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Daily Record
5 days ago
- 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.'
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Gerwyn Price went from darts boo-boy to crowd favourite… but could quit sport at any minute for thriving side hustle
GERWYN PRICE may be an underdog to win Premier League Darts - but he often excels as being the outsider. The Iceman takes on Luke Littler in the semi-final at the O2 Arena on Thursday. 2 2 Price qualified in fourth spot, proving he was worth his place after some questioned his selection after a misfiring 2024. He did so in style too, hitting nine darters in Manchester and Aberdeen. No longer is he the pantomime villain, being booed at arenas across the country. Opposition to the Welshman grew so strong he wore ear defenders at the World Championship in 2023 to block out the noise. Price suggested his newfound popularity may actually be a case of his rivals being even more disliked than him. He said: "Maybe there's one or two characters in there now that the fans probably don't favour. "So they look to go somewhere else and if they want to cheer me on and help me get over the winning line. I'm happy with that. "I think there's a couple of characters in the Premier League that some venues don't really like as well." JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Price has enjoyed an upturn in form this year, winning the Players Championship 2. He also finished as runner-up in the Bahrain Darts Masters and has reached the last eight at seven tournaments this year. Classy Luke Littler celebrates with Gerwyn Price as Welshman hits incredible nine-darter to bag £30k gold darts But even if his career at the oche takes a permanent turn for the worse, having last won a major in 2022, Price has a booming side hustle he can turn to. The 39-year-old has converted a pharmacy into a fish and chip shop in his hometown Markham, Wales. And it has given him a more relaxed attitude about darts, with Price even hinting at a potential retirement. He said: "I'm sort of in the mindset now that, I'll turn up and play in whatever events I'm in and if I'm not in them, I don't really care. "I've built a platform so to speak, for me to just do what I want to do. If I fall outside the top 64 and finish darts tomorrow, I really don't care. I'm just going to start enjoying darts now, turn up when I want to turn up and when I have to turn up. "I think, in previous years, it's been darts first and family life after but that's going to change now. "It's going to be family life first, darts after. My main priority is back at home."
Scottish Sun
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Darts star Michael van Gerwen's miserable year from Luke Littler loss and bizarre injury to split from wife Daphne
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has had a tough year both at and away from the oche. The Green Machine has gone through injury misery, marriage heartache and damaging defeats. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Michael van Gerwen has had a tough year so far Credit: Alamy Once one of the most feared players on the professional circuit, MVG is now seen by many as a beatable opponent when you're on your day. That reputation took it's first big hit of the year when the 36-year-old fell to defeat at the hands of teenager Luke Littler in the World Championship final in January. LUKE AWAY Van Gerwen is a three-time world champion and one of the best players to ever take to the stage. January's World Championship final matchup with a 17-year-old Luke Littler was an opportunity for the Dutchman to assert his dominance over a rising star that had drawn comparisons to a young MVG. READ MORE IN DARTS 'GOT THE HUMP' Darts duo embroiled in on-stage row as what kicked off public spat emerges But the chance at lifting a fourth Sid Waddell trophy was gone within a matter of minutes as Littler stormed to a 4-0 lead, ultimately going on to win 7-3. It wasn't just £500,000 and the trophy that was snatched away from Van Gerwen, but an 11-year record of his too. Littler's success as a 17-year-old made him the youngest ever winner of the worlds, trumping MVG's record of lifting the title as a 24-year-old in 2014. 8 Van Gerwen was beaten by Luke Littler in the World Championship final Credit: Getty MINNOW MISERY There's a caveat to losing to Littler, because despite being a teenager, he's still one of the sport's top prospects and best players. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS But there may not be many excuses for some of the relative minnows that MVG has succumb to throughout the season already. Van Gerwen has fallen to defeat in the first round SIX times on the PDC circuit this season. Those performances have included defeats to the world number 111, 94 and 71 in the Players Championship events. Much of the darts world were left scratching their heads at his performances, but pal and opponent Raymond van Barneveld hinted it could be down to fatigue. Speaking to TalkSport, he said: "Michael was always a killer. I don't know what's going on. I see him often, what is really going on with his game? I am not sure. "We travel a lot, we play a lot. From Exeter last week, they play, one day later they go to the UK Open and play more matches. "[It is] almost unstoppable at the moment. It is really tiring for all the players and we have to protect them you know? "Premier League, Euro Tours, Pro Tours, in all honesty it is a little bit insane." 8 Van Gerwen's friend Raymond van Barneveld suggested MVG's poor form could be down to fatigue Credit: Getty - Contributor PREMIER LEAGUE PAIN Van Gerwen is the most successful Premier League Darts player of all time, winning the competition a record seven times - one more than Phil Taylor. But his efforts on the high-profile eight-man tour this season have been well below his usual standards. In fact, Thursday's 6-2 defeat to Nathan Aspinall sealed only his second-ever failed attempt to make the play-off stage of the competition in 13 appearances. While he also went the entire Premier League campaign without winning a single nightly event. Speaking after missing out, he said: "This is probably one of the hardest Premier Leagues I have ever played in - not in terms of players, but in terms of myself". While former tour player Colin Lloyd reckons that the dismal form is a sign that MVG is finished at the top level. He said: "I think his race is run. With what he's achieved in the game, is he that motivated anymore? "He says he is. He says there's plenty left it in him and that when he turns up, he's still the man to beat and one of the best players in the world. "I'm sorry, but I've got to say we haven't seen Michael turn up for a while now. We've seen flashes of brilliance. "Has it slipped into his head he has other priorities? He loves spending time with the missus and the kids going on holiday." 8 Nathan Aspinall beat Van Gerwen to prevent him a place in the Premier League play-offs Credit: PA Premier League Darts 2025 THE Premier League Darts is back with eight players vying for massive prize money and Luke Littler's crown. The teenager, who went on to win the world title in December, won the Premier League in 2024 and will be looking to defend his crown over 18 thrilling weeks. There were two new entries this season, with Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey replacing Peter Wright and Michael Smith. Luke Humphries, Rob Cross, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall keep their place in what will be a hotly-contested title race. INFORMATION Full schedule and results, dates, TV and live stream info Latest standings as we head to Finals night How much prize money is on offer in the Premier League? LATEST DARTS NEWS Humphries make shock wardrobe change for Premier League Darts in Leeds Moment darts star awkwardly falls off stage Luke Littler goes public for first time with new girlfriend SEASON SO FAR Night One - Belfast Night Two - Glasgow Night Three - Dublin Night Four - Exeter Night Five - Brighton Night Six - Nottingham Night Seven - Cardiff Night Eight - Newcastle Night Nine - Berlin Night 10 - Manchester Night 11 - Rotterdam Night 12 - Liverpool Night 13 - Birmingham Night 14 - Leeds GONE MISSING It hasn't just been defeats that have seen MVG struggle to stitch together form this year, but also his own decisions to pull out of competitions. Van Gerwen has missed out on five different PDC events this season for family commitments, unknown reasons and a freak injury. Those events included multiple Players Championship matches and the Bahrain Darts Masters. But it was his shock withdrawal from the Premier League in Berlin that caused the biggest stir after it was revealed he had injured himself by putting his SHIRT ON. Close friend Vincent Van der Voort revealed to Dutch podcast Darts Draait Door how the bizarre injury came about. He said: "Michael hurt himself in the afternoon—it was really unfortunate. 'He was trying on some shirts for his sponsor, and as soon as he put one on, he said something didn't feel right. He could barely move his neck. "He went to a physiotherapist, had a massage, even took muscle relaxants. He gave it a go, but it just wasn't happening." 8 Vincent van der Voort revealed how Van Gerwen injured himself Credit: Getty DAPHNE SPLIT Van Gerwen could perhaps put some of his struggles at the oche down to distractions in his personal life. And that became very clear when the world number three revealed that he is splitting from his wife Daphne this week. Van Gerwen and Daphne began dating in 2008 and tied the knot six years later. The pair have two children together, a daughter called Zoe, 7, and a son called Mike, 5. But they have sadly decided to call an end to their time together, with Van Gerwen announcing the decision in a statement that asked for space and revealed he is withdrawing from some upcoming tournaments. It read: "It is with great sadness that I inform you that Daphne and I have decided to end our relationship. As a result, I have withdrawn from the upcoming tournaments. "I am sorry to disappoint my fans, but I trust that they will understand my decision. "We are going through difficult times and ask everyone to respect our privacy during this difficult time." 8 Van Gerwen has announced his split from wife Daphne 8 Daphne had MVG had been together since 2008
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
‘His race is run' – Michael van Gerwen warned his time at the top is OVER after worrying darts struggles
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has been warned that his time at the top of darts is OVER amid worrying struggles. The three-time world champion on the brink of missing the Premier League play-offs for just the second time in his career. 2 A loss in the quarter-final on night 15 last Thursday against to Nathan Aspinall - who won in Aberdeen - left Van Gerwen four points outside of the play-offs. The Dutchman must win night 16 in the Premier League and hope Aspinall loses in the quarter-final if he is to seal an unlikely play-offs place. Van Gerwen has also not won a PDC ranked televised event since November 2022 - at the Players Championship Finals in Minehead. The 36-year-old had won at least one ranked TV event each year from 2012 to 2022 with the exception of 2021. So the lack of success in recent years has caused concern for former player Colin Lloyd. Lloyd, 51, told talkSPORT: "I think his race is run. With what he's achieved in the game, is he that motivated anymore? "He says he is. He says there's plenty left it in him and that when he turns up, he's still the man to beat and one of the best players in the world. "I'm sorry, but I've got to say we haven't seen Michael turn up for a while now. We've seen flashes of brilliance. "Has it slipped into his head he has other priorities? He loves spending time with the missus and the kids going on holiday." Lloyd, who retired in 2016, added: "Has that little bit of spark gone from Michael's game? Fans sing along to Luke Littler's walk-on song as darts star shares footage from stage "He'll turn up and he's got all the good intentions of how a champion is. You don't turn up to make the numbers up, you turn up to win." But if Lloyd thought Van Gerwen would be stepping away from the oche any time soon, he'd be sorely mistaken. Last December at the World Championships, Van Gerwen vowed to 'be on the scene for a little bit longer'. "If you look at my rankings this year, I'm still in the top four or five," Van Gerwen said. "Can you imagine when I play well again? I will be really dangerous."
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Changing to a TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck turned Scottie Scheffler's putting around
Changing to a TaylorMade Spider Tour X L-Neck turned Scottie Scheffler's putting around Not long ago, the world's No. 1 player was putting terribly. But after switching to a mallet for a non-obvious reason, things turned around. Scottie Scheffler had one of the most dominant seasons the PGA Tour has ever seen last year, and he just won the 2025 PGA Championship on Sunday, so you can be forgiven if you forgot that poor putting may have cost him several more wins back in 2023 and that switching putters early last year might have been the best equipment adjustment the Texan has ever made. In the second half of 2023, Scheffler benched the Scotty Cameron blade-style putter he had been using and tried several different flatsticks, including prototype TaylorMade Spider Tour putters designed with milled faces at the end of the PGA Tour season. None of them stayed around long, and Scheffler finished that year with a blade made by the Olson Putter Company, a boutique brand purchased by TaylorMade in 2024. Then, before the start of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Scheffler switched back into a TaylorMade Spider with an L-Neck hosel and won, leading the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. The next week, he won again at the Players Championship, finishing 37th in Strokes Gained: Putting. As you can see in the chart below, while Scheffler's ballstriking has remained elite, his putting has dramatically improved. Shop Scottie Scheffler's putter Understandably, when most golfers think about why a mallet putter could help them on the greens, they think about forgiveness and stability, and for good reason. Mallets tend to have more perimeter weighting than traditional blades, so they resist twisting on off-center strikes more effectively. But for Scheffler, the Spider mallet provided something else he needed. "The goal, honestly, was to give him better alignment," said Andrew Oldknow, TaylorMade's director of product creation for putters, in a recent chat with Golfweek. "While centering the ball with the alignment system, we were actually trying to get that thing to perform just like a blade." Looking back to the testing period when Scheffler was thinking about making changes, Oldknow said, "At the time, he loved the performance of his blade, he just felt like he didn't have enough alignment out of it. True Path worked really well for him in terms of centering the ball. One of his biggest issues is that he doesn't always hit the ball center face." By removing weight from the back of the Spider Tour X head and repositioning it forward, then adding an L-Neck hosel to create the same level of toe hang Scheffler's blade putters had created, TaylorMade was able to give the world's No. 1 player a putter with enhanced alignment that swings like the blade putters he had used all his life. The combination has now helped Scheffler win two majors, a Players Championship and a Tour Championship in 15 months. Shop Scottie Scheffler's putter
