Latest news with #CoolHand
The Sun
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Luke Humphries needs X-ray on swollen thumb after darts fan pulls his hand during shock walk-on at US Darts Masters
LUKE HUMPHRIES faces a hospital visit with an injury scare after being yanked back by a fan on a walk-on. The World No1 was left in pain after the thumb on his throwing hand was pulled back by an overzealous fan during his walk-on at the US Masters in Madison Square Garden. 2 2 The bizarre incident took place ahead of 'Cool Hand's' first-round match against Stowe Buntz. Despite the discomfort, Humphries still managed to win the World Series event after seeing off Nathan Aspinall 8-6 in the final. But the Cheshire thrower confessed he'll have to get an x-ray as the pain refuses to go away. He said: 'My thumb is incredibly swollen. It's hard to play through. I was struggling with the grip. I couldn't hold my thumb in the same position. 'I don't want to make it all about that, I've won the title and I don't want it to be about me having an injury, but the guy when he pulled my hand back, he really hurt it. 'I'm going to have to go home and get it x-rayed. I don't think it's broken as it doesn't hurt to squeeze it. I've got a couple of weeks off. Next time I play is two weeks away, so I've got plenty of time. 'It's not broken, that's the main thing, but it's not in good shape, it's incredibly swollen. 'When I was in the final, I said to my family I'm going to give it everything. 'If I injure my hand in the final, I don't care. I tried my best and it was good enough so really pleased. I wasn't at my best but I managed to win.'
Daily Record
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Luke Humphries lifts lid on bizarre injury caused by fan during US Darts Masters walk-on
Cool Hand overcame pain and discomfort to secure dream success in the Big Apple Battling Luke Humphries overcame his painful thumb injury inflicted by a fan to lift the US Darts Masters. The World No.1 was victorious in New York after beating Nathan Aspinall in the Final at Madison Square Garden. Humphries did so with a hurting digit after a bizarre incident which saw a darts punter injure his finger on the opening night of the event during an accidental moment in his walk on. Cool Hand was still toiling on Finals night and explained he'll be heading straight to the docs when he gets back to the UK to have it checked out. Humphries said: 'My thumb is incredibly swollen. It's hard to play through. I was struggling with the grip. I couldn't hold my thumb in the same position. "I don't want to make it all about that, I've won the title and I don't want it to be about me having an injury, but the guy when he pulled my hand back, he really hurt it. "I'm going to have to go home and get it x-rayed. I don't think it's broken as it doesn't hurt to squeeze it. I've got a couple of weeks off. Next time I play is two weeks away, so I've got plenty of time. 'It's not broken, that's the main thing, but it's not in good shape, it's incredibly swollen. Get through the first game. "When I was in the Final, I said to my family I'm going to give it everything. If I injure my hand in the Final, I don't care. I tried my best and it was good enough so really pleased. I wasn't at my best but I managed to win.' Humphries was in no way against the fans as he savoured the astonishing atmosphere in the Garden with the sport growing in the States. He said: 'It was really special. I thought the crowd were absolutely fantastic. I don't know the figure like 3,000 people but the exciting fact for us is if you can treble or quadruple that you're going to create one of the best atmospheres darts has ever seen so it's exciting for us as players to know that we can grow it over here. Next year maybe sell more and go into the bigger room, that's what I'm excited for. 'I really enjoyed my time over here. America is such a massive fanbase for sport, they've got so many great sports. Baseball, American football, ice hockey, basketball but we'd love to put darts along them lines. I believe we can, it's not going to be easy. "You're not going to do it in one or two years but if we can put it along those great sports they already have then it gives Americans another sport they can enjoy. 'I love America to bits, I've been here many many times but it's really special for me to win as well. This is the real special one for me on the World Series. "This is the biggest one, this will always be the most iconic venue darts is going to go to or I'll ever play at. It's one of the top five best venues in the world. "So they're very special. When I come here two years ago, I always dreamt of winning this one. 'It means the world, they said earlier we don't want to jinx you but they've been to every tournament I've won this year. "They've not seen me lose. I've won World Championships, Matchplays, Premier Leagues, Masters, all these big titles but it kind of felt like I won another major. "For me winning in America, it feels like winning a major. One of the biggest sporting countries in the world. To play your sport in your country and win in it. You add all that up, it's very very special. 'I genuinely believe the way the crowd were this weekend and a lot of players said it. You're creating better environments than we have on Premier League nights for 8-10,000. "I think there's a major coming in the next two or three years or four-five years here. We just have to have the support of the American crowd, we really love it. We want to come. We're more than happy to come for big major tournaments.' "Before that though, they perhaps need to be angling towards the big venue at Madison Square Garden and he had the same sort of feeling that they want to play in the big arena but need support to achieve that mission. "We want the big venue, we're so blessed to have the Theater. But we would love to have it in the big arena. But we have to have the support from the Americans to come.'
Daily Record
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Luke Humphries fires back at Premier League darts critics as yet another date is added
Champ Cool Hand prefers trophies to cheques and sticks up for PL system Champion Luke Humphries has hit back at critics of the Premier League set-up. The world No.1 took the title at the end of a 17-week darts marathon which turned off many observers. Humphries and Luke Littler clashed for a ninth time in the campaign in the Final and Raymond van Barneveld is amongst the snipers who think that's way too much and is taking away the spectacle. But, as PDC chief Barry Hearn revealed plans to add Antwerp in Belgium to the PL schedule in 2026, Cool Hand responded to enquiries about changing the tournament's current make-up and said: 'Can you give me advice on how you change it? If me and Luke play in every Players and Euro Tour, every major and every Premier League, because that is what the fans, they want all these darts, if we make the final of every tournament, you are going to see us play 40-50 times a year. 'The only reason we play each other so much is because we end up making the finals. I don't know how you stop it. I think as much as everyone wants to change the Premier League, I am happy to be in it. 'I don't care what it does, what you do, whether it's a league format, a singular night, it doesn't stop the fact that me and Luke might play each 10-15 times a year. That's because of how much darts there are. We can play each other next weekend if we make the final [in Copenhagen]. 'The magnitude of darts now, we are playing every week and sometimes you are playing the Players Championship, two or three times a week. Then a Euro Tour. If you are the two best players in the world performing so well and making the final every week, you will keep playing each other every week. 'I would not even suggest it. I honestly don't know. It's up to the PDC. I'm happy playing it. I am not going to be the one that wants to change it. Of course, they do change it, I am happy with that as well. 'But for me, I won't be sitting here moaning, saying I don't want to play this or I want to play in this. I am happy to be involved. The PDC know what they are doing. If this is the best format for them, then they will do it. It still does good numbers, the fans still come, still gets good numbers on Sky Sports. They know what they are doing. Not for people like me to change things, it's up for people like me to work hard and win titles. Let's not change it.' Such is the schedule, top stars such as Humphries get little time to savour successes. After his triumph at London's O2, he smiled: 'I want to have a beer and celebrate.' But asked if he'd allow himself a treat, he said: 'It's hard. I don't know. What do you treat yourself to really? I have bought a brand new house. I have bought a new car. I don't know. I am not one of those people that goes out and just wastes my money on nothing. I will have a nice holiday. That will be something. I don't think about money, I think about winning big titles and the money comes with it. 'When you pick up trophies like this, you don't think about how relentless it is. It makes it all worthwhile.'
Daily Record
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Luke Humphries salutes Phil Taylor's role in Premier League win as Luke Littler has eyes on his own records
Cool Hand defeated The Nuke at London's O2 to complete the Triple Crown as he joins trio in prestigious club. Proud Luke Humphries joined Phil Taylor in the Triple Crown club and immediately thanked The Power for surging him to success. Cool Hand breezed to the Premier League title after a stunning fightback blew away Luke Littler. The World No.1 cast aside issues with wind across the stage to storm back and dump The Nuke in front of 14,000 at London's O2. Humphries pocketed the £275,000 winners cheque by beating Nathan Aspinall 10-7 and then silencing the Littler Army in London to win 11-8 and claim the cherished trio of elite prizes. He followed Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson in winning the World Championship, World Matchplay and Premier League in his career with the success over his big rival. Afterwards, the champ confessed Taylor has been helping him and explained: 'Honestly, that means the world to me. That was the one I was missing. That was the one I wanted. I've done it now. 'If I don't win another title ever, I'm happy because I've done the three hardest ones to do. I've joined the elusive group of me, Gary, Phil, Michael. 'I must say to Phil, thank you so much because he's been giving me loads of support the last few weeks, really helped me out a lot. "Gave me a lot of advice and he gave me that extra boost. That was a struggle between me and Luke. It wasn't our best game, but I'm really, really pleased with it. 'I love him to bits. Honestly, he's one of my best mates on tour. He's so good. He wasn't his best, nor was I, but I managed to get in front of him. Well, I'm just going to go and retire now and that's it, I'm done! No, I want to search for more. He makes me want to be a better player. 'But right now, I'm doing okay. I've won eight major titles now, the most important ones that I can dream of, so now it's important that I go and finish this end of the season well and try and regain that World Championships. "I said to him: You'll probably get me back a few times, but I'm glad I've got it. One time or 10 times, one's good enough for me.' Littler dodged an object flung onto the stage and was hit by a foam finger prior to his 10-7 semi win over Gerwyn Price, but he couldn't get away from Humphries and lost out in his bid to go back-to-back. He said: 'I had a little bit of a thing after the game, as I do. No one likes losing, but I'm fine. Glad to say it's over. It's been a tough 17 weeks, but I'm very happy it's over. Came runner-up, I'll be back next year. 'I've set many records. Personally, I don't think they'll be broken because I'm going to go next year and try and break my own records. But a little bit of a break now.' The pair will team-up at the World Cup next month and Humphries said: 'I've won it before, Luke's going to want to win the World Cup and we're both really good friends, but we're good players, so if we connect, then we're going to stand a great chance of winning. "I know the pressure's going to be on us, but we believe that we can win it and if we do play our best, I don't think anybody's going to touch us, but we'll see.' Littler added: 'I can't wait, obviously. He won it last year, so now he can lead me to victory.'
The Sun
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Luke Humphries WINS Premier League Darts as Cool Hand recovers from horror start to stun Luke Littler
LUKE HUMPHRIES won his first Premier League Darts title by overcoming Luke Littler in a thrilling final. Cool Hand beat the Nuke 11-8 at the O2 Arena to avenge last year's final defeat. 2
