HUMPHRIES REVEALS WHAT ANNOYS HIM MOST ON THE OCHE

LUKE HUMPHRIES has revealed the one thing that really winds him up on the oche is the wind itself!

Newbury thrower has been in blistering form this season, adding the World Masters, Premier League, US Masters and Czech Open titles to his growing collection.

But the world No1 says even the slightest draught from the arena air conditioning can ruin his rhythm and make playing for big titles incredibly tricky.

‘Cool Hand Luke’ admits that when conditions aren’t right, his frustration can boil over and he’s far from the only one who feels it.

He told talkSPORT: “I know it’s trivial, and I see so many people online saying it’s not a problem, but the wind really is.

“People say, ‘ah stop moaning, get on with it,’ but when you’re playing for big titles, it’s frustrating.

“What they forget is that for two or three days you’ve dedicated your life to travelling here, preparing, then you’ve got another long journey home.

“So when you get on stage and there’s air con or something blowing across the oche, it can be really annoying for us as players.

“Don’t get me wrong, all the players backstage get annoyed about it.

“It’s hard, because when your darts are going through the air and mine, like Luke Littler’s, have quite a long flight — any bit of breeze affects them.

“Mine has massively long points and stems, so when the wind’s there, it really moves them around.

“It’s so hard to navigate it. That’s the only pet hate I’ve got about darts, and it can really annoy me.”

Eight-times major winner Humphries also revealed how many World Championship crowns he reckons he will win before retiring.

Humphries lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy in 2024 after halting teen sensation Luke Littler in the final.

He added: “I reckon three. I think that’s a fair number; I’d love five just to be on that Raymond [van Barneveld] and [Eric] Bristow level.

“I’d love six to overtake that. But yeah, I think if I am being realistic three. I mean I have twenty years to win another two.

“I think if I win one in the next three or four years it’s definitely possible.

“You never know I could never win another one, World Championships don’t just come around.

“They’re really hard to win. Everything just went my way in the one I won to be honest.

“The comebacks against Ricardo [Pietreckzo] the comebacks against Joe Cullen.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.