Glenn Howard routs Kevin Martin to win 2008 Players’ Championship
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Glenn Howard earned his third career Players’ Championship title and first as a skip with a 7-1 rout over Kevin Martin in Sunday’s men’s final.
Howard, third Richard Hart, second Brent Laing and lead Craig Savill finished the season finale event with an unblemished 6-0 record to earn $25,000.
The win also qualified the 2007 world champions from Coldwater, Ont., for a spot in the 2009 Canadian Olympic curling trials.
Howard broke a 1-1 tie with a single steal in the fourth end and continued to roll out on the steal train swiping three points in the sixth end and two in the seventh.
The powerhouse teams split the four Grand Slam of Curling events this season. Team Martin took home the Canadian Open and National back-to-back in December, extending their Grand Slam streak to a record five titles dating back to last year, during a banner season that also saw them collect Brier and world championships. The Edmonton club’s bid to sweep the Grand Slam of Curling series came to halt in January with a loss to Howard in the quarterfinals of the Masters. Howard defeated Kevin Koe in the Masters final.
Earlier Sunday, Amber Holland of Kronau, Sask., earned her first career Grand Slam defeating Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay, Ont., 6-4 during the women’s final.
