Luke Humphries credited a quiet equipment switch and a rediscovered love of slower tempo darts for the breakthrough that saw him land his first 2026 BetMGM Premier League nightly win in Birmingham, ending the threat that he might become the first reigning champion in years to miss the O2 playoffs.
The defending champion had been written off by analysts after sitting six points outside the playoff places only three weeks earlier. By the close of Night 15 he had averaged 107 against Stephen Bunting, 110 in a semi-final win over Luke Littler and edged Gerwyn Price in the final. Asked to explain the surge, Humphries kept his answer disarmingly simple.
"Sometimes you just have to try something new," Humphries told Sky Sports. "If it works, it works. I did it in the Grand Slam, the Grand Prix, and it worked for me, but then I did it in the Worlds, it didn't work for me. So sometimes you just have to adapt. It's working one minute, it's not the next. Last week, there's a bit of a breeze outside so I had to throw a bit harder, a bit quicker. Then I thought I'd play well, so I thought I'd keep with that tonight. Maybe next week, I'll go slow again, I don't know."
The Cool Hand acknowledged the changes were more than tactical. "I worked incredibly hard over the last three weeks," Humphries said. "I changed back to my old points, old flights, and it just worked for me, and I played that way I've been playing. So just proud of myself for battling through because we've all been through them stages where it's easy and you're just winning and everything's easy, but it shows true grit when you can come from that position that I was in, sixth."
Humphries had pivoted to a heavier, faster set-up earlier in the season after his slow tempo failed him at the World Championship. The reversal aligns with the equipment philosophy he debuted at the 2024 Grand Slam, where his previous flights and points carried him to the title. The change paid off immediately. He averaged above 105 across all three of his matches and converted 60% of his doubles in the win over Bunting.
The defending champion was also unusually candid about the mental side of the run. "There was a point where we were looking at five points from the top four, you kind of think, wow, you need a miracle here," Humphries said. "But deep down, my girlfriend Kayleigh, she's like, you got it in you, you know you can do it. Sometimes I just need that little bit of someone to tell me I can do it. I believe in myself the last three weeks, and that's what matters."
The Sky Sports presenter pointed to how relaxed the world number two looked at the oche, prompting Humphries to credit experience. "I think it's from experience," he said. "You know, Polly told me before I played, he said, if you win the night, you send her a dinner. You win the night, you're through. I'm like, thanks Polly for telling me. But yeah, I just I think it comes with experience. I've played in many major finals and stuff like that. These sort of nights, they with experience, they help you. With the likes of other players that not have experience as much as I am or Michael or Luke or Johnny, it can take its toll. For me as a player I think the experience has helped me a lot."
Humphries was also open about his off-oche habits with the playoffs now locked in. "Playing golf," he said when asked what was next. "Probably just relaxing. Probably play the Pro Tours in midweek for a bit of a tune-up and then plenty of golf because I feel like that helps me now. I've been playing a lot of golf recently and it's been making me play well, so I'm going to stick to it. Enjoy the golf and enjoy the darts."
The last word belonged to a reflective Humphries on what the night meant. "Probably the most proud I've ever been in my life," he said. "For the last two Premier Leagues, it's all been very easy. You get through 14th week, you're playing for nothing. For the last three weeks, there's been a lot of pressure on my shoulders, and to make three finals was a winnable. It means a lot to me because it shows I got that grit and determination."
