Luke Humphries is the man in form at Alexandra Palace (Picture: Rex)
Luke Humphries arrives at the World Darts Championship this year as the man to beat and his rivals know exactly how good he will be feeling after a trophy-laden second half of 2023.
The 28-year-old has been one of the rising stars of the PDC for some years and has burst into the absolute elite level this year, winning three major titles in the space of a couple of months.
Cool Hand downed Gerwyn Price to win the World Grand Prix at the start of October, then a golden November followed as he beat Rob Cross to win the Grand Slam and Michael van Gerwen to claim the Players Championship Finals.
He has gone from dark horse to hot favourite to lift the world title but there are plenty of other players in the field who have felt the huge confidence surge that Humphries is enjoying right now.
‘You feel like you’re untouchable,’ defending champion Michael Smith told Metro.co.uk. ‘I know how he feels and Michael [van Gerwen] will know how he feels.
‘I don’t think anyone is shocked by it. We know how good Luke is. Fair play to the kid, he’s doing everything right. He’s got a young family and he’s doing things the proper way. We try and model ourselves on each other, we’re modern day professionals and he’s showing the kids who are coming through what it’s all about.
‘I’ve never really cared who everyone is talking about. I just do my own thing, get on with it quietly. I don’t change on and off stage. What you see is what you get, Luke’s the same as well.’
Humphries’ trophy cabinet has been filled up in recent weeks (Picture: Kieran Cleeves/PDC)
There is plenty of good will towards Humphries from his fellow professionals, with 2018 world champ Rob Cross also hailing the character of the new fearsome force on the oche.
‘I really like Luke, I get along with him, he’s a great friend, I practice with him normally,’ said Cross.
‘Shame I lost the one in the Grand Slam but at the same time, he’s playing the best darts he’s ever played, he’s in a rich vein of form.
‘If he settles then he’ll do well in the Worlds. I think he’s going in as the favourite, that’s a lot of pressure, but he is cool calm and collected. He’s a nice boy.’
Two-time world champion Peter Wright has not been in the best of form and would love to have the feeling Cool Hand is enjoying right now, but did warn the firing young star that hot streaks can fizzle out as quickly as they caught light.
‘You feel like you can’t miss,’ said Snakebite. ‘That’s a nice feeling to have, you wish you could bottle it and take it out when you need it.
Peter Wright got the better of Luke Humphries in the 2020 World Darts Championship (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Then it disappears and you think, “Where is that feeling? Why isn’t that one going in?” It’s horrible.
‘I was the one that created the monster by missing them three darts in the Grand Prix [quarter-finals] against him. If I’d have got that he might not have won any of these titles.
‘But I’m sure he would have done eventually, he’s a class player. Class is permanent, form is temporary. Don’t tell anyone but I think my class might show this year.’
Humphries gets his campaign underway on Sunday night at Alexandra Palace against either Lee Evans v Sandro Eric Sosing, who play on Saturday afternoon.
MORE : Michael Smith had 10 months celebrating but is all business for World Championship title defence
MORE : 2024 World Darts Championship ‘a bit too soon’ for Luke Humphries, reckons Peter Wright
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‘You feel like you’re untouchable. I know how he feels.’