By Jonathan Brazeau
When Scottish skip Bruce Mouat won his first Grand Slam of Curling men's title at the National on Nov. 19, 2017, he had hoped it would be a sign of things to come for his new team. He never imagined it would turn out like this, though.
Eight years later and now with 12 Grand Slam titles to his name, Mouat's expectations were exceeded and then some, with half of his team's haul having come during a remarkable run over the past couple of years.
After claiming No. 12 earlier this month at the KIOTI GSOC Tahoe in Nevada, Mouat reflected on the eight years with third Grant Hardie, second Bobby Lammie and lead Hammy McMillan Jr.
"One was crazy at the time, so the run that we've been on over the last two years has been insane for us," Mouat said after defeating Matt Dunstone 7-6 in a shootout during the KIOTI GSOC Tahoe men's final. "We're absolutely buzzing to kind of be getting close to the great names that are on this trophy and the likes of the best players in our sport. We're insanely gracious and grateful to be able to come and play the Slams."
If that sounds modest, Hardie said it best after they won their ninth Grand Slam together last year in St. John's, N.L.
"Bruce is such a humble guy, he will not see himself in the same sentence as those guys, but when you put it on paper, he is one of the best skips to play the game now," Hardie said. "Lucky to be a part of it."
Mouat sits fourth on the all-time Grand Slam title wins list among men's skips, two back of Glenn Howard for third place, with only Brad Gushue (15) and Kevin Martin (18) ahead. But to steal explorer Francis Drake's motto — sic parvis magna — greatness from small beginnings.
Flashback to the summer of 2017, when Kyle Smith's squad was selected to represent Great Britain for the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The message was clear to all of the other top Scottish men's teams: rip it up and start over again.
That's when Mouat and Lammie, 2016 World Junior and 2017 Winter Universiade championship teammates, linked up with cousins Hardie and McMillan Jr. Hardie had skipped his own squad, while McMillan was playing lead for Tom Brewster.
Never mind Tier 1 or even Tier 2 of the Grand Slams, Mouat was in the non-existent Tier 3 division as his team was ranked No. 35 in the world.
It didn't take long at all for them to gel, though. The newly formed team found immediate success, winning back-to-back events out of the gate in Oakville, Ont., to soar into the top flight by the time of the National, the third Grand Slam of Curling event of the season.
"We put the team together that year, and we just wanted to kind of prove ourselves," Mouat said. "I think we were even like the fourth-ranked team in Scotland at that time. We started off the season hot, qualified for the Slam, and then made some special memories there."
Mouat played the role of the "giant killer" (before becoming a giant himself) at the National in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., ousting hometown hero and defending champion Brad Jacobs in a tiebreaker before eliminating Kevin Koe in the quarterfinals and Mike McEwen in the semis.
Coincidentally, Mouat defeated Chang-min Kim during both finals in Oakville, and they met once more — this time with a Grand Slam title on the line.
Trailing by two points, Mouat took control in the fourth end with a come-around tap to count three key points and a steal of one in the fifth when Kim came up light. After forcing Kim to a single in the sixth, Mouat just needed an open hit on his last in the seventh to score four and bring out the handshakes to win 9-4.
At age 23, Mouat became the youngest men's skip to win a title in the series.
"It’s so tough, it’s unbelievable really just the competition we’ve had," Mouat said after the title victory. "We’ve played so well and hopefully, it’s a sign of things to come.”
Was it ever, as Mouat and his crew have continued to write their names all over the Grand Slam record book.
Mouat kicked off last season winning the Tour Challenge, joining Gushue as the only men's skips to win every active title in the series. The team then bookended the 2024-25 campaign at the Players' Championship by becoming the first to win four Grand Slam titles in a single season.
While other skips with double-digit Grand Slam wins have won their titles with different lineups over the years, Mouat has earned all 12 of his with the same crew and is always quick to credit them, along with the family of supporters that you see (and hear) in the arena.
"I just have to thank them a lot that they stuck with me and really supported me," Mouat said after winning the Players' Championship in April. "We support each other. There’s a big family unit, and you see that when our supporting fans come out. We travel in a pack basically. We love everyone who comes with us and joins us, and we have to thank them for motivating us to do this."
Teamwork makes the dream work. That's reflected on the ice as seen when Mouat defeated Dunstone to win the CO-OP Tour Challenge men's title last month in Nisku, Alta. After opening with the hammer, Mouat set the tone with a shot to score two that was executed to perfection from Mouat's throw to Hardie's line call and Lammie and McMillan's sweeping.
"That's one of the best shots that we've made as a team in the last eight years, that we've been together," Mouat said after the 5-2 victory. "It's pretty incredible that we were able to see it, we were able to play it, able to line call it and able to sweep it perfectly. Really proud of us."
Following back-to-back Grand Slam title wins at the CO-OP Tour Challenge and KIOTI GSOC Tahoe, the journey continues with two more events on tap this season.
"I think any of us would be lying to you if we told you when we won that first one, we'd think we could get to 12," Hardie said. "Eight years later, it’s been so much fun to play these events. We treat every one so seriously because we know how much they mean to us, how much they mean to everyone that supports us.
"Two more to play this season, so hopefully we can get another one."
