Luke Humphries won his third night of the Premier League campaign, and the first since week four in Exeter, in a spectacular battle against reigning champion Luke Littler on Thursday night.
The final between Humphries and Littler, the fourth time the Lukes have met in a final this year, was a spectacle with both players managing five 180s a piece in just 11 legs.
The pair are now tied at 3-3 in the Premier League and 2-2 in finals that they have faced against each other this year, demonstrating just how close the rivalry is, despite their friendship away from the oche.
Littler took the opening two legs in the match, including a stunning 96 check out with double-double-19, but faced a sharp Humphries, who took five of the next six sets.
Luke Humphries won his third night of the Premier League campaign, and the first since week four in Exeter, in a spectacular battle against reigning champion Luke Littler on Thursday night
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Littler clawed the match back to a deciding set, in which he had the throw, but Cool Hand stayed true to his name, hitting the double-10 at the crucial moment.
Speaking to Sky Sports after his triumph, Humphries said: “It was a good final tonight.
"There’s been a bit of a breeze tonight. I moved over to the left to compensate and it worked.
“Luke [Littler] played well. I was nervous on the double ten because I really wanted to win."
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He continued: “It’s extra special [to win at Leeds], I feel at home here even though it’s not my home town.
“I won here last year and it ended up giving me some confidence. My performances are good and hopefully I can get that elusive Premier League crown.”
Despite the loss, Littler looked comfortable as ever on stage, as the Manchester United fan gimmicked with the Leeds crowd - the home of Humphries’ beloved football club.
Littler had started the night off in slow fashion, sluggishly overcoming Nathan Aspinall in a 6-5 win.
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Luke Humphries was delighted after beating Luke Littler in Leeds
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The Asp, who had a checkout of 164, in truth found himself somewhat unfortunate not to get through, with Littler far from his best averaging 91 - the biggest opportunity to beat the sensation.
In the semi-final, Gerwyn Price broke Littler and won the opening two legs - but it was at this point that a switch flicked for the 18-year-old, who won six of the remaining seven legs to run out a comfortable victor, averaging over 104.
Elsewhere, Michael van Gerwen had another evening to forget as he crashed out in the quarter-finals again, this time losing 6-4 to winner Humphries.
The seven-time Premier League winner is, remarkably, still looking for his first nightly win of the campaign and his highest checkout this year in the Premier League is just 130.
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Mighty Mike finds himself in the final play-off spot but just one point ahead of Aspinall, with the pair set to play in the opening quarter-final in Aberdeen next week - a match that promises to be a mammoth contest for the pair of them.
Stephen Bunting had a late surge against Christopher Dobey, with the Bullet claiming four consecutive legs and winning the tie from 5-2 down.
He was then knocked out by Humphries in a professional display, although Bunting did make life uncomfortable for Cool Hand, as the Bullet maintained pace with the world No 1 until the latter stages.
Luke Littler played up to the crowd in Leeds on Thursday night
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Rob Cross also exited the night at the quarter-final, in another tightly-contested match against Price.
Leeds didn’t have its best darts on display tonight, as Humphries blamed the breeze, but it certainly built up to a climactic finish in which, ultimately, both Humphries and Littler extended their leads not only at the summit of the Premier League, but in the sport.
They seem simply uncatchable.
