Murdoch hits back to rejoin title challenge

DEFENDING champion David Murdoch bounced back from an afternoon loss to beat Murrayfield veteran Colin Hamilton by 9-2 in last night's play at the Bruadar Scottish Curling Championships in Perth.

Glen Muirhead and Warwick Smith both suffered defeats – Muirhead losing by 5-9 to Perth's Iain Watt while Smith lost by 4-5 to Peter Loudon. Stranraer's Hammy McMillan inflicted a third defeat on winless Lee McLeary from Kinross, by 6-1. Aberdeen's Tom Brewster also joins the party at the top of the pile, with a 6-3 win over Galleon's Alan Smith.

Stirling's Kelly Wood leads the women's rankings on eight wins after ten games, beating Galleon's Sarah Reid by 7-3. Perth's Eve Muirhead beat Murrayfield's Gillian Howard by 8-5 to stay second.