Tringler Claims Third PDC Europe Next Gen Title in Thrilling ‘FA Cup’ Style Tournament, Defeating Rising Star Prokop in a Dramatic Final. Key Upsets Included Daniel Klose Ending Paul Krohne’s Dominant Streak, While Jaimy van de Weerd Continued His Consistent Run of Semi-Final Appearances.
The PDC Europe Next Gen series delivered another day of captivating darts action, mirroring the “FA Cup” style with its unpredictable open draw format. Held concurrently with the UK Open, the tournament culminated in a surprising final where Austria’s Patrick Tringler clinched his third career Next Gen title. His opponent, the emerging talent Finn Prokop, had previously overcome formidable players like Florian Hempel and the consistent Jaimy van de Weerd to reach his first final. Adding to the drama, Daniel Klose delivered a significant upset by finally bringing an end to Paul Krohne’s impressive winning streak.
Tringler’s Resurgent Victory
Patrick Tringler emphatically reaffirmed his standing as one of the best Next Gen players from outside Germany. After winning the very first event in 2024, Tringler faced a challenging 2025 following a narrow miss on a Tour Card. However, he has now made a powerful comeback, securing a title after reaching a quarter-final and two last-16 stages earlier this season. His journey to the final was hard-fought, including a crucial 160 checkout to turn around his opening knockout match against Tommy Tost. He then dispatched Kilian Hohnstedt and Finn Behrens with a 4-2 victory, featuring a stunning 152 finish. Further 5-3 wins over Marcel Hausotter and Liam Maendl-Lawrance paved his way to the championship match.
The Grand Final: Tringler vs. Prokop
The final showdown saw Tringler face Finn Prokop, who just last weekend was on the verge of qualifying for the European Tour stage for the first time. While not entirely unexpected given their recent form, this pairing promised excitement. The match was tightly contested, with Prokop leveling for the last time at 3-3 with a 13-dart leg. However, Tringler secured a decisive break with an 18-darter, giving him a crucial lead. Prokop had a final opportunity for a 132 checkout, but a missed dart at the bullseye sealed his fate, allowing the Austrian to claim a 6-3 victory. Tringler finished with an average of 81.31, narrowly edging out Prokop’s 81.54.
Prokop’s Remarkable Run and Other Standout Performances
Finn Prokop’s path to his maiden final was nothing short of impressive. He showed dominant form, dropping no more than a single leg per match until the quarter-finals. There, he eliminated seasoned player Florian Hempel 5-3, before defeating Jaimy van de Weerd 5-2 in the semi-finals. Van de Weerd, a consistent performer, reached his fourth semi-final in just the fifth event of the year, notably beating Daniel Klose 5-3 in the quarter-finals.
Another major talking point was Daniel Klose’s stunning defeat of Paul Krohne. Klose, considered a favourite alongside Florian Hempel, showcased excellent form throughout the tournament. His standout performance was an impressive 96 average in the Last 16, where he became the first player in three tournaments to halt Paul Krohne’s dominant winning streak. While Krohne struggled with his doubles despite strong scoring, Klose capitalized ruthlessly for a 4-1 victory. Krohne himself had been in sensational form, playing a 10-darter on the bullseye and boasting a triple-digit average in his thrilling 4-3 win over Florian Preis in the previous round, having not dropped a single leg in his first four matches.
Other notable performances included:
- Jarod Becker, the local favourite, once again found success in Hildesheim, reaching the quarter-finals before being defeated 5-1 by a strong Liam Maendl-Lawrance. This was sweet revenge for Maendl-Lawrance, who had suffered a painful decider loss to Becker in the recent European Tour Qualifiers.
- Marcel Hausotter also demonstrated strong form, reaching the quarter-finals after successfully qualifying for the European Tour last week.
- Moritz Bohrmann and Finn Behrens recorded the highest losing averages in the Last 32, highlighting the high standard of competition.
Early Exits and Ranking Movements
Despite the high stakes, some prominent names faced early exits in the Ligaphase (group stage). European Tour participants Simeon Heinz and Kevin Knopf, along with Kevin Troppmann, René Eidams, Patrick Klingelhöfer, and former German champion Mitja Gustorf, all failed to reach the knockout stage on this occasion.
The latest rankings show:
- Paul Krohne remains at the top of the PDC Europe Next Gen Main Order of Merit.
- Jaimy van de Weerd moved up to second place, overtaking Florian Preis.
- Patrick Tringler’s title win propelled him to fourth place, just ahead of Daniel Klose.
- Finn Prokop’s impressive run saw him climb to 11th position.
Tournament Format and Payouts
The PDC Europe Next Gen tournaments feature a dynamic structure to accommodate large numbers of participants, particularly when exceeding 257 players (up to a maximum of 384). This event began with a “Ligaphase” (group stage) consisting of three rounds where players face random opponents in best-of-4-legs matches. Points are awarded based on performance, and the top 128 players advance to a subsequent knockout phase, seeded according to their group stage standings.
The knockout stages feature increasing leg formats:
- Last 128 to Last 32: Best of 7 legs
- Quarter-finals and Semi-finals: Best of 9 legs
- Final: Best of 11 legs
Players also earn performance bonuses for various achievements, including:
- Short Legs: Rewards for 9- to 15-darters.
- High Checkouts: Bonuses for finishes ranging from 101 to 170.
- High Scores: Recognition for 171s, 174s, 177s, and 180s.
The prize money for this event was substantial, reflecting the growing prestige of the Next Gen series:
- Winner: €1,500
- Runner-Up: €750
- Semi-finalists: €400
- Quarter-finalists: €250
- Last 16: €150
- Last 32: €100
- Last 64: €50
What’s Next?
The darting action continues with the sixth PDC Europe Next Gen tournament of the year scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, also in Hildesheim. This next event will feature a different format, played under “Double-In/Double-Out” rules, promising another exciting challenge for the competitors.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
