Vintage Van Gerwen Dazzles in Munich to Win German Darts Grand Prix
- Darts Central
- Apr 22
- 8 min read
The 2025 European Tour rolled into Munich’s Zenith for the fourth event of the season, marking the third stop in Germany so far.
A few late withdrawals shook up the lineup, with Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall, and Dimitri Van den Bergh all pulling out. Their spots were filled by reserve list entries Madars Razma, Kim Huybrechts, and Mensur Suljović, leading to Michael Smith, Ryan Searle, and Joe Cullen moving up to the 14th, 15th, and 16th seed positions, respectively.
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)
Day 1 – Top Two Germans Shine as a Major Champion Falls Early
The opening round in Munich featured 32 qualifiers battling for a place in Round 2 against the Top 16 seeds, with both sessions delivering plenty of standout performances.
German No. 2, Ricardo Pietreczko, stole the show by whitewashing Adam Paxton 6-0, posting a stunning 106 average, the highest of the round.
Niels Zonneveld put on an impressive display, overcoming Daryl Gurney 6-3, despite the Northern Irishman’s 100.12 average, to book his spot in Round 2.
German No. 1, Martin Schindler, backed by a raucous home crowd, also caught the eye with a solid 102.83 average in a 6-3 win over Mario Vandenbogaerde.
Host Nation Qualifiers Suffer Early Exits
It was a frustrating day for the four Host Nation Qualifiers, all of whom were eliminated in the first round.
Finn Behrens endured a challenging debut, losing 6-0 to Kim Huybrechts, who averaged 104.86.
Michael Unterbuchner fell 6-3 to Jermaine Wattimena, while René Eidams was beaten 6-2 by Gian van Veen, who posted an impressive 102.47 average.
Michael Rosenauer gave Raymond van Barneveld a tough test but was eventually edged out 6-3 by the five-time World Champion.
Other Notable Round 1 Victories
Scott Williams came through a closely contested match with Dutch youngster Wessel Nijman, securing a 6-4 win.
Mickey Mansell showed his composure to edge out European Champion Ritchie Edhouse 6-4, as Edhouse struggled with an 84.82 average.
Reigning World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker began his campaign with a solid 6-3 win over Nordic & Baltic Qualifier Johan Engström, booking his place in Day 2.
Day 2 – Six Non-Seeds Reach Final Day as MvG Survives Scare
Day 2 in Munich delivered a thrilling second round, with two highly competitive sessions and six non-seeded players securing spots in the final day of action.
The non-seeds to progress were Madars Razma, Martin Schindler, Gian van Veen, Ryan Joyce, Krzysztof Ratajski, and Niels Zonneveld.
Madars Razma claimed a convincing 6-2 victory over Danny Noppert, who now faces a fourth consecutive second-round exit on the European Tour this season. In a scrappy contest, Martin Schindler delivered a dominant 6-1 win over PC14 winner Jonny Clayton.
Gian van Veen edged past Andrew Gilding 6-4 in a tightly contested match, while Ryan Joyce announced his presence with a 6-0 thrashing of Damon Heta, averaging 101.33.
Krzysztof Ratajski progressed with a 6-4 win over Michael Smith in a subdued affair, with both players failing to hit their usual standards. Niels Zonneveld stunned James Wade 6-2, posting a 100.38 average to eliminate the 10-time major champion.
Michael van Gerwen survived a scare, narrowly escaping an early exit after overcoming three match darts from Kim Huybrechts to win 6-5. Meanwhile, Ryan Searle cruised to a comfortable 6-2 win over PC11 winner Cameron Menzies.
Littler Impresses as Big Names Progress
Luke Littler continued to impress, recording the highest average of the round at 107.10 in a dominant 6-1 win over Cam Crabtree.
Joe Cullen eased past Mickey Mansell 6-2, while Gerwyn Price was clinical in his 6-3 win over Raymond van Barneveld.
Dave Chisnall saw off Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-3, and Ross Smith battled his way to a 6-4 victory over Jermaine Wattimena, who averaged 100.20 in defeat.
Rob Cross ended the hopes of one of the home favourites, Ricardo Pietreczko, with a 6-4 win, while Josh Rock impressed again, averaging 100.20 in his 6-2 victory over Scott Williams.
Two-time World Champion Peter Wright also made it through to the final day, defeating reigning World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker 6-3.
Day 3 – Finals Day in Munich
Finals Day, often referred to as Cup Collection Day on the European Tour, kicked off in Munich with a stacked Last 16 lineup in the afternoon session. The world's best players were vying for the prestigious German Darts Grand Prix title at the Zenith.
Last 16 – Rock Sets Record, MvG Hits Perfection
Ross Smith and Luke Littler both secured impressive victories over Dave Chisnall and Joe Cullen, respectively, to reach the Quarter-Finals.
Peter Wright extended his flawless head-to-head record against Latvia’s Madars Razma with a 6-4 win, advancing to the Last 8. Meanwhile, Gian van Veen ended the hopes of the home crowd, defeating Martin Schindler 6-4 in a high-quality encounter where both players averaged just under 100.
ET2 finalist Ryan Joyce edged past Niels Zonneveld 6-4 in a match that swung both ways, while Krzysztof Ratajski continued his impressive run, overcoming former World Champion Rob Cross 6-4.
Michael van Gerwen delivered a dominant 6-1 victory over Ryan Searle, averaging 104.82 and hitting a perfect 9-dart leg, thrilling the Munich crowd.
However, the standout performance of the round came from Josh Rock. The young Northern Irishman continued his strong form, recording a Euro Tour career-best 111.42 average in a 6-4 win over Gerwyn Price. Rock avenged his Players Championship 12 final loss to 'The Iceman,' where he averaged 110.80 impressively on that occasion.
Quarter-Finals – Top Seeds Step Up To Reach Last 4
Josh Rock 6-5 Krzysztof Ratajski – Rock survived a match dart from Ratajski at the bull to secure a thrilling 6-5 win in a closely contested match.
Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Ryan Joyce – MvG fought back from 4-2 down to defeat Joyce 6-4, finishing with a perfect 100% checkout rate.
Gian van Veen 6-3 Ross Smith – van Veen powered past Smith, with his scoring proving too much for his opponent.
Luke Littler 6-5 Peter Wright – Littler narrowly defeated the two-time World Champion Wright in a deciding leg, coming from behind to advance to the semi-finals.
Semi-Finals – Van Veen Denies Littler, MvG Motors into Munich Final
Michael van Gerwen 7-2 Josh Rock
Coming into the weekend with questions over his form, Michael van Gerwen had already silenced many with three consecutive ton-plus averages and a perfect leg against Ryan Searle in the Last 16. Josh Rock, fresh off a title at PC10 and a 111.42 average over Gerwyn Price today, was also full of confidence.
The match began evenly, with Rock levelling at 2-2 after MvG took the opening two legs. But from there, the Green Machine shifted gears as he produced back-to-back 11-darters and a 12-darter to storm into a 5-2 lead, denying Rock a dart at a double in the process.
Rock missed two darts to reduce the deficit, and van Gerwen clinically closed out the match with two composed legs to seal a 7-2 win and a place in the final.
Gian van Veen 7-4 Luke Littler
Gian van Veen aimed for his second European Tour final, while Luke Littler looked to capture a fourth European Tour title of his early career so far.
Van Veen flew out of the traps, hitting two 12-darters and a 14-darter with finishes of 106 and 128 to lead 3-0, averaging 118.66 to Littler’s 84.45.
That early blitz forced Littler into a setup change, switching back to his original darts, and from there the response was immediate. Legs of 16, 11, 14, and 12 darts saw the World Champion flip the match on its head to lead 4-3, punctuated by a huge roar.
But van Veen held firm. He rattled off the next four legs in clinical style, highlighted by a 12-dart break and a closing 13-darter as he sealed a 7-4 win and a statement victory. The roar at the end said it all: a massive moment for the young Dutchman.
🏆 The Final – Van Gerwen Edges Dutch Duel to Claim Record 38th Euro Tour Title
Michael van Gerwen and Gian van Veen met in a repeat of the 2024 Hungarian Darts Trophy final, where van Gerwen narrowly prevailed 8-7 after van Veen missed a dart at the bull for the title. The pair clashed in Munich this time, with both players in top form throughout the weekend.
Pre-Final Tournament Stats
Finalist | Average | Checkout % | 180s | Highest Checkout | Matches Played |
MvG | 104.22 | 75% | 14 | 157 | 4 |
GvV | 101.84 | 55% | 18 | 128 | 5 |
Match Recap
Van Gerwen made the stronger start, punishing early misses from van Veen to go 2-0 up. But the younger Dutchman soon settled, leveling at 2-2. A high-quality, evenly matched stretch of six consecutive holds followed, bringing the score to 5-5.
MvG nudged ahead with a 15-dart hold for 6-5, then seized the initiative after van Veen missed tops as he broke with a 13-darter to lead 7-5. He then closed it out with another tidy 15-darter, winning the final 8-5 and sealing his record-extending 38th European Tour title with a huge outpouring of emotion in his celebration that underlined the victory’s importance.
Final Match Stats:
Finalist | Average | 180s | Checkout % |
MvG | 95.98 | 2 | 42.11% (8/19) |
GvV | 96.53 | 4 | 38.46% (5/13) |
Final Thoughts:
Michael van Gerwen captured the 2025 German Darts Grand Prix title in style, finishing the weekend with a 102 tournament average, 16 maximums, and an outstanding 60% checkout success rate. The win marks a record-extending 38th European Tour title for the Green Machine, an incredible haul that reinforces his legendary status.
After a shaky start to the season and growing questions around his form to match the likes of Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, MvG responded emphatically. His dominant displays in Munich, capped off by a nine-darter and four ton-plus averages, suggest he's very much still a force to be reckoned with as the season unfolds.
Despite falling just short in another Euro Tour final, Gian van Veen continues to impress. The Dutchman can take plenty of positives from another deep run, having already secured a Players Championship title this season. If he maintains this level, a European Tour crown seems only a matter of time.
The European Tour rolls on to Austria next, with the Austrian Darts Open (ET5) taking place in Premstätten from April 25–27. With two different destinations visited already, with a third on the horizon, and a host of in-form players, the 2025 European Tour continues to deliver top-tier drama.
🎙️ Post-Final Reaction:
Michael van Gerwen to PDC.tv:
"This definitely means a lot to me," said van Gerwen, reflecting on his title win in Munich.
"We all know where I’m coming from. I’ve been battling against myself recently.
"In the last few weeks I’ve been playing poorly. I know I have it in me, but you want to show it week after week, and I also put pressure on myself.
"This means the world to me. I needed this, I really needed this.
"We all know I’m in a tough position in the Premier League, but everyone who knows me knows that I never give up. I always keep fighting."
Gian van Veen to PDC.tv:
"I’ve had a phenomenal three days," said van Veen, who now climbs to a career-high world number 23.
"Neither of us played our best game in the final. I played well on my own legs, but on Michael’s throw I didn’t perform, and he was the deserved winner.
"I’m a bit gutted to lose, but I’m really happy with second place, and hopefully my first European Tour title is coming soon!"
Upcoming Tournaments:
Premier League Night 12: April 24th at M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool (Live on Sky Sports)
Austrian Darts Open (ET5): April 25th-April 27th, Premstättner Halle, Graz (Live on PDC.tv)
Comments