Bunting Ends Dream Week in Germany With Maiden Euro Tour Crown at IDO
- Darts Central
- Apr 7
- 8 min read
The 2025 European Tour rolled into Riesa, Germany this past weekend for the third event of the season, the International Darts Open, held at the WT Energiesysteme Arena from April 4th to 6th.
Notably, Luke Littler and Gary Anderson both opted to skip the tournament, while Daryl Gurney was among the early withdrawals.
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 and needed to win their opening match for the prize money to count toward the rankings—just as players automatically qualified from the Pro Tour had to win in Round 1 for their earnings to register.
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)
Michael van Gerwen withdrew from the event due to a recent shoulder injury, with Richard Veenstra stepping in to take his place in Round 2. Rob Cross also pulled out, but his withdrawal came too late for a replacement to be named—meaning the winner of the Martin Schindler vs Thomas Lovely match received a bye into Round 3.
Day 1 – Surprise Exits and German Departures
The opening round saw 32 qualifiers battling for a place in Round 2 against the Top 16 seeds, and the two sessions delivered several standout performances.
Darius Labanauskas stunned Ryan Searle with a 6-3 victory, averaging 102.40 in the process.
Karel Sedláček edged out the in-form Dutchman Jermaine Wattimena 6-4.
Thibault Tricole caused a major upset by dumping out former World Champion Michael Smith 6-3, averaging 95.86.
Host Nation Qualifiers Fall Short
It was a tough day for the home favourites, as all four German Host Nation Qualifiers exited in the first round:
Kevin Knopf was whitewashed 6-0 by recent Players Championship finalist Cameron Menzies.
Patrick Klingelhöfer lost out to Raymond van Barneveld, who impressed with a 103.43 average.
Paul Goyer suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat to young Dutch star Gian van Veen.
Daniel Klose pushed Mike De Decker but ultimately lost 6-3, despite outscoring the Belgian with a 91.86 average to De Decker’s 89.94.
Other Notable Round 1 Victories
Defending champion Martin Schindler began his title defence in style, beating Thomas Lovely 6-2 with a 102.68 average.
Dirk van Duijvenbode overcame Germany’s Niko Springer 6-4 in a high-quality contest where both players averaged over 101.
European Champion Ritchie Edhouse battled past the lively Czech, Petr Křivka, 6-4.
Day 2 – Six Non-Seeds Reach Final Day & 4-Time Champ Progresses
The second round of the European Tour delivered two highly competitive sessions, with six non-seeded players booking their place in the final day of action in Riesa.
Among the Premier League stars, Chris Dobey was the only casualty, bowing out 6-3 to rising Dutch prospect Wessel Nijman.
There were no such issues for some other big names, as Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, Ross Smith, Damon Heta, and Dave Chisnall all advanced with routine wins.
Elsewhere, it was a disappointing display from Jonny Clayton, who was brushed aside 6-2 by Raymond van Barneveld. The Welshman averaged just 81.40 in a subpar performance. Fellow countryman and four-time IDO World Champion Gerwyn Price, however, impressed with a gritty 6-4 win over Mike De Decker, battling back from 4-3 down to take the final three legs.
Karel Sedláček continued his superb run by defeating World No. 16 Danny Noppert 6-4.
Gilding Whitewash & Scots Survive Late Drama
Stephen Bunting edged past Darius Labanauskas 6-4 in a high-quality clash where both players averaged over 100.
Cameron Menzies survived a thriller against James Wade, prevailing 6-5 in a last-leg decider with both men averaging 100+.
Andrew Gilding produced a clinical whitewash, sweeping aside late call-up Richard Veenstra 6-0.
Dimitri Van den Bergh came through a scrappy 6-4 battle with Thibault Tricole, just doing enough to get over the line.
Peter Wright survived two match darts before edging out European Champion Ritchie Edhouse 6-5 in a nervy finish.
The performance of the day came from Josh Rock, who defeated Gian van Veen 6-4 while averaging a sensational 107.61.
Day 3 – Finals Day in Riesa
Finals Day—often dubbed Cup Collection Day—got underway in Riesa with a stacked Last 16 lineup during the afternoon session, as some of the tournament's top performers began to emerge.
Last 16 – Asp Stuns Four-Time Champ & Defending Champion Cruises
Luke Humphries, Wessel Nijman, and Peter Wright all progressed with comfortable victories over Ross Smith, Damon Heta, and Dave Chisnall respectively.
Defending champion Martin Schindler made a real statement with a dominant whitewash, sweeping aside Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-0 to keep his title defence alive.
Stephen Bunting impressed once again, averaging 105.51 in a 6-4 win over Cameron Menzies. Karel Sedláček continued his sensational run, edging out Raymond van Barneveld 6-5 in a thriller. The Czech ace averaged 104.52 and held his nerve to survive three match darts and book a third career Euro Tour quarter-final.
Josh Rock delivered a finishing masterclass, producing two stunning 170 checkouts in a 6-4 victory over Andrew Gilding.
But the standout performance of the round belonged to Nathan Aspinall, who pulled off a dramatic comeback against four-time IDO World Champion Gerwyn Price. Trailing 5-2, Aspinall reeled off four straight legs as he survived three match darts and sealed the deal with a superb 121 checkout in the decider while Price was waiting on 40. The Welshman had averaged 105.24, but it wasn’t enough to stop The Asp from stealing the spotlight.
Quarter-Finals – Top Seeds Turn the Screw in Riesa
Luke Humphries 6-3 Wessel Nijman – The World Number 1 and seven-time Euro Tour champion proved too strong for Nijman, who was making just his second appearance in a European Tour quarter-final.
Stephen Bunting 6-2 Karel Sedláček – Sedláček’s superb run was brought to a halt as Bunting capitalised on a dip in form from the Czech to move into the last four.
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Josh Rock – Aspinall continued his charge with a dominant display, keeping Rock at bay throughout a convincing victory.
Martin Schindler 6-2 Peter Wright – The defending champion cruised into the semi-finals, punishing a sub-par 88 average from Wright with a composed and clinical performance.
Semi-Finals – Bunting Holds Nerve as Aspinall Silences Riesa Crowd
Stephen Bunting 7-6 Luke Humphries
While Humphries was chasing an eighth European Tour title, Bunting was aiming to reach his third Euro Tour final and first since 2023.
‘The Bullet’ came out flying, racing into a 4-1 lead with an 11-darter to cap off the fifth leg. But Humphries responded in style, reeling off three consecutive legs to level at 4-4, including a classy 92 finish via double 18, double 18 after a wayward first dart.
The next four legs went with throw, both players scoring heavily and holding firm to set up a deciding leg at 6-6.
With the darts in the decider, Bunting fired in back-to-back 180s to threaten perfection. Humphries answered with a maximum of his own to leave 46 after nine darts, but Bunting showed ice-cool composure to take out 58 in two darts and clinch a superb 7-6 win.
Nathan Aspinall 7-4 Martin Schindler
Aspinall was bidding for back-to-back European Tour titles and wasted little time asserting dominance over the defending champion. The Stockport star stormed into a 4-1 lead, producing a 15-dart hold and a 14-dart break to leave Schindler chasing shadows.
The German wasn’t done, though. Trailing 6-1, Schindler clawed his way back with three consecutive legs, including a gritty double 1 checkout that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
However, Aspinall had the final say. In leg 11, he replied to the noise with back-to-back 180s to leave 60 after nine darts. Schindler hit a 180 of his own to leave double 1 again, prompting a wry smile from Aspinall, who then pinned double 10 with his final dart in hand to seal a 7-4 victory and silence the Riesa faithful.
🏆 The Final – Bunting Breaks Through to Claim Maiden Euro Tour Title
Before the final got underway, Stephen Bunting was appearing in his third European Tour final, still in search of that elusive first title. His opponent, Nathan Aspinall, was aiming to win back-to-back European Tour events after triumphing in Göttingen just a week earlier.
Tournament Stats before the final:
Finalist | Average | Checkout % | 180s | Highest Checkout | Matches Played |
Bunting | 101.90 | 40% | 18 | 170 | 4 |
Aspinall | 99.60 | 42% | 15 | 148 | 4 |
Match Recap
Both players made a slightly edgy start, but Aspinall's clinical finishing—especially on the bullseye—kept things level at 3–3.
However, the match swung heavily in Bunting’s favour through the middle stages. 'The Bullet' won four of the next five legs with dominant scoring and steady finishing to move one away from glory at 7–4.
Aspinall showed signs of life with a sharp 13-dart hold to make it 7–5, but Bunting wasn’t to be denied. He wrapped up the title with a composed 16-darter, pinning double 10 to seal an 8–5 victory.
As the winning dart landed, the pair shared a heartfelt embrace, with Aspinall graciously congratulating Bunting on a long-awaited moment—claiming his first-ever European Tour title after more than a decade on the circuit.
Final Match Stats:
Player | Average | 180s | Checkout % |
Bunting | 100.19 | 6 | 44.44% (8/18) |
Aspinall | 91.36 | 4 | 41.67% (5/12) |
Final Thoughts:
Stephen Bunting capped off an incredible week in Germany, following his first Premier League points of the season with a stunning European Tour victory just three days later. ‘The Bullet’ showcased his best form, producing four 100+ averages across five matches and defeating top opponents, including Luke Humphries, Cameron Menzies, Darius Labanauskas, Karel Sedláček, and Nathan Aspinall.
While Nathan Aspinall fell short of a back-to-back Euro Tour title, his performance in Riesa was full of highlights. His remarkable comeback against Gerwyn Price and dominant win over defending champion Martin Schindler were standout moments. It was a vital boost to his ranking, and despite fading in the final, Aspinall can walk away with his head held high.
Next up on the European Tour is the German Darts Grand Prix (ET4) in Munich from April 19th–21st, where another thrilling weekend of action awaits.
🎙️ Post-Final Reaction:
Stephen Bunting to PDC.tv:
"It feels unbelievable, it's been a dream week for me," said Bunting, reflecting on his victory.
"I'm just so happy to get the win, I came in with a lot of confidence after winning my first Premier League night."
"Nathan didn't play his best there but I'm sure we're going to have many more battles."
"It's been a long few days but I love coming to Germany and playing in front of these fans."
Nathan Aspinall to PDC.tv:
"I ran out of steam in the final but I'm proud of myself to have made back-to-back finals," said Aspinall, acknowledging his strong run despite falling short in the final.
"My arm is causing me a lot of pain so I'm going to have a rest for a few days before Thursday's Premier League."
Aspinall revealed that he's dealing with arm pain and will take a brief break ahead of the next Premier League night in Manchester.
Upcoming Tournaments:
Players Championship 11 & 12 - Mattioli Arena, Leicester, April 8th & April 9th - live on PDC.tv
Premier League Night 10 - AO Arena, Manchester, March 27th - live on Sky Sports
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