Luke Littler won the Premier League darts title by defeating Luke Humphries 11-10 in a final-leg decider after trailing 6-3. The 19-year-old world number one faced heavy booing at London’s O2 Arena but recovered from recent setbacks, including losing last year’s final to Humphries. Littler had six nightly wins across the 17-week event and earned £410,000 in total. He described the season as a rollercoaster after starting poorly. In the semi-final, he squandered six match darts against Gerwyn Price, then held his nerve after a tense exchange and a late deciding-leg win. Humphries reached the final after beating Jonny Clayton 10-9.
"World number one Littler was subjected to more pantomime booing and whistling from the 16,000 crowd at London's O2 Arena. But the 19-year-old shrugged off the jeers which have followed him around recently to reclaim the title he lost to Humphries in last year's final. It was the third straight meeting between darts' top pair in the final, and it was Warrington thrower Littler who came from 6-3 down to edge a thriller 11-10."
"Add in his record-equalling six nightly wins over the 17-week marathon and Littler has raked in an eye-watering £410,000. "It's been a rollercoaster," he said. "The first four weeks I was bottom of the table. I had to pick myself up, had some tough times." The youngster then had to stop speaking as welled up with emotion, and Humphries explained: "It shows what it means to us as players, on the road for 16, 17 weeks, it's hard work.""
"Littler had earlier squandered six match darts as he let a 9-4 lead slip in a bad-tempered semi-final against Gerwyn Price. There was a flashpoint midway through the 15th leg when Price, not on a finish, scored 170 and gave the crowd the reeling in the 'big fish' gesture with Littler already throwing. Referee Huw Ware gave Price a ticking-off at the end of the leg before the fired-up Welshman apologised to Littler."
"However, the 41-year-old repeated the gesture at his very next visit after hitting 180, although this time he was well out of his opponent's eyeline. Price carried on reeling in Littler, but 'The Nuke' held his nerve to take the deciding leg for a 10-9 victory, his ninth consecutive win against the former rugby player. Humphries, 31, had seen off 2021 winner Jonny Clayton 10-9 in s see-saw second semi-final."
Read at Irish Independent
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