Alberta skip Kevin Martin throws a rock against Nova Scotia during the ninth draw at the Brier curling championships in London, Ontario, March 8, 2011.MARK BLINCH
Edmonton's Kevin Martin beat Sweden's Niklas Edin 6-3 in seven ends to clinch the GP Car and Home Players' Championship.
Martin trailed 2-1 on Saturday but laid two rocks before Edin's final stone in the fourth end. Edin, the world bronze medalist, then missed a critical hit and roll and Martin drew for a three-count and a 4-2 lead.
He added singles in the fifth and sixth ends to end any hopes Edin had for a comeback.
The Swede scored one in the seventh before the rinks shook hands.
"They had a little misfortune today," Martin said of Edin, who had defeated him twice earlier this season.
"He had a couple of shots where he threw them well, and they didn't pan out. They would have panned out yesterday. I was watching their sheet yesterday, and they were making everything. So you just take the breaks when you get them."
Martin won his second straight Players' title and seventh of his long career, bringing his total number of Capital One Grand Slam championships to 18.
"We've had a great year," he said. "We didn't play that well early, but we didn't play a lot, either. But to finish like this, at the Players', is just amazing."
Martin, John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert earned $25,000 plus the $50,000 first-place prize for the Capital One Cup.
Martin's season winnings on the World Curling Tour climbed to $125,500 but quarter-finalist Mike McEwen of Winnipeg managed to hang on to the WCT Money List title, at $127,490.