Kevin Martin wins Players’ Championship for 3rd straight Grand Slam
CALGARY — Kevin Martin finished the season winning his third consecutive Grand Slam of Curling title.
Martin used a huge four-score in the second end to power past Kevin Koe’s team 6-4 in Sunday’s all-Edmonton final of the Players’ Championship.
The team of Martin, third John Morris, second Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert collected $26,000 to cap a sensational first year together on tour.
Only the Masters title eluded them from sweeping the Grand Slams this season. Martin reached the semifinals at the season-opening Grand Slam event falling to Edmonton rival Randy Ferbey 8-5.
Former Team Martin third Kevin Park filled in at the Players’ Championship for Koe, whose wife had a baby.
Notes: Team Koe, with Koe actually in the lineup, also lost to Martin in the National final earlier this season. … Reigning Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., had Andrew Gibson subbing at lead after dropping Jamie Korab. Gushue lost to world champion Glenn Howard in the C Event finals of the triple knockout stage. … Howard, in turn, was eliminated by Martin in the quarterfinals.
