News Masters

TRURO, N.S. — Ottawa’s Rachel Homan earned a 7-2 victory over Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont., in their first game of the Masters during Draw 3 Wednesday afternoon at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre.

The two-time Masters champion Homan led 2-1 at the fourth-end break and pulled away with a three-ender in the fifth. Fleury was held to one in the sixth and Homan added a deuce in seven to pad her lead.

Homan finished runner-up at the season-opening Tour Challenge last month.

Elsewhere, Russia’s Anna Sidorova earned a 7-0 shutout over reigning world champion Alina Paetz of Switzerland. Sidorova stole singles in the first three ends, swiped three more in the fourth and took another point in five to bring out the handshakes. 

Meanwhile, Kevin Koe broke a five-all tie with a deuce in the seventh and stole three in eight during a 10-5 win over Pat Simmons in an all-Calgary team match. It was the second game for the reigning Brier champion Simmons, who is even at 1-1.

Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen took down Steve Laycock of Saskatoon with a 7-1 victory in six ends. McEwen opened the scoring with a deuce in the second, doubled his lead stealing a pair in three and swiped another point in four to make it 5-0. Laycock got on the board with a single in five and McEwen closed out the game early with another two points in six.

Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., scored four in the sixth during a 7-5 victory over Scotland’s David Murdoch. Howard led 2-0 through two but Murdoch came back with a deuce in three followed by single steals in four and five.

NOTES: The Masters is the second stop on the seven-event 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling schedule and runs through to Sunday at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre. … TV coverage of the Masters begins Thursday at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT on Sportsnet.