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'Not getting so irate about little things that go on' - Luke Woodhouse embraces current situation as he eyes up maiden title

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Oct 8, 2025 11:39 AM ET

Luke Woodhouse credited his recent positive form to experience and composure on stage, much of it being utilised in a 2-1 opening round victory in the World Grand Prix over Damon Heta, completing a stunning turnaround in the deciding leg to clinch glory.

Woody catapulted ahead with a clinical 113 checkout, before finding two more legs on the bounce to move one away from reaching the second round for the second time. Surprisingly, The Heat has never picked up a victory on the Grand Prix stage, as he looked to make a comeback of his own, taking out 150 and 93 on the way to levelling up the tie. There was nothing to split them in the third set, forcing a deciding leg. Heta found the outer ring long before Woodhouse and was almost 200 points clear at one stage. However, a well-timed 180 followed by a 140 pushed Woodhouse ahead of the flailing Heta, as the Englishman took out 79 to seal a match he had looked out of a minute before.

"Yeah, turbulent! I’ll be honest, I think many players think you’re out of the leg at that point, but I got in," Woodhouse said when speaking to Dartsnews.com after the triumph. "When I saw him hit a big score, I thought, 'if he hits a bad one now, just put in the maximum'. Luckily, I did it — and then to follow that up with another maximum. I hit a 134 to leave 92 or something like that and just thought, 'this has got to go'. So yeah, kept them nice and straight, and luckily I came through it."

Animated celebrations on stage

After clinching the final leg to win it, Woodhouse ran off in celebration, delighted and relieved to get over the line in what was a very tense ending. Not usually a player who gives it big on stage, this was a rare occurence from the 36-year-old, who described it completely as 'relief'.

"Yeah, I think it was more the fact I thought that leg was gone. I thought, 'right, your darts — get in first, stay straight and steady, don’t give him anything'. I didn’t get in for two handfuls in a row and I’m thinking, 'well, the leg’s probably gone now.' So to sneak that leg — Damon’s probably kicking himself really — but I’ve managed to come through it. It was more relief than anything, that celebration. I’m not really someone who gives it too much, but that was a big relief — a really big relief."

Winning mentality

Woodhouse has set two short term targets in his darts career: win a title and rise into the top 16. He is experiencing a positive spurt of form following a European Tour final appearance, with him expressing his desire to 'kick on to the next level.'

"I’ve spoken about it a couple of times this year — I want to win something," he said. "I’m not here just to make up the numbers. I think many dart players feel the same way, but yeah, I want to win something. I probably struggle a little bit on the floor to play my best darts, but I feel really comfortable on stage. So yeah, 100%, I want to kick on to the next level. I believe I can be top 16 — and maybe further than that. Who knows? But I think I can definitely get in the top 16."

After Jermaine Wattimena clinched glory in Players Championship 23, Woodhouse took his place as the highest ranked player without a PDC title. Despite this unwatned record, he has not let it get under his skin for now.

"It doesn’t annoy me, but yeah, you hear it all the time," Woodhouse said. "I think Jermaine was for a while, wasn’t he? Then he went and won something. I’m the first to admit I’m not the most consistent on the floor — I have some good runs and good spells, and I do enough sort of thing. But I’m probably one of those players who, when I’m on stage, I feel really comfortable and like I’m playing my best darts. But if I was to go another two or three years without winning a title, I’d be annoyed. So within the next 12 to 18 months, I really want to push on and at least genuinely threaten winning something. "

He recently came close to breaking that duct in the Swiss Darts Trophy final, smashing the tournament average on the way. He was no match for Stephen Bunting, who claimed his second title on the European Tour this year. Despite the occasion, Woodhouse was not treating it any differently to any other match.

"No, I don’t think it’s gone on long enough for that," Woody said. "That was my first Euro Tour final — I’ve only made one previous final, so it’s not like I’ve made loads and failed to win. Going into that Euro Tour final, I was very aware my record against Bunting is absolutely awful! But no, I don’t go into finals thinking, 'come on, this is your time.' I just treat it as another game of darts and try to perform as best as I can."

Experience catalyst for upturn in form

Woodhouse has been a recognisable figure on the tour for the last seven years, giving him a bucket load of experience which he has taken to improve his game.

"I think it’s just experience and a bit more composure around games — not getting so irate about little things that go on," Woodhouse said. "I’ve also tried to embrace all the travel and everything that comes with it. I’ve accepted that I’m in a really fortunate position — I get to do something I love for a living. So I try to go into every tournament with an open mind and think, this could be your time to do something good."

To get to that next level, he said: "Just keep doing what I’m doing. I can’t do much more in terms of practice and preparation — I’ve just got to hope what I’m doing is good enough. You can ask a lot of experienced dart players — the very first round is probably the most nervous you’ll ever be in a tournament. So I’ll put today down to nerves, not feeling completely comfortable. Hopefully next game I’ll be more settled."