Luke Humphries made a firm statement as he breezed to victory in Blackpool this evening with a straightforward 10-2 win over former major champion Jose de Sousa.
Cool Hand Luke was firing from the starting gun, a 14 darter followed by a 15 setting him 2-0 up early on.
After going 3 nil up, De Sousa could then chalk up his first leg of the match, but he was really hanging by a thread.
At 4-1 by the break, Humphries was no poorer after the break, briefly on for a perfect leg.
10 darts would do, and even as he slightly took his foot off the gas in the subsequent leg, De Sousa could not hold off his charge. 6-1 it was.
Humphries was barely stopping for breath and De Sousa was entangled on the ropes, unable to produce any response.
The onslaught continued in the next two legs, 6-1 becoming 7-1 and 8-1 and De Sousa climbing to only 2 for 10 on doubles in the next leg with an 87 salvo.
Averaging comfortably over a ton at 103, and 50/50 on doubles, Luke was making easy work of the former Grand Slam winner.
A second gear 17 dart leg in the subsequent leg helped him to 9-2.
Only 12 darts later, Humphries was facing darts for a double. Jose was nowhere near a finish. It was not a happy day at the seaside for the man from Portugal, who was sent packing with a double 8.
It was the most comprehensive victory of the competition so far, and a statement performance which places Humphries in title-winning conversations.
“It’s a great place to come to. I bring my step-daughter and my son and we love coming here,” Humphries told Darts World.
“This is one tournament which I really want to win and I’d love to make some memories here.”
“My goal is to make the final but I have to take it one step at a time.”
—–ENDS —-
Images: PDC
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