WINNIPEG — Glenn Howard continues to turn back the clock at the Princess Auto Elite 10.
The 55-year-old from Tiny, Ont., shot an outstanding 97 percent in a 2 & 1 victory (3-1) over Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., during the quarterfinals to advance to the next round.
Howard, who has won 14 Grand Slam titles as a skip, will meet Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen in the semis with another championship opportunity on the line.
Match play rules are in effect at the Princess Auto Elite 10 where teams compete to win the most ends per game by either counting two or more rocks (with the hammer) or stealing at least one (without the hammer). If the score is tied after eight ends, a draw-to-the-button shootout will determine the winner.
Jacobs opened with the hammer and blasted a double takeout to score in the first end. The 2014 Olympic gold medallist misfired his last in the second and was unable to get to Howard’s pair at the back to make things all square.
Team Howard third Adam Spencer cleared the deck in three to set up a Jacobs draw for a single and a push. Howard took a 1-up lead in the fourth without having to throw his last as Jacobs was heavy on a freeze attempt.
After pushes in five and six, Jacobs was unlucky again in seven as his raise attempt failed and gave up a steal as his run at the tournament came to an end.
Spencer, who curled 100 percent, is filling in this weekend for Richard Hart.
[relatedlinks]
Elsewhere, back-to-back Brier champion Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., scored a 2 & 1 victory (4-2) to punt Toronto’s John Epping and move on to face Calgary’s Kevin Koe in the semifinals.
The semifinal draw takes place at 4 p.m. CT at St. James Civic Centre with television coverage on Sportsnet ONE and online streaming at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) and Yare TV (international).
The final is scheduled for Sunday at 9:30 a.m. CT on Sportsnet.
NOTES: The Princess Auto Elite 10 is the fifth tournament of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season. … The winning team earns an invitation to the season-ending Humpty’s Champions Cup taking place April 24-29 at Calgary’s WinSport Arena.