Solheim, Walker, and a fall option for the RBC Canadian Open

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

The Solheim Cup is on this week in The Netherlands with Team USA looking to defend their title. What’s the most compelling storyline around this event and who do you think will win?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I think the most compelling story is, other than Nelly Korda and maybe Jennifer Kupcho, who on the American side is a competitive player on the LPGA anymore?  For that matter, who on the Euro side is standing out these days?  Charley Hull, Anna Nordqvist, that’s about all I can think of.   The real power in women’s golf today is all Asian, and they’re not part of the Solheim rivalry.  I’d put my money on the Euros, but it’ll be somewhat like watching teams 3 and 4 battle it out for a bronze medal.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): The most compelling storyline is whether Team USA can back up its recent resurgence and win on European soil, which is never easy in match play. Europe thrives on home support and team chemistry, while the Americans arguably have the deeper lineup top to bottom. I expect a tight contest, but I’ll lean slightly toward Team USA. Their depth, power and confidence (never lacking) in this event give them an edge if the matches come down to the final day/session.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: The time change makes this difficult to watch. One story to watch is the anti USA sentiment. How will the fans act? Let’s hope there isn’t a repeat of the Ryder Cup. I’ll be cheering for Europe.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I’m honestly excited to see the golf course.  There is lots of great golf in the Netherlands that nobody has really heard of.  This isn’t one of the great links courses in the country, but it looks like a great heathlands style track.  As far as the competition is concerned, I hope the Euros put up a good fight and surprise the Americans by pulling out a home win.  Led by Charley Hull, I think the real heroes could be the young hotshots Lottie Woad, Linn Grant and Leona Maguire, the next wave of great Euro players.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: Outside of the majors, the annual Cups are the best viewing in golf entertainment. Somehow each of them comes with a truckload of supporting stories too. This year I’m watching to see if Charley Hull can be Team Europe’s inspirational leader, sort of a female version of Ian Poulter. There are better players on the team but somehow these emotional sparkplugs rise to the occasion every two years.

Speaking of Cups, the Walker Cup just completed a thrilling series of matches at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland with Team GB&I defeating Team USA for the first time since 2015. These Cups have lots of history and don’t easily make changes, but Team GB&I is usually at a disadvantage in terms of depth. Should the team be expanded to include all of Europe as the Ryder Cup does?  

Deeks: Yes. Despite the thrilling and unexpected victory by GB&I this time, the Walker Cup has been pretty lopsided in favour of the Americans over the decades — as was the Ryder Cup before the expansion. Frankly, I’d be in favour of all these team competitions (Ryder, Presidents, Solheim, Walker, etc.) moving to a North America (US, Canada, Mexico) vs. the Rest of the World format.

Loughry: I’d leave it as GB&I. The history and identity of the Walker Cup are part of what makes it special, and not every team event needs to mirror the Ryder Cup. Yes, GB&I is often at a depth disadvantage, but that’s also what makes victories like Lahinch so meaningful. Expanding to all of Europe would likely create a more balanced competition on paper, but it would come at the expense of more than a century of tradition.

Schurman: The Ryder Cup was a non-event for years. Now it is one the most observed sporting events in the world.

Rule: I think it makes sense to expand it, not sure why they haven’t followed suit with the Ryder Cup yet.  There are so many great players coming out of Continental Europe, why not have them included.  Great to see the home team pull out a close victory though at Lahinch.  What a setting, wish I was there!

Mumford: Leave it alone. The Walker Cup has great tradition and doesn’t need any tinkering. GB&I encompasses 75 million people – surely enough to find ten worthy competitors to give the Yanks a good match.

Last week, the PGA Tour announced that RBC had stepped up to be a Championship Series sponsor in 2028 of the annual event at Hilton Head. No mention was made of RBC’s other event here in Canada. We’ve had lots of discussion about whether the Canadian Open should be in the Championship Series or the Challenger Series under the proposed format for 2028. A third option where the Open is part of the Fall Series would allow open qualifying, sponsor’s exemptions and all levels of PGA Tour players to participate. What’s your take on that option?

Deeks: I’m not all that keen on that option.  By September, the top 30 on Tour have made their money and want to rest, so probably won’t be overly motivated to come to Canada… where, in September, the weather can be pretty iffy. I just can’t believe that the Canadian Open is being treated so shabbily by the Tour.  It’s a national Open, with a 124-year history, RBC has been an exemplary sponsor and supporter of the Tour… surely, we deserve to be designated as a Championship Series event!

Loughry: I actually think the Fall Series option deserves serious consideration. The (RBC) Canadian Open has always been at its best when it feels open and accessible, with local qualifiers, sponsor exemptions (hoping this becomes fewer for more qualifier spots) and opportunities for emerging Canadian players. A Championship Series designation brings prestige, but it can limit the pathways that help create memorable stories. If the Fall Series remains meaningful and competitive, it could preserve our national identity while still attracting strong fields and broader fan interest. But the current political times may impact this decision here in the short term.

Schurman: A fourth option would be to leave the PGA TOUR and hold the Canadian Open as our national championship. Hold qualifying across the country with exemptions for players on certain tours and/or event winners. If the purse was $2M, RBC would get the Canadian TV market because that kind of money would attract a lot of very good players. Since it wouldn’t be a PGA TOUR event, high profile players could be paid appearance fees just like they were when Labatt’s sponsored the PGA of Canada Championship. Ray Floyd, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and many others played. The national PGA Champion from several dozen countries were invited to play. In fact, it is the only national PGA Championship Arnie won.

Rule: I still hope it can be included in the Championship Series where it belongs as a National Championship.  Any less would be disappointing for Golf Canada and RBC.

Mumford: I don’t mind it but it’s a step back to former championships when we were lucky to see a handful of top players in Canada. Same for the Challenger Series. The only good resolution is for the PGA Tour to treat the Canadian Open like the other two national Opens on the schedule and allow open qualifying and sponsor’s exemptions.