Aspinall Claims Maiden Euro Tour Title, Defeating Joyce to Lift European Darts Trophy
- Darts Central
- Mar 24
- 8 min read
The 2025 European Tour rolled into Göttingen, Germany, this past weekend for its second event of the season, the European Darts Trophy, held at the Lokhalle from March 21st to 23rd. This was the second of fourteen European Tour events on the PDC Pro Tour calendar and the first of seven to be staged in Germany this year.
Luke Littler, fresh off a Premier League Night 7 victory in Cardiff, chose to skip the event. The Nuke also won the season’s first European Tour title in Wieze, Belgium. Fellow Premier League player Stephen Bunting likewise opted to sit this one out.
Prize Money Breakdown:
The prize fund remained at £175,000, unchanged from last year.
Stage | Prize Money |
Winner | £30,000 |
Runner-Up | £12,000 |
Semi-Finalists | £8,500 |
Quarter-Finalists | £6,000 |
Third Round Losers | £4,000 |
Second Round Losers | £2,500 |
First Round Losers | £1,250 |
Seeded players entered in Round 2, needing to win their first match for prize money to count toward rankings.
Qualification & Format
The PDC adjusted its European Tour qualification system for 2025. The Top 16 on the PDC Order of Merit were seeded into Round 2, while the Top 16 from the 1-year Pro Tour Order of Merit entered in Round 1.
The 48-player field was completed through four qualifying routes:
Tour Card Holder Qualifier (10 spots)
German Host Nation Qualifier (4 spots)
Nordic & Baltic Qualifier (1 spot)
East European Qualifier (1 spot)
Day 1 – Shock Exits and Host Nation Heartbreak
The opening round saw 32 qualifiers battling for a spot against the Top 16 seeds in Round 2, delivering several standout performances.
Boris Krcmar impressed once again on the European Tour, averaging 100.35 in a 6-4 victory over Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Ricky Evans showed resilience, coming from behind to defeat Raymond van Barneveld 6-4 days after suffering a personal tragedy.
Ryan Joyce dismantled an out-of-sorts Joe Cullen with a ruthless 6-0 whitewash.
Cameron Menzies won the all-Scottish clash, overcoming Alan Soutar 6-2 despite Soutar producing a brilliant 170 checkout.
Host Nation Qualifiers Fall Short
All four German Host Nation Qualifiers bowed out in the opening round:
Daniel Klose, a former Players Championship finalist, lost 6-3 to German compatriot Ricardo Pietreczko.
Laurin Welk was brushed aside 6-0 by a dominant Ryan Searle, who averaged 99.10.
Michael Unterbuchner suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat to Ross Smith, a semi-finalist at ET1, who delivered a superb 106.44 average.
Paul Krohne, a former Tour Card holder, came closest to progressing, battling back from 5-2 down to force a decider against Wessel Nijman before falling 6-5.
Other Notable Round 1 Victories
German Number 1 Martin Schindler eased past Adam Hunt 6-2.
Rising German talent Niko Springer stunned Daryl Gurney 6-4.
Gian van Veen survived two match darts before edging past Connor Scutt 6-5.
Day 2 – Top 16 Face the Heat as Half Fall Early
The second round of the European Tour delivered a fiercely competitive session. Eight of the top 16 seeds crashed out, while eight outsiders booked their spots in the final day.
Wattimena Stuns Dobey & Schindler Delivers for Home Crowd
Only one Premier League star fell at the first hurdle—Chris Dobey, who ran into a sensational performance from Jermaine Wattimena. The Dutchman produced a staggering 111.07 average in a 6-4 victory, with Dobey playing well himself at 101.73 but unable to keep up.
Michael Smith, Dave Chisnall, and Ross Smith all eased through with routine wins, while home favourite Martin Schindler put on a stunning display, dismantling World No.5 Jonny Clayton 6-1 with a 106.78 average.
Elsewhere, Michael van Gerwen, Cameron Menzies, Wessel Nijman, and Nathan Aspinall all battled through last-leg deciders, scraping past their respective opponents 6-5.
Dimitri Van den Bergh’s tough start to 2025 continued, as he suffered another early exit, losing 6-4 to Ryan Joyce in a steady contest where both averaged just under 100.
Price, De Decker & Humphries Shine
Gerwyn Price came through a thrilling battle with Ryan Searle, averaging 103.74 to overcome Searle’s 105.62 in a 6-4 victory that featured stunning 167 and 136 checkouts.
Mike De Decker and Peter Wright served up the match of the day, both averaging over 105 in a high-quality clash. De Decker edged out Wright 6-4 to continue his fine form.
Another high-scoring affair saw World No.1 Luke Humphries deny Boris Krcmar a second consecutive run to the last 16, winning 6-4 with both players averaging over 100.
Gary Anderson avenged his ET1 loss to Luke Woodhouse, taking a 6-4 victory in their last-32 showdown.
Gian van Veen maintained his strong start to 2025, producing another ton-plus average to see off UK Open semi-finalist Josh Rock 6-4.
Rob Cross staged a brilliant comeback from 4-2 down, reeling off four straight legs to defeat Andrew Gilding 6-4.
Day 3 – Finals Day in Göttingen
The final day of action in Göttingen began with 16 players battling for a place in the evening session. By the end of the afternoon, several big names had secured their spots in the last eight, setting up a thrilling conclusion to the tournament.
Last 16 – Big Names Battle Through
Cameron Menzies, Nathan Aspinall, and Gary Anderson all survived last-leg deciders, edging past Mike De Decker, Jermaine Wattimena, and Martin Schindler, respectively.
Ross Smith and Ryan Joyce continued their impressive runs, both claiming 6-4 victories over top-10 opponents Dave Chisnall and Rob Cross.
Luke Humphries produced a stunning comeback from 4-1 down to defeat Michael Smith in a gripping 6-5 contest.
Michael van Gerwen denied fellow Dutchman Gian van Veen, winning 6-4 despite Van Veen averaging 102 in another high-quality encounter.
However, the standout performance of the round came from Gerwyn Price, who delivered a blistering 110.83 average—the highest of the afternoon—as he powered past Wessel Nijman 6-3.
Quarter-Finals – MvG and Aspinall Make Statements
Ryan Joyce 6-3 Cameron Menzies – In a battle of first-time European Tour quarter-finalists, Joyce capitalized on a below-par Menzies, who struggled with a 77 average, to reach his first ET semi-final.
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Gerwyn Price – The Dutchman pulled off a stunning comeback, overturning a 4-1 deficit against a red-hot Price, who averaged 107 but saw his momentum halted as MvG stormed back to victory.
Gary Anderson 6-5 Ross Smith – The Scotsman dug deep, rallying from 5-3 down to snatch victory without facing a match dart.
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Luke Humphries – A dominant display from Aspinall, who averaged 106 in dismantling the World No.1 to storm into the semi-finals.
Semi-Finals – Joyce Stuns MvG, Aspinall’s 170 Steals the Show
Ryan Joyce 7-5 Michael van Gerwen
On paper, this was a complete mismatch in European Tour pedigree. Ryan Joyce was appearing in his first-ever European Tour semi-final, while Michael van Gerwen—the most successful player in the competition’s history—was chasing his 38th title.
However, Joyce showed no signs of nerves, keeping pace with the Dutchman despite trailing 2-1 early on. The Geordie outscored MvG in the 180s department, hitting three to van Gerwen’s one, and remained composed throughout.
The key difference? Finishing. While van Gerwen struggled on the doubles, converting just 25% (5/20) of his chances, Joyce lived up to his nickname, Relentless, taking his opportunities at a clinical 50% (7/14). Chipping away at the Dutchman, he never allowed van Gerwen a visit off and took his chances superbly to secure a historic victory and a spot in his first-ever European Tour final.
Nathan Aspinall 7-6 Gary Anderson
Aspinall was bidding for his first European Tour title, while Anderson aimed to add to his tally of two.
The Scotsman dominated the early stages, producing magnificent scoring to lead 4-2, securing a crucial break of throw. From there, both players held throw, leaving Anderson 6-4 up—just one leg from the final.
Aspinall kept his hopes alive with a 14-dart hold, checking out 52 to make it 6-5. Then came the defining moment—Anderson sat on 40 for the match, while Aspinall was back on 170. With the Göttingen crowd roaring, he composed himself and pinned the Big Fish, sending the arena into pandemonium. Anderson acknowledged the brilliance with a sporting fist bump.
In the decider, Aspinall held his nerve, denying Anderson a match dart and clinically taking out 35 in two darts to complete an incredible comeback and book his place in the final.
🏆 The Final – Aspinall's Late Surge Seals First European Tour Title
Nathan Aspinall and Ryan Joyce faced off for their maiden European Tour title—Aspinall appearing in his second final, while Joyce made his first-ever appearance at this stage.
Tournament Stats before the final:
Finalist | Average | Checkout % | 180s | Highest Checkout | Matches Played |
Joyce | 94.80 | 50% | 8 | 167 | 5 |
Aspinall | 97.80 | 45% | 16 | 170 | 4 |
Match Recap
The final began with Joyce showing early nerves, struggling on the outer ring, while Aspinall punished every mistake. The Stockport man raced into a 4-1 lead, securing three breaks of throw in the process.
Joyce responded well, breaking in 15 darts before edging a scrappy 19-dart leg after missed doubles from Aspinall, closing the gap to 4-3.
Both players then held throw—Aspinall in 14 darts and Joyce in 16—keeping the match finely poised at 5-4.
Aspinall’s Late Surge
With the final balanced at 5-4, Aspinall found another gear, making a decisive push for the title.
Leg 10: A steady 17-dart hold extended Aspinall’s lead to 6-4.
Leg 11: Joyce missed two darts at tops, and Aspinall punished him with a 52 checkout for another 17-darter, moving within one of victory at 7-4.
Leg 12: Aspinall sealed the title in style, delivering a 14-darter and checking out 72 for an 8-4 triumph.
As the winning dart landed, Aspinall dropped to his knees in delight, soaking in the applause of the Göttingen crowd, who had backed him all weekend.
Final Match Stats:
Player | Average | 180s | Checkout % |
Aspinall | 98.19 | 5 | 32% (8/25) |
Joyce | 93.71 | 2 | 28.57% (4/14) |
Final Thoughts:
Nathan Aspinall claimed his first European Tour title in style, producing a series of standout performances. He dismantled World No.1 Luke Humphries, pulled off a match-saving 170 checkout to deny Gary Anderson, and showed incredible composure in the final, punishing Ryan Joyce’s missed opportunities to seal victory.
For Ryan Joyce, reaching his first European Tour final was a landmark moment. Overcoming his fear of flying, he put together an excellent run, whitewashing Joe Cullen 6-0, defeating Dimitri Van den Bergh and Rob Cross, and edging past Michael van Gerwen in a high-quality encounter. While his doubling let him down in the final, he can take plenty of positives and will look to build on this breakthrough performance.
Next up on the European Tour is the International Darts Open (ET3) in Riesa, Germany, from April 4th–6th, where another weekend of world-class darting action awaits.
🎙️ Post-Final Reaction:
Nathan Aspinall to PDC.tv:
"It felt like it was written in the stars."
Aspinall expressed his pride in claiming his first European Tour title, especially after a challenging period with injuries and dartitis. He had high praise for Ryan Joyce, stating, "Ryan is a great guy and a top player, and it was great to share the stage with him in the final."
Reflecting on his journey, Aspinall said, "This is exactly what I needed. It’s going to help me believe in myself again, and it shows I’m still good enough to compete against the top boys." The support from the crowd was a highlight for him: "The crowd was unbelievable. The support I got was amazing. This honestly means so much to me."
Ryan Joyce to PDC.tv:
"I’m over the moon to get to my first European Tour final."
Joyce was elated to reach his first-ever final, looking ahead to more success: "I’ve really enjoyed this weekend, and hopefully, this is just the start. I’m aiming to make many more finals."
Although he was outplayed by Aspinall, Joyce admitted, "I was just outclassed in the final, so fair play to Nathan. He’s a terrific player, and he completely outscored me tonight."
Upcoming Tournaments:
Premier League Night 8 - Utilita Arena, Newcastle, March 27th - live on Sky Sports
Players Championship 9 & 10 - Mattioli Arena, Leicester, March 31st & April 1st - live on PDC.tv
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