News Players' Championship

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Calgary’s John Morris wasn’t going to settle for second place another year in a row at the Players’ Championship even if he needed an extra end to edge Edmonton’s Kevin Martin.

Morris faced two counters and needed to draw fully into the eight-foot circle to win 7-6 over Martin during Sunday’s final at Mile One Centre.

The 25-year-old Morris became the youngest skip to capture a Grand Slam of Curling title. Morris finished runner-up to Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton in the prestigious tour event last year with his former Ontario-based squad before moving west this season. The foursome of Morris, third Kevin Koe, second Marc Kennedy and lead Paul Moffatt collected $40,000 from the $150,000 purse and finished this season third on the World Curling Tour money list with a total of $87,180.

The team of Martin, third Don Walchuk, second Carter Rycroft and lead Don Bartlett earned $20,000 and finished fifth in the money standings with $68,500.

Martin posted a 4-1 record through pool play, defeated Quebec’s Guy Hemmings 5-2 in the quarterfinals and pulled off a sensational double takeout to score four points in the 10th end to beat Brad Heidt of Kerrobert, Sask., 10-7 in the semifinal. Morris went 3-2 through his group, topped Pat Simmons of Moose Jaw, Sask., 8-5 in the quarterfinals and avenged last year’s defeat to Stoughton in the semifinals with a 7-5 decision.

After a blank to start, Martin was aiming to make a double takeout for two points in the second and connected, however, his shooter spun up too far to count and the 2002 Olympic silver medallist had to settle for a single.

Morris was forced to draw for a single in the third end against three counters and bit the top of the button to tie it.

Scoring a deuce continued to elude Martin as he looked to draw for two in the fourth but bumped into Morris’s rock and was limited to one point again. Instead, it was Morris who got the game’s first multiple score in the sixth end. Martin jammed a double attempt allowing Morris to draw to the side of the button for a deuce and a 3-2 lead.

Martin got his deuce in seven by hitting and rolling to retake the lead 4-3. The advantage was short-lived thanks to Koe, who fired a double takeout followed by a hit and roll to lie buried that Team Morris sitting three in the eighth. Martin was only able to tick one out on his last and Morris just had to draw anywhere into the paint to score his trey and jump back ahead 6-4.

That’s when Martin showed why he’s a three-time winner of the Players’ Championship and looking to tie Wayne Middaugh for the all-time lead. Martin went off into the wings for an out-turn, come-around draw to lie partially hidden on his first skip stone in the 10th but Morris didn’t take the bait and opted to instead tap one of his own stones for shot rock. It didn’t work out as planned for Morris as it set up a triple takeout for Martin and he pulled it off to score the skip’s deuce and force an extra end.

It was Koe again who saved the end for Morris as he made a runback double takeout that opened up the centre lanes and set the table for the winning draw.

Meanwhile, Stoughton beat Heidt 6-4 in the third-place game that was played under a unique rule. Both teams agreed only skips would be allowed to hit rocks out of the rings. Stoughton added $15,000 to his total and finished first on the money list at $111,375. Team Stoughton also captured the Founders’ Trophy for the second consecutive season finishing first overall on the Grand Slam of Curling circuit with $62,000. Heidt picked up $10,000 for his fourth place result.

NOTES: It was only the second time the Players’ Championship final required an extra end. The first came in 1995 when Murray McEachern clipped Heidt for the title. … The 18-team field featured the top 12 teams on the money list, two European invites, two sponsor’s exemptions, one U.S. invite and one fan ballot. Brier silver medallist Randy Ferbey declined his invitation due to a conflict. … Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Bob Cole, who skipped Newfoundland in two Brier tournaments, was the honourary chair of the event.