Laycock, Bottcher & Edin nab last Canadian Open playoff spots
YORKTON, Sask. — Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock is off to the playoffs in his home-province Meridian Canadian Open following a 7-3 victory over Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., during the men’s C event qualifiers Saturday morning.
The Yorkton-born Laycock opened with the hammer, scored a deuce in the first and stole one in the second for an early 3-0 lead. Laycock held Jacobs to a single in three and dropped a three-ender gem on them in four to pull away 6-1. Jacobs took two in the fifth, but the reigning Olympic champion shook hands after Laycock added another point in six.
Elsewhere, Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher fended off Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen 9-6. Bottcher led by one through five ends and scored three in the sixth end to make it 7-3. McEwen matched with a trey of his own in seven but Bottcher held on to get a deuce in eight coming home to stun McEwen, a winner of six Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles.
Niklas Edin of Sweden ousted Charlottetown’s Adam Casey 7-4. Edin gave up a steal of one in six that tied it four-all but the reigning world champion got back on track taking two in seven to regain the lead and stole one coming home to secure his spot in the playoffs.
Laycock will take on Toronto’s John Epping; Bottcher battles Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L.; Edin goes up against Calgary’s Kevin Koe; and Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers clashes with David Murdoch of Scotland in the men’s quarterfinals at 3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT on Sportsnet.
The women’s quarterfinals get underway at Noon ET / 11 a.m. CT on Sportsnet featuring Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones vs. Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont.; Edmonton’s Val Sweeting vs. defending champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland; Alina Paetz of Switzerland vs. Calgary’s Chelsea Carey; and Ottawa’s Rachel Homan vs. Anna Sidorova of Russia.
NOTES: The Meridian Canadian Open is the fourth stop — and third major — on the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs through to Sunday. … The event featured a triple knockout preliminary round where teams had to win three games before they lost three in order to qualify for the playoffs.
