Jacobs, McEwen and Koe make it through to Players’ Championship playoffs
TORONTO — The playoff picture is set for the Princess Auto Players’ Championship with Team Brad Jacobs, Team Mike McEwen and Team Kevin Koe clinching the final men’s spots.
Team Jacobs, from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., topped Scotland’s Team Ross Whyte in a 6-3 set during the C-qualifiers Saturday morning at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
After a 0-2 start, the seven-time Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling men’s champion Jacobs won three consecutive matches with elimination on the line through the C Event of the triple knockout preliminary stage to advance.
Team McEwen, from Winnipeg, defeated Team Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., 6-2. With Glenn Howard out of the lineup due to a knee injury, his son Scott Howard moved up to skip this week with Wayne Middaugh subbing at third.
Team Koe scored two points in the eighth end to edge Regina’s Team Matt Dunstone 7-5.
The men’s quarterfinals are Scotland’s Team Bruce Mouat (3-0) vs. Team McEwen, Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin (3-0) vs. Team Jacobs, Team Brad Gushue (3-1) from St. John’s, N.L., vs. Team Koe, and Edmonton’s Team Brendan Bottcher (3-1) vs. Winnipeg’s Team Jason Gunnlaugson (3-1). Watch starting at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT on Sportsnet 360 with online streaming available at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and Yare (international).
UP NEXT
The Princess Auto Players’ Championship playoffs begin with the women’s quarterfinals at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT on Sportsnet East, Ontario, Pacific and Sportsnet ONE with online streaming available at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and Yare (international).
Team Tracy Fleury (3-0) from East St. Paul, Man., plays Sweden’s Team Isabella Wrana (3-2), Switzerland’s Team Silvana Tirinzoni (3-0) faces Ottawa’s Team Rachel Homan (3-2), Scotland’s Team Eve Muirhead (3-1) meets Sweden’s Team Anna Hasselborg (3-2), and Team Kerri Einarson (3-1) from Gimli, Man., goes up against Japan’s Team Satsuki Fujisawa (3-1).
Tickets are available at the box office and online at thegrandslamofcurling.com/tickets.
NOTES
The Princess Auto Players’ Championship is the third event of the 2021-22 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season featuring 16 of the top men’s teams and 16 of the top women’s teams from around the world with a combined $350,000 prize purse. Winning teams earn $35,000. … The Pinty’s Cup will also be awarded to the season champions following the conclusion of the Princess Auto Players’ Championship. Winners of the Pinty’s Cup receive $50,000 bonuses. …The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday evening with both finals set for Sunday.
