Masters Monday: Homan wins third title in four years
It’s just another Masters Monday rewind and this week we’re flipping the calendar all the way back to … last year and the women’s final between Team Homan and Team Sweeting.
Only two skips have their names on the Masters trophy since the women’s division was added in 2012: Rachel Homan and Val Sweeting. Homan won the first two Masters titles back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 with Sweeting capturing her first-ever Grand Slam title at the 2014 event.
It shouldn’t be a total surprise then the two faced off for the championship in the 2015 final.
Team Homan already claimed three titles through four tour events on the season ahead of the 2015 Masters in Truro, N.S., however, it was their loss in the Tour Challenge final to Team Tirinzoni they were still looking to avenge.
Homan topped Tirinzoni during round-robin play en route to posting a 6-0 record entering the final and looked to keep rolling through to finish the week. Meanwhile, Sweeting was 5-1 ahead of the championship game.
Homan opened with the hammer, blanked the first end and took two in the second for an early 2-0 lead. The teams alternated singles in three and four and Sweeting was held to another lone point in the fifth as Homan led 3-2.
From there it was all Team Homan as they scored a deuce in the sixth and stole one in the seventh. Sweeting trailed 6-2 with the hammer coming home and was unable to fully erase the deficit as Homan completed the undefeated run through the Masters.
While it was the third time in four years Homan, third Emma Miskew and lead Lisa Weagle won the Masters, it was the first Grand Slam championship ever for second Joanne Courtney, who coincidentally left Team Sweeting to join Team Homan in 2014.
“It feels amazing,” a practically speechless Courtney said after the match. “I don’t really know what to say right now because I’m really, really excited. We had a great week and felt really good out there and I’m proud with how we played in the final.”
The Masters turned out to be the first of a record three consecutive Grand Slam championships for Homan, who also captured the National two weeks later and the Canadian Open the following month.
The 2016 WFG Masters starts next Tuesday at Pason Centennial Arena in Okotoks, Alta. Tickets are still available, visit thegrandslamofcurling.com/tickets for more details.
Can’t make it to Okotoks? Visit thegrandslamofcurling.com/tv-schedule for our complete TV schedule.
