Live Tracker: 2026 Crown Royal Players' Championship
The playoff picture is finally set for the Crown Royal Players' Championship, and it's a thrilling one! Team John Shuster of the United States shocked the world by defeating the top-ranked Scotland's Team Bruce Mouat 8-6 in a nail-biting men's tiebreaker on Saturday morning.
On the women's side, Sweden's Team Isabella Wranå dominated Japan's Team Satsuki Fujisawa with a 9-1 victory, securing the No. 6 spot.
Fans can watch the action live on watch.rockchannel.com and catch the broadcast in Canada on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament unfolds!
Tiebreakers: A Wild Ride
The men's tiebreaker between Shuster and Mouat was an intense back-and-forth battle. Shuster, the hammer holder, started strong but had to settle for a single in the first end. In the second, he showcased his skills with a brilliant tap to sit shot rock, forcing Mouat to pick it out for one point. Mouat then attempted a double, but it resulted in an elimination, leaving the second rock in the 12-foot circle. This opened up an opportunity for Shuster to draw for three.
Mouat, a 12-time Grand Slam champion, responded with a powerful hit in the fourth, scoring four to regain the lead. Shuster fought back in the fifth, taking two and forcing Mouat to hit for a single in the sixth, tying the game. Despite Shuster's deuce in the seventh, Mouat secured the hammer for the final ends. Mouat's deep skip stone left Shuster without a chance to tie, and they shook hands as Mouat missed the playoffs for the first time since December 2023.
Playoffs Unfold
Men's Division:
- Quarterfinals: Shuster will face Team Ross Whyte, while China's Team Xu Xiaoming and Italy's Team Joël Retornaz await their opponents.
- Semifinals: Scotland's Team Kyle Waddell and Switzerland's Team Yannick Schwaller are the top-seeded teams.
Women's Division:
- Quarterfinals: Wranå will battle Canada's Team Kerri Einarson, with South Korea's Team Eun-ji Gim and Team Tabitha Peterson of the United States on the other side of the bracket.
- Semifinals: Switzerland's Team Silvana Tirinzoni and Canada's Team Rachel Homan are the favorites.
Saturday's Schedule
- Tiebreakers: 11:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. CT
- Wranå vs. Fujisawa
- Shuster vs. Mouat
- Quarterfinals: 3:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. CT
- Einarson vs. Wranå
- Gim vs. Peterson
- Whyte vs. Shuster
- Xu vs. Retornaz
- Semifinals: 7:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. CT
- Tirinzoni vs. TBD
- Homan vs. TBD
- Waddell vs. TBD
- Y. Schwaller vs. TBD
