Luke Humphries announces boycott U-turn as Premier League night three looms
Luke Humphries claimed victory at Players Championship 4 on Tuesday, overcoming Wessel Nijman 8-6 in the final at Wigan to secure his first triumph in the competition since October 2024.
The world No 2’s success came just months after he had threatened to skip the entire Players Championship series this year.
The 31-year-old’s appearance in Wigan marked only his second outing in the competition in 2025, following a last-16 defeat to Ritchie Edhouse the previous day.
Humphries expressed delight at ending his drought in the floor events, describing himself as “really, really pleased” with the result.
The darts star had previously indicated he was prepared to miss the entire Players Championship calendar this year, revealing his intentions had been genuine.
“I said before, I think it was last year that I wasn’t going to play in any, and I was serious about it to be fair,” Humphries admitted.
Luke Humphries claimed victory at Players Championship 4 on Tuesday, overcoming Wessel Nijman 8-6 in the final at Wigan to secure his first triumph in the competition since October 2024
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PA
However, the Wigan venue’s convenient location prompted a rethink from the former world champion.
“It’s only 45 minutes away from my house, so you see how it goes,” he explained.
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“If it goes well, then you can carry on. If it doesn’t go well, then you don’t have to. I was just here to see how it goes.”
Humphries acknowledged that returning to the floor events had left him feeling somewhat overwhelmed, having experienced a difficult spell in Players Championship competitions for an extended period.
“I’ve just been playing on TV a lot and it’s a great feeling when it’s all going well up there,” he said.
“Then you come here and it’s a bit underwhelming you kind of struggle to get up for it in a weird way.”
Luke Humphries is yet to win a night of Premier League action
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Despite these challenges, the 31-year-old found renewed enthusiasm for the non-televised circuit, noting that his lengthy absence had actually made him appreciate being back at the venue.
“I actually did enjoy coming here yesterday because it’s been a long time since I’ve been back,” Humphries reflected.
“I was actually looking forward to coming here today as well. For me, if you’re looking forward to being here, that’s when I’m at my best.”
The world No 2 was satisfied with his overall display throughout Tuesday’s tournament, stating that aside from his opening match, he felt his performance was of a high standard.
With his leaderboard position now significantly improved, Humphries will return to action at the Premier League Darts on Thursday evening in Glasgow for the third night of the competition.
