Japan's Yuta Matsumura, who surprised many at last year's world men's curling championship in Lethbridge with a fourth-place finish, started the 2019-20 season with a bang by beating Ontario's Scott McDonald, 7-2, in the championship game at the Hokkaido Bank Curling Classic in Sapporo, Japan this weekend. 

Team Matsumura posted a 5-1 record over the four day event in their home country and only needed six ends to take down the up-and-coming rink from Kingston.

McDonald and his foursome made headlines last season after going undefeated at the Ontario Tankard before going a solid 6-5 at their first Brier. The entire squad returned this season with the hope of getting back to the Canadian championship. 

Saskatoon's Team Kirk Muyres, who is also bringing his entire team back this season, finished third.

On the women's side of the draw, China's Team Yiluin Jang defeated Japan's 2018 Olympic representatives in Team Satsuki Fujisawa, 7-2, in the final

Tracy Fleury and her rink from East St. Paul finished in the fourth place.