REGINA — Brendan Bottcher capped an undefeated week at the season-ending KIOTI Tractor Champions Cup with a 5-3 victory over Brad Gushue in Sunday’s all-Canadian men’s final.
It’s the fifth career Grand Slam title for Bottcher and his second in three events with third Marc Kennedy, second Brett Gallant and lead Ben Hebert. The first-year Calgary-based club cashed in $25,000 from the $210,000 combined prize purse.
Bottcher (7-0) opened with the hammer but was forced to settle for a single off the bat as he stuffed his hit-and-roll blank attempt.
With Bottcher up 2-1 at the halftime break, Gushue (6-2) drew for a deuce in the fifth to take his first lead of the game.
Gushue’s lead didn’t last long, however, as Bottcher responded taking two right back in the sixth by splitting the rings and having an open hit to count his couple of points.
After Gushue blanked the seventh to retain the hammer coming home, the 14-time Grand Slam champion was looking to either make a nose hit to tie it — and then have to steal the title in an extra end — or attempt to go around the horn on the other side and potentially win the game outright.
Gushue weighed the odds and opted for the latter but couldn’t pull off the circus shot for either the win or even the tie to force OT as Bottcher was left with shot rock when the dust settled.
The St. John’s, N.L., crew of Gushue, third Mark Nichols, second E.J. Harnden and lead Geoff Walker earned $17,000 as runners-up.
UP NEXT
Kerri Einarson and Rachel Homan face off in the all-Canadian women’s final at 3 p.m. local time (5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT) on Sportsnet 360 and SN NOW.
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