McEwen, Carruthers qualify for Tour Challenge playoffs
PARADISE, N.L. — Break out the red playoff pants, Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen has qualified after edging American John Shuster 6-5 during Draw 6 action Thursday morning at the Tour Challenge.
McEwen (3-0) has come through in the clutch winning all three of his games with his last rock.
“It’s nice to be able to make in all three games, I had to throw my last rock to win, so it’s kind of nice being able to have that much focus and early ability to bear down and make those,” McEwen said. “The other teams have played well against us, it’s not like we’re playing bad or anything and it’s just nice to be able to come through early in the year and win three last-rock games.”
The teams alternated deuces to start and McEwen took two more points in three to lead 4-2. After trading singles in five and six, Shuster tied it up with a deuce in seven.
Elsewhere, Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers was channeling Toronto Blue Jays fever this week and is on a roll qualifying for the playoffs with a 7-2 victory in just four ends over reigning world champion Niklas Edin of Sweden. Carruthers (3-0) put up a huge five-ender in the second and a deuce in four while holding Edin to singles in the first and third ends. Edin dropped to 0-2.
Calgary’s Kevin Koe climbed to a 2-1 record after holding off Peter de Cruz of Switzerland for a 7-5 victory. De Cruz fell to 0-2.
In the women’s division, Calgary’s Chelsea Carey earned a 5-2 win over former teammate Kristy McDonald of Winnipeg. Carey and her new team are 2-0 while McDonald is 1-1.
The Tour Challenge continues live on Sportsnet with coverage starting at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT.
NOTES: The Tour Challenge is the first of two new tournaments on the expanded seven-event 2015-16 Pinty’s GSOC season and features 30 men’s and 30 women’s teams split into two tiers. … Winners of the Tier 1 divisions also receive berths to the second new Pinty’s GSOC event, the season-ending Champions Cup. … Tier 2 champions earn byes to the next Grand Slam, the Masters, running Oct. 27 to Nov. 1 in Truro, N.S.
