Luke Humphries has done it again — and this time, he did it the hard way.
Three sets down against Gerwyn Price in the World Grand Prix final, Humphries looked to be heading towards another painful night on the biggest stage. Instead, the world number two produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of his career, winning 6-4 at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena to reclaim the trophy and finally silence the doubts that had followed him through a difficult run of major finals.
And there is an even bigger reason this victory matters. Humphries has now joined one of darts’ most exclusive clubs, becoming only the fourth player in World Grand Prix history to win the tournament more than once. Only Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and James Wade had previously achieved it.
Price Looked Unstoppable Early On
For the opening three sets, it was difficult to see how Humphries was going to turn this around.
Price came flying out of the blocks and produced an extraordinary opening set, averaging 132.62 over just 34 darts. That was the highest three-dart set average recorded in World Grand Prix history, and the Welshman followed it by taking the next two sets as well. Suddenly, Humphries was staring at a 3-0 deficit in a first-to-six final.
Price was not simply winning — he was making Humphries look uncomfortable.
The Iceman hit finishes of 101 and 82 in the second set and added another 101 checkout in the third. With the unique double-in, double-out format making every missed opening double potentially costly, Price had seemingly grabbed complete control of the contest.
Then came the moment that changed everything.
The 105 Checkout That Saved Humphries
With Price threatening to move 4-0 ahead, Humphries produced a brilliant 105 checkout in the deciding leg of the fourth set.
It was much more than a nice finish. It kept the match alive.
Humphries later described it as the biggest shot of his career, explaining: “I think the biggest shot of my career was the 180, 105 outshot in the fourth set, as if Gezzy goes 4-0 up then it’s game over.”
That is probably the best way to understand the entire final.
At 4-0 down, Price would have been just two sets from the trophy. Instead, Humphries suddenly had breathing room — and, perhaps more importantly, belief.
The Englishman went on to win the next four sets, turning a seemingly hopeless 3-0 position into a stunning 4-3 lead. He had found his scoring, his doubles were improving and Price suddenly looked like the player under pressure.
Humphries Refused To Collapse
This is where the victory says something important about Humphries’ mentality.
For much of the last year or so, there had been a growing narrative that he was struggling to finish the biggest tournaments. He had reached major finals but repeatedly fallen short, including the 2024 and 2025 World Grand Prix finals. He had also suffered defeats in other major showpieces while Luke Littler continued to dominate headlines.
Humphries himself admitted how difficult that period had been.
“It’s been a torrid 15 or 18 months for myself losing so many major finals,” he said after the victory.
That makes this comeback even more impressive.
It would have been easy for frustration to take over at 3-0. Instead, Humphries kept competing, found a way back into the match and eventually took control.
Even when Price levelled the match at 4-4, Humphries did not panic.
He won the ninth set after Price missed opportunities to move closer to victory, including two darts that could have given the Welshman a crucial advantage. Humphries punished those mistakes with a spectacular 10-darter before finishing the job with three unanswered legs in the final set and an 11-darter to seal the championship.
Four Straight World Grand Prix Finals
There is another incredible statistic hiding behind Humphries’ victory.
This was his fourth consecutive World Grand Prix final — something no player had ever achieved before. He won the title against Price in 2023, lost to Mike De Decker in 2024, suffered a heavy defeat against Luke Littler in 2025 and then returned to beat Price again in 2026.
That level of consistency at one major tournament is remarkable.
And now Humphries has two trophies to show for it.
His latest victory also brings his PDC major tally to nine, while the £150,000 winner’s prize adds another significant reward to what was already a huge night for the Englishman.
Another Heartbreaking Final For Price
For Price, this will hurt.
He had Humphries exactly where he wanted him. A 3-0 lead in a World Grand Prix final, especially after producing such an incredible opening set, should have been the foundation for a title-winning performance.
Instead, Price has another major final defeat to digest.
His last PDC major title came at the 2022 World Series of Darts Finals, and he has now lost five consecutive major finals. This latest defeat is particularly frustrating because he was so close to ending that wait.
Price was brutally honest afterwards, saying: “Luke played brilliantly in the middle part of the game but I still squandered so many opportunities to put him under pressure.”
He is right.
Humphries deserves enormous credit, but Price will know there were moments when the match was there for him to take.
What This Means For Humphries
This could be a massive turning point for Humphries.
He did not just win another major. He came from 3-0 down against a player throwing spectacular darts, survived the pressure and finally ended a frustrating run of major-final defeats.
“I’m just happy to get one back,” Humphries said. “To have that run of losses in major finals off my back, it feels really special – this really means the world to me.”
That sounds like more than a celebration. It sounds like relief.
And perhaps that is what makes this World Grand Prix victory so significant. Humphries has already proved he can win major titles. Now he has reminded everyone that, when the pressure becomes enormous, he can still find another level.
The comeback from 3-0 down will be remembered for years, but the bigger story may be what comes next.
Humphries has his confidence back, another major trophy in his collection and a place alongside Taylor, Van Gerwen and Wade in the World Grand Prix record books.
After everything he has been through, “Cool Hand Luke” has delivered one seriously hot comeback.