Former World Champion Steve Beaton marked his first European Tour event of 2023, with a run to the Quarter Finals in Kiel, Germany at the Baltic Sea Darts Open.
This year saw the first staging of the brand new Euro Tour event, and the Bronzed Adonis opened his account for the tournament in emphatic fashion on Friday. The Coventry born thrower posted a huge average of 106.10 to beat former two time World Champion Adrian Lewis 6-2 in the First Round, setting up a Last 32 clash with Premier League star Nathan Aspinall.
The 58-year-old trailed 5-3 against the thrower from Stockport, but won the remaining three legs on the oche, including an 86 checkout on the bull to level the match at 5-5. Beaton crucially broke the throw twice to fight back in Germany and win 6-5, setting up a Last 16 clash with another Winmau player in Joe Cullen.
The Rockstar had played some good darts himself in the run up to the match, including six 180s in his opening Second Round win against former World Youth champion Arron Monk, claiming a 6-4 victory.
Beaton included a break of throw in the third leg of the Third Round contest with a 142 finish, entering a 3-0 lead against last year’s Premier League Runner Up.
Cullen fought his way back into the contest with two breaks himself to level the match at 4-4, but it was the Bronzed Adonis who reached the Quarter Finals after finding the mad house to win the tenth leg and earn a 6-4 success.
The Englishman’s run came to an end in the Quarter Finals at the hands of Jonny Clayton, but a strong display from the 58-year-old in the first European Tour of the year. Attentions now turn to Minehead for the 2023 Cazoo UK Open next weekend where Danny Noppert is the defending champion.
By Harry Masterson
Baltic Sea Darts Open 2023 Results:
Last 16:
Luke Humphries (1) 6-3 Dimitri van den Bergh (16)
Dirk van Duijvenbode (9) 6-3 Michael Smith (8)
Ryan Searle (13) 6-2 Martijn Dragt
Keegan Brown 6-4 Peter Wright (5)
Jonny Clayton (15) 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Steve Beaton 6-4 Joe Cullen (10)
Martin Schindler (14) 6-2 Damon Heta (3)
Dave Chisnall (6) 6-4 Gerwyn Price (11)
Quarter Finals:
Luke Humphries (1) 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode (9)
Ryan Searle (13) 6-1 Keegan Brown
Jonny Clayton (15) 6-2 Steve Beaton
Dave Chisnall (6) 6-4 Martin Schindler (14)
Semi Finals:
Luke Humphries (1) 7-6 Ryan Searle (13)
Dave Chisnall (6) 7-5 Jonny Clayton (15)
Final:
Dave Chisnall (6) 8-5 Luke Humphries (1
