News Canadian Open

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — John Morris earned his first victory in the Grand Slam of Curling with his new Vernon, B.C., team defeating Rob Fowler of Brandon, Man., 7-4 Thursday at the Canadian Open.

The 10-time Grand Slam champion Morris, who throws third stones while calling the shots, joined Jim Cotter’s crew after parting ways with Edmonton skip Kevin Martin at the end of last season.

Team Morris, who secured a spot in the Canadian Olympic trials last weekend, only needed two ends to score all of their points picking up three in the second and four in the fifth.

After Cotter opened the scoring with an open draw for three, Fowler managed to tie it up taking two in the third and stealing one in the fourth when Cotter’s shot sailed clear through the house. The four-ender proved to be too much to overcome, however, as Fowler couldn’t mount another rally and was forced to just a single in the seventh.

Elsewhere, Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen scored a deuce in the final end to lift his team over Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher 6-5.  Bottcher scored a three-ender in the seventh to pull ahead, but McEwen held the hammer coming home and nailed a hit-and-stick for two.

Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., stole two in the sixth and one in the seventh to win 6-2 over Winnipeg’s William Lyburn in their first match of the tournament. Gushue, the 2006 Olympic gold medallist, lost to Brier champion Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., this past Sunday for the final spot in the Canadian Olympic trials.

Toronto’s Mark Kean improved to 2-0 at the tournament with a 7-4 win over reigning world champion Niklas Edin of Sweden. Kean defeated 2010 Olympic silver medallist Thomas Ulsrud in the opening draw.

Rob Rumfeldt of Guelph, Ont., stole points in three consecutive ends to defeat Oskar Eriksson of Sweden 7-1.

Eriksson (1-1) upset defending champion Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., with a 5-4 win in the opening draw Wednesday night but fell into trouble early. Rumfeldt (1-0) scored a deuce in the first and picked up steals of two in the fourth, one in the fifth and another in the sixth.