Jones tops Rocque to kick off Players’ Championship
TORONTO — Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones showed no signs of jet lag during her opening match of the Players’ Championship.
It was just two days ago Jones was in Switzerland cheering on her husband Brent Laing, who plays second for Kevin Koe’s team and helped Canada capture the gold medal at the world men’s curling championship.
The five-time Players’ Championship winner Jones wasn’t fazed Tuesday night earning a 5-3 victory over Edmonton’s Kelsey Rocque to kick off the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling major tournament.
“Obviously it was an amazing week,” she said. “The guys played so well and represented Canada so well. It was incredible to be there and I was so happy that was able to happen. But I feel good. I feel like I’ve been in Canada the whole time.”
Jones broke a 2-2 tie with a three-ender in the sixth, held Rocque to a single in seven and ran the two-time world junior champion out of rocks in eight.
“It’s always nice to start on a win,” Jones said. “It’s a big event for us and we’re playing such great teams that have had great years. I thought we played well today and really got comfortable with the ice.”
Winnipeg’s Kerri Einarson also scored a W during Draw 1 earning deuces in the fourth and seventh ends during a 5-2 win over reigning Canadian champion Chelsea Carey of Calgary.
In men’s division action, Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L. – who captured the Elite 10 title last month — picked up where he left off in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling defeating American John Shuster 5-3 and Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock defeated Toronto’s own John Epping 6-3.
Shuster, who recently earned bronze at the world championship, has two-time Brier winner Pat Simmons filling in for John Landsteiner during the event throwing second stones.
NOTES: The Players’ Championship is the fourth major and sixth event of the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs through to Sunday at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre. … Television coverage begins Thursday on Sportsnet. … Winners of the Players’ Championship earn berths to the season-ending Humpty’s Champions Cup running April 26 to May 1 in Sherwood Park, Alta.
