Luke Humphries Wins the 2025 PDC World Masters Beating Jonny Clayton in the Final

After four days of high-stakes action at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, the inaugural PDC World Masters final came down to a showdown between world number one Luke Humphries and former Premier League champion Jonny Clayton. Friends off the oche but fierce rivals on it, the pair battled for the right to be crowned the first-ever champion of this new major event.

For Humphries, it was a chance to put a frustrating start to the year behind him after his unexpected last-16 exit at the World Darts Championship against Peter Wright. 

Clayton, meanwhile, was chasing his first televised PDC ranking title since his run to the 2021 World Grand Prix final, determined to roll back the years with a statement victory.

Route to the Final

Clayton’s path to the final was nothing short of spectacular. The Welshman stunned reigning world champion Luke Littler in a dramatic quarter-final upset before dispatching Germany’s top player Martin Schindler, Belgium’s number one Dimitri Van den Bergh, and the ever-dangerous Ryan Searle. 

Humphries, by contrast, looked in imperious form throughout the tournament, breezing past Joe Cullen, Josh Rock, Damon Heta, and Danny Noppert to book his place in the final.

Early Lead for Clayton 

The final was a race to six sets, featuring the distinctive World Masters set play format, where each set required only two legs to win—unlike the World Championship, where three legs are typically needed to secure a set.

Humphries began the final in scintillating form, producing an impressive average of over 104 after the first two sets. However, despite his high-scoring prowess, he found himself trailing 2-1 after three sets, as Clayton’s finishing was just as clinical as it had been in his quarterfinal win over Luke Littler.

Humphries’ Top Gear

The tide began to turn in Humphries' favour after the first mini-session interview. The next three sets all went the way of "Cool Hand" Luke, with his three-dart average remaining steady around 102. 

He was hitting top gear, showcasing the form that has made him the world number one, and Clayton struggled to keep up. When Humphries is playing at this level, few players in the world can match his intensity.

The Ferret’s Comeback

Jonny Clayton refused to back down, finding his spark when the match seemed all but lost. At 5-2 down, many players might have folded, but not the Welshman.

Humphries appeared to lose focus, and Clayton seized the chance with a stunning display of finishing, including a 120 three-dart checkout. Clayton claimed the next three sets, levelling the match at 5-5 and setting up a tense final set.

Luke Keeps His Cool to Claim the World Masters Trophy

With the pressure mounting, Humphries held his nerve in the deciding set. The match went all the way to a final leg, tied at five sets and one leg apiece.

Although he missed one match dart, Humphries sealed the win with a double 20, defeating Clayton 6-5 in what will be remembered as one of the greatest finals in recent years.

This victory marked Humphries' seventh major title, and with £100,000 in prize money, his two-year order of merit earnings are now within £100,000 of the £2million mark. If he triumphs at the UK Open in Minehead on March 2nd, Humphries could become the first player to surpass £2million in ranking prize money over two seasons.