for Humphries after ‘lucky win’
Humphries will now flip his consideration to the opening evening of Premier League Darts in Belfast on Thursday – stay on Sky Sports activities from 7pm – after his nerve-jangling victory over Clayton.
He advised ITV after his Masters triumph: “I’m a lucky… I was fortunate there. I started to feel the nerves.
“After I was 5-2 up and lacking doubles, I used to be making an attempt too onerous. As quickly because it went 5-5, I assumed the sport perhaps had gone for me.
Clayton’s epic fightback got here in useless in Milton Keynes
“Jonny was scoring so well. It was a really tough game. I played well in patches but Jonny was dominant at times.
“To win trophies like these is wonderful and to share a stage with Jonny is a privilege. I’m over the moon.
“I am three major titles away from the great James Wade’s 10 and to be close to someone like that, I can’t believe it.”
Clayton added: “Luke was running away with it but I dug in. He gave a me a few chances I missed and a few I took and I didn’t give up.
“I needed to offer Luke an excellent sport and I gave him one. It wasn’t my day. It was Luke’s and he’s a category act. He’s a improbable particular person and improbable participant.”
Sunday’s Winmau World Masters results
Final
- Luke Humphries 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Semi-finals
- Luke Humphries 5-2 Danny Noppert
- Jonny Clayton 5-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Quarter-finals
- Luke Humphries 4-1 Damon Heta
- Danny Noppert 4-3 Stephen Bunting
- Luke Littler 2-4 Jonny Clayton
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 4-1 Nathan Aspinall
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