Price Powers to Ninth European Tour Title at Baltic Sea Open

Darts Central
Jul 13
6 min read

Gerwyn Price secured the ninth European Tour title of his career in Kiel this weekend, drawing level with Peter Wright as the joint-second most successful player in the tour’s history.

‘The Iceman’ was superb throughout the weekend, scooping the £30,000 top prize at the Wunderino Arena. In doing so, he became the first player to win five PDC titles in 2025, continuing his resurgence in form and returning to the top 10 in the world rankings.

The three days of action in Kiel delivered surprise results, standout performances, renewed rivalries, and a familiar name lifting the trophy.

Here’s how the final day unfolded…

Gerwyn Price with the Baltic Sea Open trophy on stage after victory (Photo by: Sebastian Doppstadt)

Last 16 – Schindler Wins Headline All-German Clash

World No.1 Luke Humphries breezed past a desperately out-of-sorts Ryan Searle, cruising to a 6-0 whitewash. Humphries averaged 98.53, while Searle managed just 77.47, the second-lowest average of his PDC career.

Gerwyn Price survived two match darts in a tense encounter with Dutch youngster Wessel Nijman, landing a clutch 119 checkout in the deciding leg to edge through 6-5.

Danny Noppert followed with a composed 6-2 victory over Nathan Aspinall, before Chris Dobey produced a clinical 6-3 win against Ross Smith, both delivering assured displays to reach the quarter-finals.

German No.1 Martin Schindler asserted his dominance in the all-German clash, seeing off rising star Niko Springer 6-4 in a composed performance on home soil. James Wade, meanwhile, showed all his experience to pin key checkouts under pressure, edging past Daryl Gurney 6-5.

Despite averaging 103.97, Andy Baetens' fine run came to an end in a high-quality contest with Gary Anderson. The Flying Scotsman averaged 100.96 himself in a 6-3 victory, hitting big shots at key moments to progress.

But the performance of the round came from Jonny Clayton, who averaged 106.90 to dismantle the in-form Josh Rock 6-2. Rock played his part with a strong 104.55 average, but it wasn’t enough to stop ‘The Ferret’.

Quarter-Finals – Anderson Hits Top Gear & Schindler Falls

Gerwyn Price continued his strong run with a commanding 6-3 win over World No.1 Luke Humphries. The Iceman outscored his opponent with a 102.55 average and kept control throughout, barely giving Humphries a look-in.

Next up, Chris Dobey delivered another clinical performance to dismantle Danny Noppert 6-1. Hollywood averaged 102.24 and nailed 6 of his 7 darts at double in an excellent all-round display.

James Wade then dashed home hopes in typically gritty fashion. Despite averaging nearly five points fewer than Martin Schindler, the ‘Machine’ was ruthless on the outer ring and punished every miss from the German No.1 to advance with a 6-3 win.

But the performance of the round belonged to Gary Anderson. ‘The Flying Scotsman’ averaged 108.03 and hit 6 out of 8 on his doubles to blow away Jonny Clayton 6-1. To his credit, Clayton still averaged 103.20, but had no answer to Anderson’s relentless scoring and clinical finishing leg after leg.

Semi-Finals – Price & Anderson Breeze into the Final

Gerwyn Price 7-3 Chris Dobey

Gerwyn Price powered into the final with a commanding 7–3 win over Chris Dobey. The Welshman raced into a 5–1 lead, combining relentless scoring with sharp finishing to overpower his Geordie opponent.

Dobey held throw to pull one back after Price missed multiple darts at double for 6–1, but the Iceman quickly regained control, holding to move 6–2 ahead. A 15-dart leg from Dobey extended the contest briefly, but Price responded in kind with a composed 15-darter of his own to seal the win.

It was a quality performance from the Welshman, who averaged 101.96, fired in four 180s, and rarely looked troubled as he advanced to the final.

Gary Anderson 7-1 James Wade

Gary Anderson eased into his second European Tour final of the season with a dominant 7–1 victory over James Wade.

Both players struggled early, with Anderson leading 3–0 despite both averaging in the low 80s. Wade finally got on the board with a steady 87 checkout to trail 3–1, but that would be his only leg of the match.

From there, the Flying Scotsman found another gear, reeling off four straight legs and limiting Wade to just one dart at a double in that span. Anderson finished with a 95.31 average compared to Wade’s 89.54, closing out a ruthless display that confirmed his place in the final.

🏆 The Final – Rivalries Renewed: Price vs Anderson

Two of the sport’s biggest names collided in the final, as Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson faced off in a showdown of resurgent form and big-stage pedigree. Both had impressed throughout the weekend, averaging over 100 and dispatching elite opposition en route to the title decider.

While Price’s finishing had been consistent and effective, Anderson’s stats heading into the final were off the charts, teeing up an enticing clash between two players with a long and storied history.

Pre-Final Tournament Stats

Finalist	Average	Checkout %	180s	Ton+ Checkouts	Matches Played
Price	100.11	52%	13	3	4
Anderson	100.35	68%	12	5	4

Match Recap

The final got off to a surprisingly scrappy start, with both players struggling on the outer ring. Price did the heavier scoring early on but failed to capitalise, allowing Anderson to stay level at 2–2 after four legs.

From there, the tide turned. The Iceman began to find his range on the doubles while Anderson faltered, and Price punished him with five straight legs, stretching into a dominant 7–2 lead. His 20-dart hold on Double 1 wasn’t pretty, but it was pivotal in moving him within one leg of victory.

Anderson briefly delayed the inevitable with a stunning 125 checkout (bull–25–bull) to reduce the deficit to 7–3, but Price closed things out in style with a tidy 17-dart leg, finishing 25 in two darts to wrap up the title.

The pair shared a warm embrace at the end, a classy gesture that reflected the mutual respect between two former rivals turned enduring champions.

Final Match Stats:

Finalist	Average	180s	Checkout %
Price	91.92	3	24.24% (8/33)
Anderson	89.80	3	21.43% (3/14)

Closing Thoughts:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Anderson Still Flying

Gary Anderson reached his third final of the season this weekend, adding to his European Tour title and Players Championship win earlier in the year. While he fell short in Kiel, the two-time World Champion once again demonstrated his lasting class, producing big averages and taking out top names. At 54, he continues to prove he can mix it with the very best.

🔜 All Eyes on the World Matchplay

This weekend’s action marked the final PDC event before the iconic World Matchplay begins in Blackpool. For Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson, this was the perfect warm-up, with both men looking sharp and confident heading into the Winter Gardens.

Meanwhile, notable absentees like Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen chose to rest rather than compete, while other top seeds who exited early in Kiel may be left scratching their heads as they prepare for the major.

🥇 Milestone Title for 'The Iceman'

Gerwyn Price was in red-hot form from start to finish, ending the weekend with a 98.31 tournament average, 16 180s, and wins over top-tier opposition. His triumph in Kiel marked his ninth European Tour title, tying him with Peter Wright as the second-most in history, and his 40th career PDC title overall. It’s a milestone that underlines just how elite his career resume has become.

⏸️ A Brief European Tour Pause

The European Tour now takes a short break as other tournaments take centre stage. It returns for ET10: the Flanders Darts Trophy, held from August 29th to 31st at the Antwerp Expo in Belgium, where more drama, upsets, and elite performances are sure to follow.

🎙️ Post-Final Reaction

Gerwyn Price to PDC.tv

“I think I played pretty well all weekend, so I’m really chuffed,” said Price, who now joins Peter Wright in second on the all-time European Tour winners list.

“Gary wasn’t at his best in the final and obviously I can play better, but I’m just really pleased to get over the line and add another European Tour title to my record.

“I can’t put into words how much it means to win this, especially in front of such a fantastic crowd.

“I needed some ranking points going into the back end of the year, so this £30,000 definitely helps!”

Reflecting on his recent form, Price added:

“I’ve lost in the final before, so now I needed to lift that trophy.

“I won in Poland, reached a semi and a final on the ProTour last week, so to come here and win definitely puts me in good stead ahead of the World Matchplay.

“I’m playing really well at the moment — but it’s all on the day. There are so many good players in the tournament, so anybody can win it.”

Gary Anderson to PDC.tv

“To get to the final of any tournament is great, so I’ll pat myself on the back,” said Anderson with a smile.

“Gezzy has been playing really well, and he played well again throughout the whole tournament — but we’ll be back!

“I’m looking forward to Blackpool now. There are so many players chasing that title; it’s going to be a good one.”

Upcoming Tournaments

Betfred World Matchplay

🗓️ July 19th–27th

📍 Winter Gardens, Blackpool

📺 Live on Sky Sports

Betfred Women’s World Matchplay

🗓️ July 27th