The Round Table: Looking for back-to-back Canadian winners at 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.

Hamilton G&CC hosts the RBC Canadian Open this week and there are 25 Canadians in the field. Last year, Nick Taylor became the first Canadian in 69 years to win his national championship and will be looking for a repeat. What are the chances that Taylor or another Canadian extends the streak of home-grown champions? And if not a Canadian, who do you like to win?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I’ve been saying for weeks that a Canadian is bound to win a big one, and soon.  The Canadian Open isn’t a big one to non-Canadians, but would be huge for Conners, Taylor, Hadwin, Hughes, Svensson, or Pendrith.  And why wouldn’t one of them win?  Otherwise, I’m always happy to see McIlroy in the winner’s circle.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): If not a Canadian, I don’t see how Rory doesn’t win here again. He obviously remembers and likes the course, and he would make for a great Champion again.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: The Golf Gods owe Tommy Fleetwood something good or I’d love to see a repeat of another Canadian.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): With the number of Canadians currently in the top 100 in the world, it’s certainly conceivable that we get another home grown winner.  Let’s hope we have a couple in contention at least come Sunday.  Given Rory’s success at Hamilton the last time it was there, he has to be the favourite, especially given his form of late.  But my pick if it isn’t a Canadian is Shane Lowry, who has been playing well.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Used to say, and write, that a ‘name’ player had to win the Canadian for anyone not living in the ‘glorious and free’ zone to notice. Still applies. Of course it would be ideal if Taylor or one of his buddies gets doused in beer. If not, bang for the bank’s bucks would come from Rory, Lowry or Adam Scott, who still has name recognition at least..

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): There aren’t a lot of Top 50 Tour players in the field this week, so at least six Canadians – Taylor, Conners, Hadwin, Hughes, Pendrith and Svensson – are at the elite end of the roster. I like their chances. If not a Canadian, then perhaps an Irishman. Shane Lowry would look good in a photo with the Mounties.

Last week it was announced that TPC Toronto will be the host of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and presumably something of a permanent rota member for future Opens along with Hamilton and St. Georges. What’s your take on TPC Toronto being a site for the national championship and keeping the tournament in the GTA for the foreseeable future?

Deeks: Played the course last year and really enjoyed it.  I broke 80, which means I’m worried that the Tour scores will be really low, which I don’t like to see.  However, I think the pros will like it, and I think it’s a worthy companion to Ancaster and St. George’s.  Has Golf Canada given up on trying to find courses outside the GTA?

Loughry: It’s a fantastic facility, and the new clubhouse looks spectacular. I hope fans in the GTA realize it’s worth the drive to see the action.

Schurman: In 1995, I took a business plan to a very big course owner/developer in the GTA that would place every golf organization on the same property. It included a $.25 surcharge on each GTA green fee and was surrounded by a 500-unit subdivision. I guess I presented it poorly because the guy never got past the $.25 surcharge that as he put it, “I’d have to give $20,000 to a bunch of administrators?” He couldn’t get the building and sale of 500 homes for $50M or so. Oh well.

Rule: It has been rumoured for years, and with the recent investment in the property it was clear they would be heading there.  It’s not an ideal location being well outside of the metropolitan area, but the site is great for a tournament of this size, and I’m sure it will become the new Glen Abbey, hosting the event on a regular basis.  It’s been proven that moving it outside of the GTA doesn’t work due to lack of sponsorship, so I can’t see it leaving the area much, if at all, for the next number of years.

Quinn: Like the ROTA concept (it’s worked for a long, long time for The Open) if the courses merit inclusion. But, also very much like national championships, like the Americans’, moving around the host country. It’s all about accommodating TV trucks and crews and corporate sponsors, yet ‘an evening in Burlington’ must be a tough sell. Canada has precious few worthy courses, but the occasional trepidatious venture outside the GTA might be good for the domestic game. TPC Toronto just sounds like a venue for a second level Tour stop, which the Canadian is barely above.

Mumford: TPC Toronto is an exceptional facility and has all the room and infrastructure for a big event. I’ve played the North Course many times and suggest it’s the easiest of the three but that’s before seeing Ian Andrew’s recent changes. (I’m playing it next week and will get a better sense of what the pros will face.) As far as keeping the national championship in the GTA, why not? It makes the most sense from so many perspectives and traffic is never an issue in downtown Alton.

While Canada is enjoying a “major” of its own this week, a real major is taking place in Pennsylvania with the playing of the U.S. Women’s Open. Nelly Korda has won six of her last seven starts and is on a historic hot streak. Brooke Henderson and Maude-Aimee Leblanc are the only Canadians in the field and neither have been playing particularly well of late. However, plenty of other women are and one of them will be looking to knock Korda off her perch. Who will it be?

Deeks: Minus Korda, any number of women can win on the LPGA these days.  My guess is a bit of a longshot: Minjee Lee. Minjee always plays well, but rarely seems to be able to finish it off.  Perhaps this week. (Unless, of course, Brooke finds her game and blows the field away.)

Loughry: I’ll say the unprecedented, Korda wins the US Women’s Open. She is clearly head and shoulders above all other competitors on that Tour. Wow, Nelly!

Schurman: Major championships inevitably attract predictions of victory by the top players like Nelly. Rightly so, the course is a ‘ball striker’s dream and highly favours players like her. I like to choose rookies who have no idea where they are until the tournament is over or experienced players who have been there and know what to do but haven’t been placing lately. I’m also a ‘homer’. My pick is Brooke Henderson. She’s been treading water, she’s Canadian and she knows what to do if she gets into contention.

Rule: It’s been an incredible run by Nelly and I hope if Brooke doesn’t win that Nelly continues to dominate with another major win.  There are several players in the pack chasing Nelly, but my picks to knock her off her perch are either Atthaya Thitikul or Hannah Green.

Quinn: Well, it won’t be Lexi. For the good of the game and the LPGA Tour its ownself, it would be great if either Celine Boutier of France or Charley Hull of England steps up. Both have terrific games and attitudes, and love the pace of Hull’s play.

Mumford: I don’t think anyone beats Korda this week. Like Scottie Scheffler, she’s going to be close on Sunday and that’s intimidating for the rest of the field. If anyone can take her down, it’s likely to be a proven major winner like Celine Boutier or Lydia Ko. You normally could include Brooke Henderson in that group, but something has been off with her game lately and she’s a bit more of a longshot.