Mark Webster praises Luke Humphries for channeling criticism in the right way with Euro Tour title win

Mark Webster praises Luke Humphries for channelling criticism in the right way with Euro Tour title win

Mark Webster believes Luke Humphries’ Belgian Darts Open triumph could be the catalyst for a strong run through the rest of the season, praising the world number two for turning the noise surrounding him into fuel.

Speaking on the Love The Darts podcast, the Sky Sports analyst and 2008 BDO world champion said he felt the Wieze title win could lead to better things for Humphries over the coming months — a view shaped by the stormy week that preceded it.

Humphries had entered the weekend under fire after darts content creator Charlie Murphy questioned whether ‘Cool Hand’ was lacking “stage aura or confidence” in recent years, and suggested he was “giving in to Luke Littler.” Murphy, who has more than 372,000 followers on TikTok, also raised the prospect of Humphries missing the Premier League top four unless he made a significant charge.

The Newbury arrowsmith was stung by the comments, not least because of his personal relationship with the man making them. “I didn’t actually read it at first, but then I clicked on the post and it made me feel even worse, to be honest,” Humphries admitted to Tungsten Tales. “I found out it was Charlie Murphy, and that was quite disappointing because I’ve always got on really well with him.”

He was equally forthright about the “aura” framing itself. “All this stuff about I’ve got no aura, I don’t really care about having aura,” he told Oche180. “I’m not up there to have aura. I’m up there to win dart games, to win money, to set my family up. What even is aura? What is it, really? It’s a made-up word — it’s not something that anybody has. It’s fake.”

He also pushed back hard on the suggestion he was conceding ground to Littler. “It’s more the disrespect that he showed,” Humphries said. “I don’t really care if I’m not the second-best player in the world anymore. It’s just the way that he said, ‘I give in to Luke’ — and I never give in to Luke. He’s just a bloody good darts player. In the last three games I’ve played him it’s all gone down to a last-leg decider or a last-set decider and I’ve pushed him all the way.”

Murphy has since publicly apologised, saying he had no editing control over the video and would likely not have published it had he been able to intervene.

But the best response came at the Oktoberhallen. Humphries produced a string of impressive performances on Sunday to beat Jermaine Wattimena, Chris Dobey, Michael van Gerwen and then Jonny Clayton in the final to claim the Belgian Darts Open for the first time in his career — a ninth European Tour title overall. He demolished Van Gerwen 7-2 with a 105.96 average and a 129 checkout in the semi-finals, before winning six consecutive legs to establish a commanding position in the final, eventually seeing off Clayton 8-6 to claim the £35,000 winner’s prize.

Humphries had the last laugh in his post-match speech, saying: “Phil, honestly I was just up here to work some aura points. That’s all I was here for.”

He was more measured in his wider reflection. “It’s one of them things where I feel my game’s been there, then it’s not, then it is. My scoring is good but my doubles are not and I put myself under pressure,” he admitted. “Usually in those circumstances I close the game out a lot better but when you’re not winning as much they become harder and you feel the nerves. It’s nice to get that winning feeling again. A nice big trophy on the big stage.”

He signed off in characteristically dry fashion, adding: “I’m going to keep trying, keep pushing, keep working hard. Keep my aura levels up because I have to — keep trying to be the second-best player in the world, apparently.”

Webster’s view on Love The Darts was that the result pointed towards more to come, and with Night Eight of the Premier League now set for Berlin’s Uber Arena on Thursday night, Humphries has the opportunity to carry that momentum straight back into the league campaign. He already has his sights set on back-to-back European Tour titles at the German Darts Grand Prix in Munich from April 4-6.

The world number two was philosophical about where things stand. “I’m just dedicated and working so hard to push every dart player and be the best version of myself,” he said. “I’m going to keep trying to be the second-best player in the world — apparently.”