Stories abound at back-to-back national championships

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.

On Sunday, the RBC Canadian Open concluded with 36-year-old Bud Cauley winning his first ever title on the PGA Tour. Several notable players were in the mix along with a trio of young Canadians who also put themselves in contention. What was your favourite story from this year’s national championship?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): JBud Cauley’s victory, no question.  I’ve seen his name on tournament rosters for years, but never even in a top 10 list, and I wondered “how can you keep going on, never even being in contention?”, although I’m aware that even a journeyman on Tour can make a far better living than having a middle-management job in “business”.  Until yesterday, I knew nothing of his back story, which makes his victory, for me, all the more heartwarming!  Second choice: Sudarshan Yellamaraju, the Canadian who seemingly arrived from another planet a few weeks ago, and now appears he belongs on Tour.  He’s also given hope to all of us hackers who scan YouTube for the latest shot-making tips!

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): For me, it’s Bud Cauley—full stop. A 36-year-old finally breaking through after years of injuries and near-misses is what this championship is about. But the Canadian trio hanging around on Sunday gave it some juice and worth mentioning. That mix of perseverance and next-gen homegrown talent made it feel like the event is in a good place (ignoring cloud surrounding the events future: Track 1 or Track 2 and what that could mean going forward).

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: My favourite story isn’t my favourite because I like it, it’s because I don’t like it. On Sunday afternoon, I thought I was at the Ryder Cup. The fan behaviour on the “Rink” hole and in the stands surrounding the 18th green was an embarrassment. I love sports both to play and watch but I have never been one to jump up and down yelling unacceptable language. The fans there do not represent the best of Canadians. They were loud, unnecessarily crude, and at times foul. It falls on Golf Canada to denounce this behaviour before it increases. People (old codgers like me) who still take their hat off when entering a building, wear their hats forward, hold the door for others, don’t park illegally in handicap spaces are jaded by fans who carry-on at a golf tournament like it was an event on the White House lawn. Golf is fun and pleasant; you don’t have to display your worst manners to enjoy it.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ):  It was a great event, the course held up well, and the leaderboard on Sunday was filled with big names and dreamers alike.  I kept saying to friends that we need one of the big names to win, it’s important for the event.  But having Bud Cauley win is just as good, what a feel-good story.  It was nice to have Fitzpatrick and Hovland in the mix, and so many Canadians playing well.  I think the story of the week was the great play from some young Canadians including not just Sudarshan, but Matt Anderson and amateur Justin Matthews.  So impressive.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Once the back story was filled in, Cauley’s run of great golf made it even more amazing. It was also great to see guys like Hovland and Fleetwood, Fitzpatrick and Clark putting on spurts and adding legitimacy to the proceedings. But it was the cluster of Canucks in the Top 30 that made it the most compelling Open in a while.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: I was most impressed by the trio of young Canadians. We know they’re capable of low scores but in most years, Canadians tend to fade in the final round but Yellamaraju, Anderson and Mathews hung tough and chased the leaders right to the end. Ultimately though, Cauley’s emotional win stole the show and adds another compelling chapter to the RBC Canadian Open story.

This was the second consecutive year that TPC Toronto North had hosted the RBC Canadian Open, and reports indicate it will be back in 2027. What’s your reaction to the course now? Is it delivering enough challenge and excitement and a fitting finish?

Deeks: It’s a good tournament course, although I hate to see such low scores (38 out of 40 of the top 10 players’ scores were in the 60’s).  Even though it means little to golfers outside of Canada, the Canadian Open is a national championship, and should be a sterner test of golf, in my view.  The 18th is an exciting finishing hole, and great for spectator viewing.  I wasn’t there this year, but I hope they overcome some of the logistical/infrastructure problems from 2025.  Keep it there and let the reputation grow.

Loughry: TPC Toronto North is growing on me as a venue, its character is starting to take shape. It’s not a brute, but it asks enough questions—especially late. The closing stretch has some teeth with firm conditions and wind. I’d still like a bit more risk-reward bite, but it’s proving to be a fair test as a modern host.

Schurman: It’s a decent golf course for the tournament. At least it appears to be a permanent home which is a good thing. It is a very difficult property for fans to walk around. It’s hilly and fairways are separated by wide stands of bush plus many ponds. One thing I had trouble with was figuring out the holes. I’ve played them all many times, but when you add in the stands and oddly positioned TV towers, I found it a bit confusing. Of course, I had my constant complaint that I find every week: I can’t see the ball just before it lands on the green and until it rolls to a stop. Where is “Peter Puck” when you need him?

Rule: TPC Toronto is turning itself into a nice venue for the tournament, just like Glen Abbey did for years.  The course is good if not great, it provides some drama with a fun 18th hole, it’s relatively easy for fans to get around, and has the social area in the middle of the property for fans to enjoy.  It would be nice if they could get parking nearby to avoid the long shuttles, but otherwise it’s a venue that I think makes sense to host the event for years. When a course hosts a tournament annually, there becomes a familiarity that is sometimes nice, and you get memories of great shots on certain holes that add to the significance of the golf course.

Quinn: Not convinced that having the only two par 5s at 1 and 18 is right for a dramatic championship. The 4s are not all that challenging if guys who aren’t exactly household names are posting 63s and a slew of 64s. Lots of space to make a couple of 4s into 5s and a par of 72. It will be interesting if the Tour follows through with the 1-2 ranking of events. The RBC Heritage is currently a popular tier 1 tourney. Never liked having to have a sponsor’s name or initials on a national Open, but that will be even more of a mute point if the Cdn is designated tier 2.

Mumford: With all that’s required to host a PGA Tour event, a permanent home for the RBC Canadian Open is almost without question and TPC Toronto has the infrastructure and a good enough course to challenge today’s pros. I’d prefer that they narrow some of the landing areas to put more of a premium on driving accuracy and add a couple of penal bunkers. Otherwise, the shaved green surrounds were a nice tweak, especially the front of 18, and green speeds were fantastic, given the amount of slope on some of them. For the most part, the leaders were clustered, which usually sets up a dramatic finish or playoff, and 18 can deliver everything from eagles to double bogies.

The U.S. Open is on this week at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island. The course has been notable in past U.S. Opens for its questionable set-up. Scottie Scheffler will be looking for his first U.S. Open win to complete his personal Grand Slam, while a stellar field of elite players might have something else to say about that. What’s the most compelling storyline about this year’s U.S. Open?

Deeks: I think the golf course itself is always a great story.  If there’s a variety of wind and weather, Shinnecock can be one of the most challenging golf courses in America, making it a case of survival of the fittest.  Go Rory!  Go Rosy!

Loughry: It’s Scheffler chasing history versus a golf course that just doesn’t care. Shinnecock can expose everyone if the setup gets edgy—wind, firm greens, all of it. Ony 3 players in US Open history have finished under par at Shinnecock, I don’t see the USGA letting that history change much, if at all. It’s tension that makes a U.S. Open special, and we’re absolutely going to get it at Shinnecock.

Schurman: Once again, it’s a Major and once again, the course is a story. Can the USGA control themselves and the course? Shinnecock is a magical place with deep historical ties, it’s sparse of trees and just lays there waiting for you. Due to the topography and terrain, the holes tend to look a lot alike but once you are standing in a fairway, you realize how much variety there is. The compelling story for me is how much the players are infighting. The TOUR was founded on a caravan of 6ft trailers behind a car full of a wife and kids. Families stayed together and BBQed at night together. It was a brotherhood. Winning a $50.00 cheque meant you could extend your trip by another week. Now, many players arrive by personal jet. Some invite a few friends to travel along with them but just as often several players travel with their own entourage each with their own jet. I guess I’m remembering Norman Rockwell.

Rule:  Shinnecock has had winning scores of -1, E, -4 and +1 the last four times it has hosted the US Open, all within the range that the USGA likes for a winning score, somewhere around even par.  That being said, they had some questionable pin locations a couple of times and had to syringe one of the greens once to slow it down during the tourney.  I think they need to be careful with the green speeds, but hopefully the rough is punishing and it’s a real challenge as it usually is at this great course.  So, I think the course setup will be one of the top storylines for the week, as well as Scottie’s chase for the career Grand Slam.  He hasn’t been in contention lately, so I think he’s due.

Quinn: At the US Open, the story is usually about the course set up. Shinnecock is a brute even before any tweaks. The rough will be rough, and old man Par will be protected. The story’s focal point may be the weekend wind, with a starring role played by 30 mph + gusts.

Mumford: Shinnecock is the story, regardless of any player heroics. It doesn’t need gale-force wins to protect it but those would be a nice touch. A winning score at or above par would be fine – and add perspective to the silliness we watch the rest of the year.