Curling

Glenn Howard won the Cactus Pheasant Classic on Sunday for the second straight year when he beat fellow Canadian Kevin Martin in the final, 5-3 in Brooks, Alta.

Howard's Coldwater, Ont. team of Richard Hart, Brent Laing and Craig Savill, got two in the second end, two in the fourth and one in the seventh, while keeping Martin's Edmonton team relatively under wraps.

Howard's rink, top-ranked in the world, was undefeated in the tournament, as was Martin, the No. 2 team in the world. Along the way, Howard also beat Scott Egger of Brooks, Alta., Pat Simmons of Davidson, Sask., Jason Gunnlaugson of Beausejour, Man., Edmonton's Ted Appelman, and Mike McEwen of Winnipeg, Man.

It was Howard's his second straight victory on the World Curling Tour, following a win at the Grey Power World Cup last week in Mississauga, Ont.