Bruce Mouat beats GB Olympic skip Smith to seal Worlds trip to Las Vegas

Murrayfield curler Bruce Mouat will represent Scotland at the World Championships in Las Vegas at the end of this month after beating Olympic skip Kyle Smith on his home ice in the deciding match of their best-of-three play-off at Perth's Dewars Centre.

Bruce Mouat has been in great form

The Napier student now has the chance to add the men’s crown to his 2016 world junior gold after continuing a stellar season which has featured five tournament wins, including three in Canada and a first Scottish men’s title.

Mouat and his team-mates Hammy McMillan, Bobby Lammie and Grant Hardie trounced Smith 9-4 and looked set to wrap things up when they led 6-3 in game two but Smith kept his hopes alive by counting three stones at the ninth end and a single at the last to win 7-6.

In the decider, Mouat seized control with threes at the fifth and seventh ends before Smith shook hands soon after when trailing 9-3.

“I’m very happy, although I might have to drop out of Uni!” joked Mouat. “Going to our first World Championships means everything to us. We’re so excited to be able to represent our country over in Las Vegas.”

Hardie admitted: “Losing that second match really stung us, so we’re delighted to have come back from that to win.”

McMillan added: “Getting to the World Championships has been our major aim all season.”