Brendan Bottcher opens Canadian Open with a 7-4 win over Steve Laycock

Jan 3, 2017 | 9:30 PM

NORTH BATTLEFORD, Sask. — Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher beat Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock 7-4 on Tuesday in the first draw of the Grand Slam of Curling’s Canadian Open.

The event features a triple knockout preliminary round where teams must win three games before they lose three in order to qualify for the playoffs.

Bottcher’s rink stays in the A event of the triple knockout preliminary round while Laycock drops to B.

Greg Balsdon of Kingston, Ont., and his rink topped Toronto’s John Epping, last year’s champion, 7-4.