International Darts Open: Martin Schindler Triumphs Over Gerwyn Price to Claim His First Senior PDC Title
2 minutes This victory marks a significant milestone for Schindler, who began his association with PDC Europe as a steward a decade ago.
Germany's Martin Schindler secured his first PDC title by defeating third seed Gerwyn Price at the International Darts Open on Sunday.
Price, 39, a two-time defending champion who has won this European Tour event a record four times, took an early lead in the final; defying the darts betting odds. However, Schindler, aged 27 and buoyed by a supportive home crowd in Riesa, staged a remarkable comeback to win 8-5.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Schindler, who began his association with PDC Europe as a steward a decade ago. Despite trailing by two legs against the 2021 world champion, he rallied to not only take the lead but also secure the win, making him one of the only three German players to ever win a PDC title.
Schindler's journey to this title included reaching the semi-finals in last year’s event in Riesa and the German Darts Grand Prix two weeks prior, where the current world champion Luke Humphries emerged victorious.
The third European Tour event of the year also featured some notable early exits. World champion Luke Humphries was eliminated 6-4 by Stephen Bunting, who also ousted Ritchie Edhouse and Gerwyn Price later in the tournament. Other top-10 ranked players, including Nathan Aspinall, Rob Cross, and Damon Heta, were knocked out in the third round.
Ryan Searle, after defeating Heta, was ousted by Chris Dobey 6-2. Danny Noppert, who had earlier eliminated Aspinall, lost 6-5 to Schindler in a crucial match. Schindler then went on to defeat Dobey 7-3 in the semi-finals, setting the stage for his triumphant final against Price.
The victory was emotionally charged for Schindler, who dropped to his knees in disbelief after clinching the title, marking a memorable evening in Riesa.
There is a total prize put of £175,000 on offer to the 48 participants. Here is how the the International Darts Open prize money is split:
| Finishing Position | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| Winner | £30,000 |
| Runner-up | £12,000 |
| Semi-Finalists | £8,500 |
| Quarter-Finalists | £6,000 |
| Last 16 | £4,000 |
| Last 32 | £2,500 |
| Last 48 | £1,250 |