HUMPHRIES OVERCOMES PAINFUL THUMB GRAB

LUKE HUMPHRIES has revealed how a painful thumb grab from an over-excited fan almost KO’d his US Darts Masters hopes. 

World No. 1 Humphries was left wincing after his thumb was yanked back by a member of the crowd during his walk-on at Madison Square Garden. 

But ‘Cool Hand’ still dug deep to edge Stowe Buntz 6-4 in the opening round at the Big Apple. 

Eight-times major winner Humphries says the freak incident threw him off his game. 

He said: “On the walk on of course that guy pulled my thumb back and it really hurt.  

“I tried my best to come back from that, but that thing stays in your head it does.  

“It affected my performance.  

“Stowe played really well to be honest.  

“He hit a couple of good finishes and pushed me out of the game. 

“But he managed to give it away in the end and the last two legs he gave me the game. 

“So I was very fortunate to get over the line really.” 

Humphries will face Danny Lauby in the quarter-final after he whitewashed defending champion Rob Cross 6-0. 

Cheshire thrower Humphries admitted lifting the trophy in New York would mean everything. 

He added: “It would mean the world. It is definitely the world series tournament I have always wanted to win.  

“Its in America, the Big Apple and the one that everyone wants to be apart of. “If you are winning titles in America something great is happening. Whether you win NFL’s or MLBs. 

“Now I will relax. There is nothing to lose now that I have made the second day.  

“I have Danny next. The crowd will be on his side and he played really well earlier.  

“So it will be a good prospect for us both.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.