Garry Balter from 15 Reds in Vienna is the man of the moment in the 2025 Austrian Snooker League Masters division. After skipping the first event of the season, the experienced local player and former two-time National Champion has gone on to win all the tournaments held so far this season.
At the fourth event of the season, held on May 3–4 at the Snookerbulls’ venue in the BSLZ Salzburg under the direction of Bulls chairman Alexander Stadler, Garry Balter delivered an almost flawless performance, dropping only a single frame – to clubmate Daniel Seyser, who finished third.
In the final, officiated by EBSA Class-3 referee Alexander Stadler, Balter faced Christian Hochmayer from FBC, currently his main rival in the Austrian Masters scene. Hochmayer, who had clinched the title of best player of the previous season in a dramatic final against Balter in autumn 2024, was unable to match Balter this time. The reigning streak winner dominated the match with four visits scoring over 20 points and a 41-point break, defeating Hochmayer 3-0.
Garry Balter; ©bulls/alexstadler
Balter also secured the tournament’s highest break, 54 points, in his semifinal match against Alexander Trinkl, officiated by Clausdieter Franschitz (SCAH). Trinkl later lost the third-place playoff 0-2 to Daniel Seyser in an all-15 Reds match refereed by Severin Grösslinger, finishing in fourth place.
In the Masters rankings of the 2025 Austrian Snooker League season, Garry Balter remains in the lead ahead of Christian Hochmayer. The new number three is Bernhard Wallner (15 Reds), who was a finalist in the third tournament but finished fifth this time. The Viennese player also benefited from the absence of reigning Austrian Masters Champion Hans Nirnberger from SCAH.
Title photograph: Daniel Seyser, Garry Balter, Christian Hochmayer; ©bulls/alexstadler