Scotland are joint top of the table at the World Men’s Curling Championship as the round-robin stage draws to a close after a tense, last-stone 7-4 win over Switzerland in Utah.
Ross Whyte’s rink, who are looking to retain the title for Scotland after last year’s win by Bruce Mouat’s world number ones, are level with seven-time winner Niklas Edin’s Swedes with nine wins and two defeats each.
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With one match each to play, the pair are in pole position to clinch direct qualification to Friday’s semi-finals.
Whyte told World Curling: “It was really good to go the distance. The Swiss boys played really well out there and we knew it was going to be a grind because they have given everyone a really good game and won most of them this week.
“It feels great to win it and have momentum.”
The Scots, ranked fifth in the world, went into Thursday’s morning game level on eight wins each with fellow debutants Switzerland but having won eight games in a row following two opening defeats.
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Marco Hoesli’s rink, who are ranked 18th, took a single at the first end, but Whyte responded with two at the second.
When the Swiss took two at the sixth end to level at the sixth end, it set up a tense finale, with the next two ends being blanked before the Scots scored one at the ninth.
Hoesli had the hammer, but with the Scots lying two, he tried an ambitious double hit that missed the mark to hand victory to their opponents.
It now appears to be a three-way battle for the two initial semi-final places, with Matt Dunstone’s fourth-ranked Canadians one win behind the top two but having played one match less.
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With the Scots having lost their round-robin opener to Sweden, Edin’s side will finish above Whyte’s should they end level.
The Scots must beat Lukas Klima’s Czechs, who have lost seven out of 10 and earlier play Sweden, in the final session to have a chance of avoiding being one of four teams who have to enter the play-offs to decide the final two semi-final places.
The Canadians face Germany, who have lost seven of their 11, before finishing against a Norwegian rink who have lost all 10 of their games.
“We want a lie in tomorrow if we can, because it has been morning and night for the last three days,” Whyte added. “So, if we can lock down one of those semi-final places it would be really nice.”
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Hosts United States and Italy are the other rinks in the play-offs after the six qualifiers were decided before the final day.
Whyte – along with Robin Brydone, Euan Kyle and Craig Waddell – are representing Scotland after Mouat’s rink elected not to compete after their silver medal at the Olympics in Cortina.
Brad Jacobs’ Olympic champions from Canada, currently ranked two in the world, and Yannick Schwaller third-ranked Swiss are also missing this world championship.
Following the round-robin, Scotland’s final games at the World Men’s World Championship will be streamed live on the BBC Sport website and iPlayer.
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