News Canadian Open

YORKTON, Sask. — Fan favourite Steve Laycock of Saskatoon kicked off the Canadian Open with an 8-5 win over Sweden’s Niklas Edin during the opening draw Tuesday night.

The Canadian Open is the third Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tournament of the season and features a triple knockout format where teams must win three games before they lose three in order to qualify for the playoffs. It’s also the first time in the event’s history to include the addition of a women’s division.

Laycock, who was born in Yorkton, looks to win his first career Grand Slam title on home ice and said it was fantastic to have the crowd on his side during the game.

“To see so many familiar faces up there in the crowd makes it more rewarding to get a win but also there’s that extra pressure,” Laycock said. “To get that win early in the event is obviously nice.”

Laycock rolled out to an early 6-2 lead scoring three points in the first end and again in the third. The recent European Championships winner Edin scored deuces in the second and fourth to keep it close, but Laycock added to his total with a single in the fifth followed by a steal of one in the sixth. Edin was held to a point in the seventh and shook hands.

“The first game in front of the home crowd there’s some heart-racing a couple times early on so to get that three-ender in the first was really nice to calm us down,” Laycock said. “From there you know with the five-rock rule they’re going to have some chance to come back so we just made sure it wasn’t more than two and they made good shots to get their two points but we kept on answering back to get some scores.”

Elsewhere, Toronto’s John Epping scored three points in the second end stole two in the seventh during an 8-4 win over David Murdoch of Scotland.

In the women’s division, Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland scored three in the sixth and stole one in the seventh to beat Edmonton’s Chelsea Carey 8-4.

Scotland’s Eve Muirhead stole two in the opening end and closed the game with a steal of three in the eighth during a 7-2 victory over Regina’s Chantelle Eberle.

Winnipeg’s Kristy McDonald edged reigning world champion Binia Feltscher from Switzerland 6-5 in an extra end.

The Canadian Open continues Wednesday morning with Draw 2 action starting at 9:30 a.m. CT.