Luke Humphries delivered one of the highest unofficial darts averages ever recorded on Saturday night, yet still found himself outplayed by Gerwyn Price at an exhibition event in Ireland.
The pair put on a spectacular show in what was one of the most high-quality matches in darts history. However, the ‘friendly’ face-off in Ennis wasn’t televised, meaning the remarkable stats from their epic duel won’t be officially recognised – but those lucky enough to have witnessed it are unlikely to forget it.
‘Cool Hand’ Humphries ended with an impressive three-dart average of 119.88 – a score only bettered three times on TV. Despite this, he managed to win just one leg against Price, who secured a resounding 6-1 victory. ‘The Iceman’ has been back on top form since the start of the year, and his three-dart average of 118.64 is also among the highest ever recorded.
Both players were quick to reach the doubles, but it was Price who seized his opportunities, leaving Humphries to nurse the wounds of an unexpected defeat. Their combined average of 238.52 far surpasses the official record (228.65) set by Peter Wright and Adrian Lewis in the Premier League eight years ago.
However, as Humphries and Price’s showdown took place at an exhibition event, their total won’t be recognised as the new official benchmark. Both Humphries and Price were tantalisingly close to the highest individual televised average of 123.40, a record set by Michael van Gerwen in 2016.
This impressive performance bodes well for both players as they prepare for this week’s Pro Tour and the second night of the Premier League in Glasgow on Thursday. Humphries emerged victorious on the first night in Belfast, defeating Nathan Aspinall, Van Gerwen and Chris Dobey to secure the £10,000 cash prize and earn five crucial points.
Price put up a strong fight against Dobey in their quarter-final but ultimately fell short. The Welshman will undoubtedly be eager to improve his performance next time.
The early season has been promising for Price, who says he has only recently rekindled his passion for the sport. After a quarter-final exit at the World Darts Championship, he made it to the final of the Bahrain Darts Masters, where he triumphed over Luke Littler with an impressive average of 115.31.
Humphries and Price haven’t faced each other in an official capacity since May last year. The Englishman won that bout, as well as the previous three, with Price’s last victory over Humphries coming in January 2024.