Rory McIlroy has had a busy week and the two-time defending champion hasn’t hit a ball that counts yet.
RBC Canadian Open
Oakdale Golf & CC
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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NOW PLAYING:
Canada’s national open is the third-oldest on TOUR.
For the third consecutive event, over four years, a different course will be in play. Oakdale Golf and Country Club is only the seventh course to host the RBC CO since 1977.
The track is a composite course. Holes from the three nines will be used this week and in 2026 when the event returns for the 100th anniversary.
The front nine will play almost 3,800 yards and contain the four biggest Par-4 holes. The smaller green complexes will also be in play on the opening nine. The back side will not have any Par-4 holes over 432 yards and will have bigger targets on the greens. The main defense is the five inches of rough awaiting loose tee balls and approach shots.
| Host Course | Oakdale Golf & CC. |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,426. |
| Par: | 72 (36-36). |
| Greens: | Bentgrass/Poa annua; 6,000 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 12 feet max. |
| Rough: | Kentucky Bluegrass at four inches and up. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 59/4/7. |
| Architect(s): | Stanley Thompson (1926); Ian Andrew (2018). |
| Purse: | $9 million; $1.6 million winner plus 500 FedExCup points. |
| Defending Champion (event): | Rory McIlroy. |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Rory McIlroy (2022, 2019). |
| Course Record (last): | First time hosting. |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record: | First time hosting. |
| Oldest Winner (event): | 45; Mark Calcavecchia, 2005. |
| Youngest Winner (event): | 22; Jerry Pate, 1976 (modern era). |
| Fact of the Week: | Composite course made up of three nine-hole tracks on property. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Par 72 has 3, Par-5 holes and 3, Par-3 holes. |
| Fact of the Week III: | Pat Fletcher, 1954, is the last Canadian winner. |
Notes:
- Field of 156 players.
- Top 65 and ties will play the final 36 holes.
- First time at Oakdale G&CC.
Season Winners
2022-2023 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| Fortinet Championship | Max Homa |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Mackenzie Holmes |
| Shriners Children’s Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Keegan Bradley |
| CJ CUP at CONGAREE | Rory McIlroy |
| Butterfield Bermuda Championship | Seamus Power |
| Mayakoba Championship | Russell Henley |
| Cadence Bank Houston Open | Tony Finau |
| The RSM Classic | Adam Svensson (first TOUR win) |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | Jon Rahm |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Si Woo Kim |
| The AMERICAN EXPRESS | Jon Rahm (2) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Max Homa (2) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Justin Rose |
| WM Phoenix Open | Scottie Scheffler |
| The Genesis Invitational | Jon Rahm (3) |
| The Honda Classic | Chris Kirk |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Kurt Kitayama (first TOUR win) |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
| Valspar Championship | Taylor Moore (first TOUR win) |
| Corales Puntacana | Matt Wallace (first TOUR win) |
| WGC – Dell Technologies MP | Sam Burns |
| Valero Texas Open | Corey Conners |
| Masters | Jon Rahm (4) |
| RBC Heritage | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | Davis Riley & Nick Hardy (first TOUR win for each) |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Tony Finau (2) |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Wyndham Clark (first TOUR win) |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | Jason Day |
| PGA Championship | Brooks Koepka |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Emiliano Grillo |
| Memorial | Viktor Hovland |
Recent Winners – RBC CO
Italics – not entered this week
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2022 | Rory McIlroy (-19) | Closed 65-62 at St George’s to win by 2 and defend his title. |
| 2021 | No event | |
| 2020 | No event | |
| 2019 | Rory McIlroy (-21) | Closed with 64-61 to win by six at Hamilton on his debut. |
| 2018 | Dustin Johnson (-23) | Won by three at Glen Abbey. |
| 2017 | Jhonattan Vegas (-21) | Won a playoff at Glen Abbey. |
| 2016 | Jhonattan Vegas (-12) | Defeated Jon Rahm in a playoff at Glen Abbey. |
This Week – RBC Canadian Open
Chalk (via BetMGM)
Rory McIlroy (+450): Glad I don’t write this until Wednesday. At this number, I wasn’t encouraged regardless, but after the events of this week, there’s no chance. Completely bummed out for our friends in Canada that their parade and national open has been shit upon again.
Tyrrell Hatton (+1100): Number has dropped all week as his game continues to trend. Not much to nitpick in his bag and the results back that up.
Matt Fitzpatrick (+1400): Wasn’t at his best last week but still found T9 at Memorial. I’d expect him to crank it up a gear this week before he defends his US Open title next week.
Sam Burns (+1400): T4 on debut last year and returns this season in solid form. Colonial isn’t an easy test. He was T6 in defense. Super putter.
Cameron Young (+1500): Remember, if you’re on him every week, you will be right at some point. Not a ton of room to swing it this week and that’s usually where he makes his hay. Five inches of rough won’t help if he’s not on it. Pass.
Corey Conners (+1600): Hard to believe last year was his only top 10 in seven tries in his national open. Blows wonderfully hot and cold but there has been more heat than cool. Deserves a punt.
Justin Rose (+1600): Took last week off and should be ready to go. Veteran knows how to handle his business and has already won this season. Short track, like Colonial, has my attention.
Shane Lowry (+1800): Old school greens and average green speeds should help regain some confidence with the flat stick. Playing out the fairway is his strength.
Tommy Fleetwood (+2000): He’s never won on TOUR. Or in the States. Not playing in the States this week. So there’s that.
Top 10/Top 20/Top 40
Adam Hadwin (+5000): Last top 10 was in Scottsdale in February but has three top 10s in this event career. Rises to the moment.
Adam Svensson (+5500): Odd that he’s better value than Hadwin as he’s won this season and has produced better results in 2013.
David Lipsky (+8000): I know a heater when I see it! T12 last week after T16 at Colonial is absolutely solid golf.
Harry Hall (+8000): Big taste at Colonial. Top 40 should be on the cards this week.
Lee Hodges (+8000): Trending over his last three on three difficult courses.
Longer Shots
Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +10000 or worse and are for a reason or two!
Carson Young (+12500): All you can get.
Chez Reavie (+15000): Won this event in 2008 and is steady tee to green.
Grayson Murray (+20000): Winner on KFT recently in Knoxville.
Austin Smotherman (+22500): T21 at Colonial plus T5 in Mexico bookends a couple of MC.
Myles Creighton (+50000): Winner on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica. Make the cut, baby!
Last Week – Charles Schwab Challenge
Chalk (via BetMGM)
Scottie Scheffler (+600): Running out of adjectives and superlatives for the machine from Dallas. The only disappointing thing is his win rate. Saw a great stat this week. Something about if you played him to hit the top 10 each week and rolled it all back in you would be up 20k if you started with $100. Consistently consistent. Solo third. Posted the best round on Sunday to pick up his 15th straight top 12. Ridiculous.
Jon Rahm (+750): Wasn’t thrilled with his performance at Oak Hill so I’d expect a major reaction this week. Torn this place to bits in 2021 before THE TEST results forced his WD. He’s probably not disappointed they’ve made it even longer for this edition. T16 deserves further inspection. He closed 74-74 (+4) after sitting four back after 36 holes. Something isn’t right here.
Patrick Cantlay (+1000): Hasn’t won since last August but absolutely rakes here. Two wins, T3 last year and solo fourth in 2018 suggest that’s the case. I love him this week so you should run and take cover. All of the pieces to complete the puzzle. T30 after 74-78. Didn’t see that coming, especially after sitting just two back after 54 holes. Wow.
Rory McIlroy (+1400): Never won here, no top 10s in his last four visits. T7 at Oak Hill should push him forward. I’m not sure he likes anything that resembles Augusta. Save him for his defense in Canada next week. T7 as the top 10 streak resumes.
Xander Schauffele (+1400): Going on almost a year between wins, but there’s nothing to scare me off this week. Worst finish in two months is T21. Streak of four straight inside the top 10 busted at Oak Hill. Never popped a top-10 payday here but his last four are T18 or better. Brewing. The ol’ 77-66 to open, ended with T24.
Viktor Hovland (+2000): He will have to have his short game dialed in here. In three visits he’s never cashed inside the top 45 so this is just not a ball-striking test. Made 12 bogeys on won. T2 Putting was fantastic. WINNER WINNER.
Collin Morikawa (+2500): I’m not sure these greens are the answer. Save him for LA. Sat two back after 54 holes before WD Sunday morning (back).
Tyrrell Hatton (+2500): I’m out of starts in the Experts Game so that should tell you what I think of the Englishman. Hopping on again this week. T12 as a double on the penultimate hole knocked him out of another top-10 payday. Fantastic playing.
Justin Thomas (+2800): Used to be the place his grandparents could come and watch. He’s looking for any inspiration at the moment. MC, 75-75, as nothing is working at the moment. The new diet is not translating as of yet.
Top 10/Top 20/Top 40
Jason Day (+3000): OK, I’ll bite. The home game has produced almost NOTHING over the previous 13 tries. Being at home with the kids, Ben Everill being in town, and not being injured is a formula I can subscribe to! Winning three weeks ago in Dallas shifted my thoughts for this week. MC. Bogey on 18 on Friday saw him miss by one.
Corey Conners (+4000): Love it but the last time I loved it he shat the bed at Augusta National. Bed shat again. 77-75. Not even close. MC.
Rickie Fowler (+4000): Too many good MONTHS, let alone recent rounds, should push him up the leaderboard again this week. Loves Barbara and Jack and it would be fitting place to factor again. Win ticket. Another top 10 (T9), another step in the right direction. Contention is the next step.
Sahith Theegala (+5000): Until he bucks me off. Smash it and find it and smash it again. T58, but 18 cuts made in a row.
Kurt Kitayama (+9000): Tuned up at Colonial by (checks notes…) hitting five fairways on Sunday to post a bogey-free 68. Five fairways? Surely that will be fixed before Thursday morning. MC. Beat six players.
Longer Shots
Use ’em wherever you see fit! All players listed are +10000 or worse and are for a reason or two!
Kevin Streelman (+12500): Loves it here and was T9 last week. Converge!!! 79-70 MC.
Thomas Detry (+12500): Steady spaghetti worldwide and T21 last week. T48
Taylor Montgomery (+12500): Gotta have a putter or two in the lineup on these greens. T41
Sepp Straka (+15000): Likes Jack’s stuff at PGA National. Played well at a tight Oak Hill. T16 after 73-75 weekend.
Beau Hossler (+20000): Keep grinding out those results! Streak is seven straight. T24 makes it eight straight.
Bo Hoag (+75000): It’s his major. Make the cut. Beat Kitayama by a shot. MC.
OAD – 2023 Spotter’s Game
| Already Burned |
| Sungjae Im – Maui |
| Tom Kim – Sony |
| Tom Hoge – AMEX |
| Viktor Hovland – Pebble |
| Xander Schauffele – WMPO |
| Max Homa – Riviera |
| Shane Lowry – Honda |
| Tyrrell Hatton – API |
| Akshay Bhatia – PRO |
| Jason Day – THE PLAYERS |
| Justin Rose – Valspar |
| Cam Percy – Corales |
| Scottie Scheffler – WGC MP |
| Rickie Fowler – Valero |
| Jordan Spieth – Masters |
| Collin Morikawa – RBC Heritage |
| Billy Horschel – Zurich |
| Nicolai Hojgaard – Mexico |
| Rory McIlroy – WFC |
| Adam Scott – ATTBN |
| Brooks Koepka – PGA Championship |
| Chris Kirk – Colonial |
| Patrick Cantlay – Memorial |
This Week – Matt Fitzpatrick
Looking to pull the RBC double after T9 last week at Memorial. Won’t be bothered with BIG ROUGH and has no problem making birdies.
Sam Burns, Tommy Fleetwood, Adam Svensson
Last Week – Memorial
Patrick Cantlay
It was him or Rahm. Rahm goes at LACC for the US Open. Like it matters at this point! Only about 9 million behind!
Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, Si Woo Kim, Patrick Rodgers
Glass Houses 