The 1999 GMC World Curling Tour Players' Championship, the championship of the men's World Curling Tour (WCT) for the 1998-99 curling season was held March 17–21, 1999 at the Max Bell Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The total purse for the event was $150,000 with $20,000 going to the winning team, plus $1,000 per win and $250 per loss.
Ontario's Team Wayne Middaugh went undefeated en route to Middaugh's third tour championship title, and second as a skip. The team defeated the Russ Howard rink (also from Ontario, but with Howard living in New Brunswick) in the final, 9–5. The victory was helped by a three-ender in the third after Howard missed both of his draws, giving Middaugh an easy draw to take a 4–2 lead up to that point. In the fifth, Howard attempted to tie the game with a tap-back for two, but his rock hit a guard, resulting in a steal of one for Middaugh, who took a 5–2 lead. Middaugh did not look back from there. With the win, he took home $25,000 for the week, and Howard won $19,250.
The event was well attended, with over 18,000 spectators in total, a record for the WCT at that point. It was said more people were turned away from the sold-out final than had attended the entire event in 1997, which was held at Winnipeg's Granite Club.
Games were played in eight ends, instead of the usual ten so that all the games could fit into the schedule to accommodate the playoffs, which would be shown on television. This drew criticism from some of the teams, who preferred 10 ends. The semifinals were shown on CTV Sportsnet, and the final was shown on CTV. The semis and the final were played in 10 ends.
Teams The event included the top 20 teams in the world, plus three European teams. Sweden's Peja Lindholm rink was the sponsor's exemption, after Mike Harris turned it down. Another notable missing team was Ed Werenich.
The teams were as follows: SkipThirdSecondLeadLocaleKerry Burtnyk Jeff Ryan Rob Meakin Keith Fenton Winnipeg, Manitoba Dale Duguid Doran Johnson Shane Park Merv Bodnarchuk Vancouver, British Columbia Markus Eggler Andreas Schwaller Andreas Östreich Damian Grichting Biel, Switzerland David Nedohin Randy Ferbey (skip) Scott Pfeifer Carter Rycroft Edmonton, Alberta Doug Harcourt Kevin Kalthoff Greg Harcourt Brian Wempe Quill Lake, Saskatchewan Jeff Hartung Dean Klippenstine Marty Derbowka Bob Hartung Langenburg, SaskatchewanBrad Heidt Eugene Hritzuk Wes Cowlishaw Dale Hannon Kerrobert, Saskatchewan Guy Hemmings Pierre Charette Guy Thibaudeau Dale Ness Montreal, Quebec Russ Howard Glenn Howard Peter Corner Neil Harrison Midland, Ontario Bruce Korte Darrell McKee Roger Korte Rory Golanowski Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Peja Lindholm Tomas Nordin Magnus Swartling Peter Narup Östersund, Sweden Kevin Martin Don Walchuk Rudy Ramcharan Don Bartlett Edmonton, Alberta Greg McAulay Brent Pierce Bryan Miki Darin Fenton Vancouver, British Columbia Wayne Middaugh Graeme McCarrel Ian Tetley Scott Bailey Toronto, Ontario Rich Moffatt Howard Rajala Chris Fulton Paul Madden Ottawa, OntarioFrank Morissette Mickey Pendergast Kevin Pendergast Eugene Doherty Calgary, Alberta Mark Olson Neil Patterson Dave Leclair Paul Kelly Winnipeg, Manitoba Vic Peters Dave Smith Chris Neufeld Don Harvey Winnipeg, ManitobaPat Ryan Jay Peachey Jamie Smith Kevin MacKenzie Kelowna, British Columbia Brent Scales Ken Tresoor Doug Harrison Grant Spicer Swan River, Manitoba Gerald Shymko Gerry Adam Arnie Geisler Neil Cursons Yorkton, Saskatchewan Warwick Smith Hammy McMillan Ewan MacDonald Peter Loudon Inverness, Scotland Don Spriggs Dean Moxham Dale Michie Rick Blight Portage la Prairie, ManitobaJeff Stoughton Jon Mead Garry Vandenberghe Doug Armstrong Winnipeg, Manitoba
Round-robin standings The top two teams in each pool advanced to the playoffs.
Final round-robin standings KeyTeams to PlayoffsTeams to Tiebreakers M&M Meat Shops Division W L Russ Howard 4 1 Mark Olson 4 1 Bruce Korte 3 2 Gerald Shymko 2 3 Kevin Martin 2 3 Don Spriggs 0 5 Molson Division W L Wayne Middaugh 5 0 Rich Moffatt 3 2 Team Nedohin 3 2 Doug Harcourt 2 3 Markus Eggler 1 4 Jeff Hartung 1 4 Bell Express Vu Division W L Jeff Stoughton 4 1 Guy Hemmings 3 2 Team McMillan 3 2 Pat Ryan 3 2 Frank Morissette 1 4 Brent Scales 1 4 Canadian Airlines Division W L Kerry Burtnyk 4 1 Vic Peters 4 1 Dale Duguid 3 2 Brad Heidt 3 2 Peja Lindholm 1 4 Greg McAulay 0 5
Scores Scores were as follows:
Draw 1 Howard 6, Spriggs 3 Shymko 5, Martin 4 Olson 4, Korte 2 Moffatt 3, Hartung 2 Duguid 5, Peters 4
Draw 2 Hemmings 7, Scales 3 Eggler 5, Harcourt 4 Middaugh 5, Nedohin 4 Morissette 8, McMillan 5 Stoughton 6, Ryan 3
Draw 3 Burtnyk 5, Heidt 4 Lindholm 8, McAulay 7 Shymko 6, Spriggs 5 Martin 6, Korte 4 Howard 7, Olson 6
Draw 4 Stoughton 6, Morissette 4 Hemmings 5, Ryan 4 McMillan 4, Scales 1 Nedohin 6, Harcourt 4 Middaugh 7, Hartung 1
Draw 5 Moffatt 5, Eggler 4 Peters 6, Heidt 5 Burtnyk 6, Lindholm 3 Duguid 6, McAulay 5 Korte 6, Spriggs 2
Draw 6 Olson 6, Martin 4 Howard 4, Shymko 1 Hemmings 7, Morissette 5 Ryan 6, Scales 1 McMillan 6, Stoughton 2
Draw 7 Harcourt 5, Hartung 2 Middaugh 6, Moffatt 5 Nedohin 5, Eggler 3 Peters 6, Lindholm 4 Burtnyk 8, McAulay 4
Draw 8 Heidt 9, Duguid 4 Olson 8, Spriggs 5 Howard 6, Martin 4 Korte 9, Shymko 5 Scales 6, Morissette 4
Draw 9 Ryan 4, McMillan 3 Stoughton 6, Hemmings 3 Harcourt 5, Moffatt 4 Middaugh 8, Eggler 2 Nedohin 7, Hartung 2
Draw 10 Peters 6, McAulay 4 Burtnyk 5, Duguid 3 Heidt 8, Lindholm 3 Martin 8, Spriggs 3 Olson 5, Shymko 2
Draw 11 Moffatt 5, Nedohin 2 Hartung 7, Eggler 3 Ryan 7, Morissette 6 McMillan 6, Hemmings 1 Middaugh 6, Harcourt 2
Draw 12 Korte 6, Howard 5 Heidt 7, McAulay 5 Stoughton 7, Scales 1 Peters 6, Burtnyk 5 Duguid 7, Lindholm 5
Tiebreakers
Playoffs
Semifinals March 20
Final March 21
Notes
References