Report – Garry Balter climbs to the top of the Masters rankings with home victory

The third Masters event of the 2025 Austrian Snooker League season once again goes to Garry Balter from the 15 Reds Köö 7 Vienna Snooker Club. The new rankings leader defeats his clubmate Bernhard Wallner 3:1 in the final.

Balter secures the top spot in the Masters rankings with his tournament victory at Köö 7, the home venue of his club 15 Reds, ahead of last season’s top-ranked player Christian Hochmayer, who finishes third this time, and the reigning Austrian champion in this category, Hans “Jack” Nirnberger, who exits in the quarterfinals after losing to Richard Kornberger from TSG Graz, who finishes fourth.

With 35 athletes, the third event of the season was once again well attended. The tournament and the final were officiated by Class-1 referee Bernd Sadleder. The highest break of the event was claimed by tournament winner Balter, who made a 59-point break in the first frame of the final.

Garry Balter; © 15 Reds

The fourth round of the season takes the Masters to Krems-Mautern, where on May 3rd & 4th players will again compete for qualification spots for the Austrian Championship Qualifier. In November, the finalists of this event will secure their places for the ÖSBV Finals.

Results | Masters Round 3|2025
Rankings | Masters after Round 3|2025