Scotland's Ross Whyte scored four points in the ninth end to defeat the United States and claim bronze at the 2026 World Men's Curling Championship. The victory came on April 4 at the Weber County Ice Sheet in Ogden, Utah. American skip John Shuster praised his team's fightback despite the loss.
Scottish skip Ross Whyte capped his debut world championship with a decisive shot in the ninth end, removing a U.S. stone to score four points and secure the bronze medal. After losing the semifinal 9-7 to Canada the previous day, Whyte's team reset and dominated the bronze-medal match against the United States. 'We have to win a medal. We’ve played way too well this week to not win a medal here,' Whyte said of their mindset entering the game. He noted the result would strengthen their case with Scottish Curling selectors, who often favor the top-ranked team of Bruce Mouat. Scotland opened with three points in the first end and traded scores through the fourth before the U.S. stole one in the fifth to tie at 5-5. The Scots regained the lead with two in the seventh and sealed the win in the ninth, prompting U.S. concession. Shuster highlighted his team's resilience after giving up three early. 'I’m super proud that we battled back and got the thing tied,' he said. The U.S. had advanced by beating Switzerland 9-8 in extra time but fell 8-6 to Sweden in the semifinal. The match marked the final world appearance for U.S. vice skip Christopher Plys and second Colin Hufman, both retiring from elite competition. Plys expressed no regrets, saying it was good to 'leave the game knowing that you still have it.' Hufman felt he accomplished all his sweeping goals. Shuster has not decided on his future but enjoys playing and may continue if the right opportunity arises.
