Humphries beats Van Gerwen to win World Matchplay for first time
Catch up on the action with our blog below:
Final, best of 35 legs
Luke Humphries (#1) 18-15 Michael van Gerwen (#2)
Van Gerwen started the match well and grabbed the break right away. He threw out 74 to make it 1-0.
But that joy was short-lived. Humphries got the break back by throwing out 53 via tops.
He opened the third leg with the first 180 of the match. He was eventually out in 12 darts to make it 2-1 via double 16.
Humphries had four chances for the break in the fourth leg, but did not take them. Van Gerwen took advantage by throwing 41 out via double 16: 2-2.
The triples were not the problem for the Englishman, but the seven missed doubles. Also in the fifth leg, Humphries missed a chance at double 16, giving Van Gerwen the lead. He threw out 62 via double 16 to lead 3-2.
Humphries leaves Van Gerwen alive
Humphries continued to score superbly, giving him an immediate chance for a break. He grabbed it with double 6 to level the score 3-3.
Humphries threw his second 180 in the seventh leg to make it 4-3. He hit tops to regain the lead.
Van Gerwen threw his first 180 in the eighth leg, but missed three chances on double 16 and 8. Humphries did throw out 74 via bullseye to make it 5-3, a break.
Humphries opened with 180, but failed to throw out 54, giving Van Gerwen a chance to come back. But 88 failed to go out, making it 6-3 via double 5. Van Gerwen did pick up the tenth leg via double 8 to end the second session 6-4 down.
In the third session Van Gerwen got the break back immediately. He threw out 65 via double 10 to make it 6-5.
But for the third time, Van Gerwen managed to cash in on that break. Van Gerwen had 67 left, but Humphries threw out 141 to make it 7-5.
He opened the 13th leg with his fourth 180, cashing in on the break by throwing double 5: 8-5. Humphries continued to score 30 points more than Van Gerwen and also had the chance for the break.
He missed double 13, but Van Gerwen also failed to throw 109. He was allowed to come back for it, as 26 also failed to go out.
It became 8-6 via double 8 and so Humphries left the Dutchman in the match. Also in the 15th leg, Humphries missed a dart on the double on 80, but Van Gerwen missed double 12 and 6 as well. And so it became 9-6 via double 5.
Van Gerwen started the fourth session fine and was out in 13 darts via double 16: 9-7. Humphries threw his seventh 180 already in the seventeenth leg, and then also reached 10-7 by hitting double 10.
He also threw 180 again in the eighteenth leg, but Van Gerwen also did so. Humphries had the chance for another break via 107, but missed double 14 by a hair.
Van Gerwen did throw double 10 and stayed in the match: 10-8. Humphries threw 180 for the fourth consecutive leg and also led 11-8 via double 18. Van Gerwen stayed in the match though, as 70 went out via double 8.
Van Gerwen draws level
Humphries opened the fourth session with a 180 and also won the leg. In 11 darts, tops went out for a 12-9 lead.
In the next leg Van Gerwen threw his third 180 and also reached 12-10 via double 7. Van Gerwen started to score better and also threw his fourth 180.
He grabbed the break as well, as 106 went out via tops: 12-11 and thus equalised in breaks. Van Gerwen then levelled the score again, as he again threw a ton plus finish, 110.
In the fourth attempt he did manage to cash in on the break: 12-12. He also threw his fifth 180 in the 25th leg, throwing out 86 under a lot of pressure. Van Gerwen was waiting on 32, but was not allowed to throw on it: 13-12 for Humphries.
In the last session, Humphries threw 180 and had a chance for the break from 100, but could not find a triple. Van Gerwen missed two arrows on double 16 and so it became 14-12.
Humphries threw double 10 and grabbed another break lead. Van Gerwen had equal chances in the 27th leg to post a break back and did so via double 10: 14-13.
But Van Gerwen also came under tremendous pressure in his own leg. He needed to throw out 164, but missed the bullseye.
Humphries did throw out tops to make it 15-13. Humphries threw his 12th 180 in the 29th leg and he then also threw out 131: 16-13.
It was five to 12 for Van Gerwen as Humphries was much better in the final session. Van Gerwen dealt a small blow, though, as he threw out 160 to make it 16-14.
Very expensive miss at the end
Van Gerwen came all the way back, as 108 went out and that made it equal in breaks again: 16-15. But Van Gerwen again struggled to cash in on his break.
But he almost got to 16-16. He almost threw out 160 again, he had new chances, but missed double 10 three times.
Humphries took advantage and threw out double 10: 17-15. Match point for Humphries.
Thus, Van Gerwen had to grab the break and he also took the initiative in Humphries' leg. He clearly had a lot of tension on his arm.
Van Gerwen missed four chances on double 8 and so he lost the match. Humphries threw out 100 via two tops and pulled it over the line: 18-15.
