TORONTO – RBC Canadian Open tees at the St. George on Thursday morning. This is the first time the men’s national team golf the championship has been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are five things to know about the tournament:
READ MAP RED
Having 20 Canadians on the course, more than any other PGA Tour event, increases the chances of a Canadian winning the national championship for the first time since Pat Fletcher did in 1954. Canadian golf fans will wanted attention at 7:02 local time when a Canadian trio of Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, BC, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., tee off together.
SMALL PHOTOS
At 165 acres, the St. George at the west end of Toronto is one of the smallest pitches on the PGA Tour this season. Returning champion Rory McIlroy noted on Wednesday how tight the stands are for some fairways, meaning spectators will be right there in the action.
RUBBER SUBJECTS
The US Open is known for its long hard run and as the prelude to the third major tournament of the men’s golf season, the Canadian Open is doing exactly the same. Several players commented on the rough game at St. George’s on Wednesday, including McIlroy, who won the 2011 U.S. national championship.
BEST CANDIAN IN EUROPE
Aaron Cockerill was consistently the best Canadian on the Europe-based DP World Tour. Cockerill, from Stony Mountain, Man., is currently ranked 42nd on the circuit taking place in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Despite his international success, this will be the 30-year-old’s first appearance at the Canadian Open as a professional.
SUMMER OPEN
The Canadian Open is being positioned by the PGA Tour, Golf Canada, and their partners as the unofficial opening tournament of the summer. Part of it is to create a festive atmosphere. Concerts by rapper Flo Rida and pop group Maroon 5 will be held Friday and Saturday nights at the nearby Richview Collegiate Institute. The Rink Field, a signature hockey-themed hole, will return with a board that surrounds the tee box and a goalkeeper helmet that marks the teeing ground.
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