World number one Luke Humphries held off a brilliant fightback by Jonny Clayton to take the Winmau World Masters title 6-5 after a last-leg decider in Milton Keynes.
Clayton – who had knocked out world champion Luke Littler during Sunday’s afternoon session – looked down and out when trailing 5-2 in the first-to-six final.
But the Welshman rallied to claw back the deficit as Humphries’ range faltered and a stunning Shanghai 120 finish helped set up a deciding set.
After Clayton took the first leg to move one away from a remarkable turnaround, Humphries dug deep again, levelling the set at 1-1 before hitting back-to-back 140s to crank up the pressure.
Clayton, though, was still left with a shot at 120 for the title, but this time could not deliver, allowing Humphries to nail double top for a seventh major ranking event victory.
“I think I was a bit fortunate there, I started to feel the nerves in the end,” Humphries said on ITV4.
“When I was 5-2 up and missing doubles, I was trying too hard to close the game out and Jonny was coming back.
“At 5-5, I am not a negative person, but I thought the game was gone for me, because he was scoring so well – that is why he is the Ferret, because he is constantly at your heels. It was a really tough game.”
Humphries added: “I feel fortunate I have won the trophy. I had a bit of luck this weekend, but you have got to take it, run with it and try to do what you can.
“With that double top (for the title) I was shaking and my heart was pounding, but it went in, so I am really, really pleased.”
Clayton was left to reflect on what might have been. “He was running away with everything, but I didn’t give up,” he said.
“I wanted to give him a great game, but it was not my day. It was Luke’s and he is a class act. He is a fantastic person and fantastic player.”
Earlier, Littler’s blistering run at the Arena MK had been brought to a halt by an inspired performance from Clayton, who beat the 18-year-old world champion 4-2.
Clayton’s heavy scoring combined with his 60 per cent on the doubles proved crucial as Littler’s finishing was down at just seven out of 20 attempts.
Dutchman Danny Noppert had edged out defending champion Stephen Bunting 4-3 in a last-leg decider, before then being swept aside 5-2 by Humphries in their semi-final at the start of Sunday’s evening session.
Humphries had opened the afternoon with a 4-1 win over Australian Damon Heta.
Dimitri Van den Bergh – who hit a nine-dart finish in his win over Michael van Gerwen on Saturday – beat Nathan Aspinall by the same scoreline to progress to the semi-finals, where he lost 5-2 against Clayton.
