Nine Canadians receive exemptions into the RBC Canadian Open

Mike Masaro / Golf Canada

CALEDON, ON – Golf Canada and RBC have confirmed the names of 13 players who have accepted exemptions into the 2026 RBC Canadian Open, taking place June 10 – 14 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont.

Among those earning exemptions are nine Canadians, led by recent winner and current top Canadian on PGA TOUR Americas, Joey Savoie of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. Savoie won the KIA Open de Ecuador earlier this month and has one additional top 10 finish in four events played this season. He will be making his third appearance at the RBC Canadian Open.

Joining Savoie are four members of Team Canada, Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont., Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont. and Dawson Lew of Toronto, Ont.

McCulloch will compete in his third consecutive RBC Canadian Open and his first since turning professional earlier this month. McCulloch earned two top five finishes this year at The Duck Invitational (T3) and the Watersound Invitational (T5) as he closed out his collegiate career at Michigan State University. The 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion will be competing in his fifth PGA TOUR event, having played at the 2025 U.S. Open and 2025 Rocket Classic in addition to his RBC Canadian Open appearances.

Matthews will also make his third consecutive appearance at the RBC Canadian Open, earning his exemption as the low Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), currently at No. 138. This season, Matthews earned two top fives and an additional top 10 in his senior year at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Anderson will be competing at Canada’s Men’s National Open Championship for the fourth time, with his best finish coming last year at T47. This season, Anderson has two top 25 finishes in 12 events on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Lew will be making his first appearance at the RBC Canadian Open. Lew is coming off a strong season last year, winning five tournaments including the 2025 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The Team Ontario program alum also earned a T5 finish at the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship last year. This season, Lew earned a runner-up finish at the Terra Cotta Invitational in April and is currently the fourth ranked Canadian on WAGR (World Amateur Golf Rankings) at 17 years old.

Three other Canadians will be in field including Roger Sloan of Calgary, Alta. who will be making his 10th appearance at the RBC Canadian Open. This season, Sloan has one runner-up finish and two additional top 25s in 12 events played on the Korn Ferry Tour. His best finish at the RBC Canadian Open was T34 in 2023. Drew Nesbitt of Toronto, Ont. will be making his fourth appearance at Canada’s National Open Championship. Nesbitt earned his exemption as the top Canadian on PGA TOUR Americas last season with one win and two additional top five finishes. Yohann Benson of Pincourt, Que. earned his exemption as the PGA of Canada’s Order of Merit leader and will make his first appearance at the RBC Canadian Open.

As previously announced, Canadian golf icon Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. will compete in his 33rd RBC Canadian Open. Weir sits second all-time in appearances at Canada’s National Open Championship behind fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George Cumming (35).

A 18-player Canadian contingent is currently set to  challenge for the national championship led by 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and fellow PGA TOUR winners, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. Also confirmed are Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and PGA TOUR rookies Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont. and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C.

“We are pleased to announce these additional exemptions, led by a group of Canadians that will be competing for our National Men’s Open Championship at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Ryan Paul. “We look forward to the field continuing to take shape this week and awarding the final four spots into the field at Sunday’s Final Qualifier.”

Declan O’Donovan of Sydney, Australia, who won the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship and Calen Sanderson of Newton, Pa. winner of the individual championship at the 2025 Men’s Canadian Collegiate Invitational, will both make their first appearance at the RBC Canadian Open. O’Donovan and Sanderson earned exemptions for their wins last season.

Two additional international exemptions have been awarded to Padraig Harrington of Dublin, Ireland and 2011 RBC Canadian Open champion, Sean O’Hair of Lubbock, Texas.

Harrington, a three-time major winner (2007 & 2008 Open Championship, 2008 PGA Championship) also won three additional times on the PGA TOUR and has 11 PGA TOUR Champions wins and 15 international wins during his career. Harrington represented Team Europe as a player in six Ryder Cups, winning four (2002, 2004, 2006, 2010) and served as Captain in 2020. In addition, Harrington competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and will be making his second RBC Canadian Open appearance.

O’Hair is a four-time winner on the PGA TOUR and will be making his 16th start at the RBC Canadian Open. In addition to winning in 2011, O’Hair has a pair of third place finishes (2006, 2008). O’Hair represented and won as a member the United States team at the 2009 Presidents Cup.

Three additional exemptions will be awarded by Golf Canada ahead of the field being finalized for the 2026 RBC Canadian Open.  Four additional spots into the field will be up for grabs during the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier on Sunday, June 7 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont.

Tickets for the 2026 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.