(by Jonathan Brazeau)
TORONTO — Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., has claimed the 2015-16 Rogers Grand Slam Cup.
Gushue defeated Niklas Edin of Sweden 7-3 during Saturday afternoon’s quarterfinal draw at the Players’ Championship to clinch the season title in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling series and earn a $75,000 bonus.
Brad Gushue at the Players’ Championship in Toronto. (Photo: Anil Mungal)
Team Gushue have already captured two Pinty’s GSOC titles this season taking the National and the Elite 10 as the rink now looks to complete a career Grand Slam — winning all four majors — heading into the semifinals at the Players’.
Gushue settled for one in the first and stole a pair in the third to grab a 3-0 lead. Edin, a two-time world champion, took two in the fourth end to close the gap to one but Gushue replied with a three-ender in five to make it 6-2.
Edin avoided disaster in the sixth making an unbelievable angle raise quad for a single.
Gushue added another point in seven to extend their series winning streak to 12 games after they ran the table to win the Elite 10 last month and finished the Players’ Championship round-robin play with a 5-0 record.
Gushue now meets Scotland’s David Murdoch, who advanced to the semifinals of a Pinty’s GSOC event for the first time in his career with a convincing 8-2 victory over Glenn Howard, of Penetanguishene, Ont.
“The quarters have always been the stumbling block at the Slams,” Murdoch said. “It’s been a goal for us to make the semifinals. We’ve had plenty of opportunities in the quarterfinals this year and never quite took them. Today we brought a good game out there. Just pleased. You know you’re doing something right if you’re making semis at the Players’ Championship.”
Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen took down recently crowned world champ Kevin Koe of Calgary 8-5.
The six-time Pinty’s GSOC event winner McEwen will meet defending champ Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., who was perfect curling 100 percent in a 6-2 win over Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock 6-2.
Jacobs edged McEwen in last year’s Players’ Championship final to earn his first career Pinty’s GSOC title and the Rogers Grand Slam Cup.
The men’s and women’s semifinals are Sunday at 11 a.m. AT (watch on Sportsnet ONE).