Luke Humphries on brink of darts history as eyewatering prize money total screams into view
Superstar Luke Humphries is set to become darts’ first-ever £2million man.
But the world No.1 really has his eyes set on the perfect ten. Humphries’ brilliant triumph at the Winmau World Masters was a staggering seventh major title success in just the past 15 months.
Cool Hand is clear at the top of the PDC Order of Merit rankings with the £100,000 winners cheque from MK pushing him beyond £1.9 million secured over the past two years. Humphries now has the chance to be the first in the rankings system to hit the £2m mark and can get there at the upcoming UK Open.
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But it’s trophies and not cash that drives him as he said: “It obviously would be really nice to do that. It’s not like a goal that you’re looking at and thinking I need to do that. The prize money in darts is just going to go up and up over the next few years, I think everyone knows that. It’s probably going to be a common thing, so someone is going to reach the £2 million mark whether I do it or not, but I’d like to be the first one to do it.”
Humphries sits just three behind third-placed James Wade in the all-time list of darts TV major ranking title wins and that's the clearer target in his mind.
He said: “People forget it’s two out of three majors I’ve won now, so, you do get the little bit of people where they kind of think that when you have a couple of bad performances that you’re going to fall down and that’s it, you’re defending so much, you’re going to collapse. But like I said a couple of days ago, I’m just here to enjoy myself, win as much as I can and there’s another one ticked off.
“To be three away from James, what a legend he is. To be close to him. I was nothing and now I’ve got seven. When you put it into perspective, when you can be close to a legend like James, it really is something special, so if I can get that 10 mark, then I think that would be a massive appreciation for myself and my family.”
Humphries’ win took some of the spotlight from his big mate Luke Littler. The world champion was knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Jonny Clayton.
But humble Humphries isn’t bothered one bit about taking attention as he said: “I mean his [Littler] name is always going to be in the headlines, because he is absolutely incredible. So, for me, it doesn’t bother me.
“I say it so many times and I’m not going to keep saying it, it doesn’t bother me. My name has always been great in the headlines. I don’t think I’ve not got the respect. I feel like everyone does put my name on there.
“It’s nice obviously to put up your name in the headlines of course. But for me, I don’t care about that. I just care about winning major titles, and when I’m away from my family, I’ll make it worthwhile. It’s a fantastic win and that is what means the most, more than being in headlines.”
