Luke Humphries made a dominant start to the Premier League in Belfast, securing a 6-1 victory over Chris Dobey in the final. The world number one, fresh off his World Masters triumph, showcased his precision and composure, delivering a clinical finishing performance at the SSE Arena.
Humphries had earlier defeated Nathan Aspinall and Michael van Gerwen on his way to the final. Despite both players initially expressing concerns about a draught on stage, Humphries quickly adapted, storming into a 5-0 lead. Dobey, ranked 11th in the world, managed to avoid a whitewash with an impressive 126 checkout in the sixth leg, but the outcome was never in doubt.
“There was a bit of a breeze, but it was blowing my darts into the doubles, so I was happy,” Humphries said with a smile, having hit six of his seven attempts at the outer ring. He was pleased with his strong start, emphasizing that his goal for the competition is simply to finish in the top four. “I think this is the hardest Premier League for a very, very long time,” he added.
Van Gerwen, who reached the semi-finals, battled past Luke Littler in a thrilling 6-5 contest, avenging his World Championship final loss to the teenage sensation. Littler delivered a stunning performance, averaging 113.91 – the second-highest losing average in Premier League history – but Van Gerwen edged him out with an average of 105.91.
Their match carried extra tension after Van Gerwen had earlier criticized Littler for being late to a media event. “They need to stop treating him like a baby … he’s 18 years old now,” Van Gerwen remarked. Littler acknowledged the issue, responding: “He’s not wrong, I was late. I did get a little telling off.”
Van Gerwen built a 5-3 lead with two breaks of throw but faltered near the finish line, allowing Littler a chance to fight back. However, the Dutchman held his nerve in the final leg to secure the win.
Humphries, who finished as runner-up in last year’s Premier League final, began his campaign with a commanding 6-2 win over Aspinall. In the semi-final against Van Gerwen, he was outscored but capitalized on his opponent’s struggles with doubles. Van Gerwen missed 11 double attempts, including a match dart on the bullseye, while Humphries remained composed, taking out 140 and 120 checkouts before sealing victory in a deciding leg. “I was very fortunate,” Humphries admitted.
Despite reasserting his dominance as the world number one, Humphries was quick to praise Littler, calling him the best player in the world. “He’s definitely the man to beat,” he said. “If he goes out, then I’m the one to beat … but he’s one of the greatest darts players I’ve seen in my career.”
Earlier in the night, Dobey opened with a 6-4 victory over Gerwyn Price, while Rob Cross overcame World Championship semi-finalist Stephen Bunting by the same scoreline. Dobey then impressed in his semi-final against Cross, landing 170 and 120 checkouts to win 6-4 and book his place in the final.
With the opening night complete, attention now shifts to Glasgow’s Hydro, where the second of 16 league-stage nights will take place next Thursday. Humphries will face Dobey in the quarter-finals as the battle for a top-four finish continues. The tournament will culminate with the finals night at London’s O2 Arena on 29 May.
