RBC Canadian Open
Oakdale Golf & County Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The golf world was stunned by the news that the PGA tour, the DP World Tour and LIV golf would be merging. The announcement came on Tuesday morning, after Viktor Hovland’s thrilling playoff victory at the Memorial Tournament. The merger ended the bitter rivalry between the leagues that had been going on for a year. Money was the deciding factor. PGA players who stayed loyal and rejected the huge bonuses offered by LIV last year are now left empty-handed. Golf twitter was outraged by how much money Rory and Tiger missed out on, but I don’t care about them. They have enough money for life. I feel sorry for guys like Hideki Matsuyama, who is the biggest golf star in Asia. He was spotted on a Spirit Airlines flight last week after finishing T16. He reportedly turned down a $300-400 million offer from LIV. Will Zalatoris is another big loser. He had a great season and was offered $200 million, but he declined and has been struggling with injuries ever since. As a golf fan, I’m waiting for more details before I form an opinion on the merger. I want to see how it plays out.
The golf action continues this week at the RBC Canadian Open, hosted by the Oakdale Golf & Country Club. Rory McIlroy is the two-time defending champion, having won in 2019 and 2022. The tournament was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. Rory has a chance to make history by winning the same tournament three times in a row, something that hasn’t been done since Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009 to 2011. The Canadians have not fared well at their national tournament, with the last homegrown winner being Pat Fletcher in 1954. Mike Weir came close in 2004, but lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh. This year, however, the Canadians on the PGA tour have been impressive, with three of the eight full-time players winning a tournament: Adam Svensson, Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes. We’ll see if one of them can end the drought and lift the trophy on home soil.
The Field:
The field this week is not very strong and it got weaker after the merger news caused some withdrawals. None of the FedEx top 10 golfers and only two of the OWGR top 10 golfers are playing this week. The field is heavily favoring Rory to win his third straight title. There are also 21 Canadians in the field who will try to win their national tournament. In addition, there are 30 golfers who will use this week as a tune-up for the U.S. Open next week. Joining the field this week will be Texas Tech’s Ludvig Adberg, the first recipient of the PGA’s college merit direct access to PGA card.
The Course:
Oakdale Golf & Country Club is a 27-hole golf course that will host the RBC Canadian Open this year and in 2026. It was designed by Stanley Thompson and opened in 1926. This is the first time the club has hosted the Canadian Open. The course is a par 72 and measures 7,246 yards. It is shorter than the previous courses, so expect low scores this week. There is a chance of rain throughout the weekend and the wind could vary from 5 to 20 mph. The wildfires might affect the visibility or air quality for the players.
TexHoss Top 5:
Adam Hadwin +4500
Matthew Fitzpatrick +1600
Justin Rose +2000
Tommy Fleetwood +2000
Taylor Pendrith +8000
Tournament Wagers:
Matchup: Sam Burns OVER Cam Young (-105)
Matchup: Sahith Theegala OVER Keith Mitchell (-120)
Top Canadian: Adam Svensson (+650)
Top Continental European: Ludvig Aberg (+350)
Top Scandinavian: Ludvig Aberg (+200)
Top 20: Matthew Fitzpatrick (-140)
Top 20: Sam Burns (-120)
Top 20: Tommy Fleetwood (+105)
Top 20 Ludvig Aberg (+230)
1st Round Wagers:
Matchup: Eric Cole OVER Aaron Rai (-115) [via BetOnline]
Matchup: Lee Hodges OVER Mark Hubbard (-115) [via BetOnline]
Matchup: Adrian Meronk OVER Alex Smalley (-120) [via BetOnline]
3 Ball: Shane Lowry OVER Cameron Young & Brandt Snedeker (+130) [via Draft Kings]
3 Ball: Aaron Wise OVER Lanto Griffin & Erik Van Rooyen (+130) [via Draft Kings]