(by Jonathan Brazeau) SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Olympic gold medallist Brad Jacobs has a chance to win a Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title in his hometown after winning 8-2 in six ends over Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher during the National semifinals Saturday.
Bottcher, the 2012 world junior champion, held the hammer in the first and drew his final stone into the four-foot circle to score one but that was his only lead of the game.
After a close measurement in the second, Jacobs scored a deuce to jump ahead. Jacobs pulled away with a steal of one in the third and two in the fourth and iced the game with a triple in the sixth.
It was Bottcher’s first time reaching a Grand Slam semifinal.
Watch the National final Sunday on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific at 4:30 p.m. AT.
Pinty’s GSOC National: Latest scores & stats
Jacobs will face Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen, who earned a 5-2 victory over Heath McCormick, from Blaine, Minn., in the other semifinal match.
McEwen led 4-0 after stealing singles in the second and third ends and two in the fifth. McCormick blanked the first and fourth ends. He settled for one in the sixth and stole a point in seven. McCormick had three stones in the house in the final end but McEwen nailed the hit and stick to count one.
[PEI’s Adam Casey rink finished play with a 2-3 win-loss record, and beat Jacobs in their round robin encounter.]