ATHENS, Texas – Bruce Lietzke, the fun-loving, fade-hitting 2-time RBC Canadian Open (1978, 1982) winner whose practice regime – or lack of one – spawned an often-told spoiled banana story, died Saturday of brain cancer. He was 67.

Lietzke’s family said he died at his Athens ranch.

“Our PGA Tour family lost a treasured member with the death of Bruce Lietzke,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement. “He touched on parts of five decades as a player, competed in 700 tournaments as a member of the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions, and recorded a total of 20 victories.

“But to celebrate Bruce Lietzke’s life properly, we offer praise to the great family man and the cherished friend to many.”

With family, fishing and a large muscle car collection to tend to, the 13-time PGA Tour winner had little time or desire to tinker with a trusted swing that didn’t need tinkering – as the banana story hilariously illustrates. It started at the final event in 1984 when Lietzke told caddie Al Hansen that he wouldn’t touch his clubs again until the 1985 opener. The unbelieving Hansen put the banana in Lietzke’s golf bag as a test, only to discover the rotten fruit still there in January.

Lietzke was introduced to golf in his native Kansas City, Missouri, and starred at Forest Park High School in Beaumont, Texas, before moving on to the University of Houston.

Lietzke played in the United States’ 1981 Ryder Cup victory in England, and finished second to John Daly in the 1991 PGA Championship. He won seven times on the senior tour, the last victory coming in the 2003 U.S. Senior Open.

Lietzke is survived by wife Rose, son Stephen and daughter Christine.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Chris Crisologo was on the driving range earlier this week when he looked over and realized Los Angeles Kings defenceman Drew Doughty was taking some practice swings of his own just a few steps away.

A lifelong Vancouver Canucks fans, Crisologo asked for a picture with the former Norris Trophy winner – a smiling shot of a golfer and hockey player.

On the range @RBCCanadianOpen and I had to turn around to see who was striping it behind me… it was @dewyy8. Awesome person to talk to! #StillACanucksFan pic.twitter.com/URRq207x7F

— Chris Crisologo (@CJCrisologo8) July 26, 2018

Crisologo will soon be the one getting stopped by strangers if he keeps up his stunning play at the RBC Canadian Open.

The 22-year-old amateur from Richmond, B.C., sits at 7 under in a tie for 23rd after wrapping up his rain-delayed opening round Friday morning with a tidy 68 before battling to a 69 on his second trip around Glen Abbey Golf Club.

“There are nerves,” Crisologo said. “But with the hometown crowd you can feel the energy.

“It’s not too hard to (turn) that into a positive.”

Crisologo sat at 7 under through six holes of the second round, but bogeyed three of his next four before picking up birdies on the back nine’s three par-5s.

“It’s just kind of managing your emotions,” he said. “There’s going to be momentum swings.”

Slight in stature and generously listed at five foot nine, Crisologo crushes the ball off the tee. One of his drives Friday measured 364 yards.

“He’s got speed like a Rory McIlory,” Golf Canada men’s coach Derek Ingram said. “You’re like, ‘He couldn’t have hit that.”’

A Golf Canada national team member since last fall, Crisologo competed four years in the NCAA with Simon Fraser University. He won B.C.’s amateur championship two weeks ago, but arrived at his first Canadian Open minus any expectations.

“He was excited to be here,” Ingram said. “He’s taking advantage.”

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian at 9 under in a tie for 10th after a roller-coaster Friday that included eight birdies and three bogeys.

The last Canadian crowned national championship was Victoria’s Pat Fletcher, who bested the field at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf Club in 1954.

“If I play well and I’m low Canadian, that’s great,” Taylor said. “But I’m trying to win a golf tournament.”

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., followed up his first-round 73 with a 10-shot improvement to sit at 8 under in a tie for 15th. He had an eagle putt on No. 18 that could have tied the course record, but his 40-foot effort just missed.

Kevin Tway, whose father Bob captured the Open in 2003, tops the leaderboard of the US$6.2-million PGA Tour event at 13 under.

Roger Sloan (69) of Merritt, B.C., joined Crisologo at 7 under, while Mackenzie Hughes (69) of Dundas, Ont., is a stroke back.

David Hearn (72) of Brantford, Ont., who finished third in 2015, and Calgary’s Ryan Yip (72) just made the cut at 4 under as seven Canadians will play this weekend, the most since 2008 when eight qualified.

But Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin isn’t one of them after a 71 that left him at 3 under.

The 55th-ranked player in the world described his frustration level afterwards as “100 out of 10.”

“You come here with the highest of expectations and want to play well,” Hadwin said. “I just can’t seem to get it done.”

Jared du Toit (69) of Kimberley, B.C., carded an eagle on No. 16, but pushed a 10-foot birdie putt to the right on the final hole to also just miss the cut.

Michael Gligic (77) of Burlington, Ont., was 3 under after the first round, but struggled Friday and wound up 2 over.

Mike Weir (71) of Brights Grove, Ont., headlined the other 11 Canadians in the field heading home.

Crisologo said he will seek out du Toit, who played in the final group in 2016 as an amateur before finishing tied for ninth, on what to expect this weekend.

“It’s nice having that connection with previous amateurs, previous players that have played well at this tournament,” said Crisologo, who isn’t eligible for any of the Open’s prize money. “There’s no way to prep for it.”

One thing Crisologo can expect is bigger crowds and a lot more attention as the microscope sharpens further into focus.

“You never know what to expect,” he said. “I’m just out here to enjoy the moment and make the most of this opportunity.”

One that, if all goes well, will include a lot more picture requests.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – One sport involves hurdling off snow-covered jumps as music blares in front of rabid fans. The other is played on manicured grass.

Still, Canadian Olympic snowboarder Mark McMorris sees a lot of similarities between his craft and the golfers he’s been watching this week.

“The littlest adjustments can make the biggest difference,” McMorris said Friday as he took in the second round of the RBC Canadian Open. “If you tuck a little bit too much in snowboarding, you might start spinning or flipping faster. I feel like we might have a little bit more room for error than the golfers.

“Our errors are a little bit more consequential to our well-being, but there can be some big financial errors for these guys.”

Speaking just off the 17th tee at Glen Abbey Golf Club, McMorris knows more than he cares to about consequential errors.

The 24-year-old from Regina was nearly killed in a March 2017 snowboarding accident in British Columbia’s backcountry when he crashed into a tree.

McMorris suffered breaks to his jaw and left arm, a ruptured spleen, a stable pelvic fracture, rib fractures and a collapsed left lung – 17 broken bones in all.

He had to be airlifted off the mountain before spending 10 days in a Vancouver hospital and was on a liquid diet for six weeks.

But McMorris somehow rebounded in time to capture bronze in men’s slopestyle at the Pyeongchang Winter Games for his second Olympic medal.

The echoes of those horrific injuries, however, continue to linger.

“I’m still not normal,” he said of the pain that remains nearly 16 months later. “I have plates in my face, plates in my arm, plates in my leg. My main focus is on mobility because it tightens up on me.

“It’s pretty impressive what the human body can do, given the circumstances.”

McMorris, who is sponsored by RBC, said he chatted with world No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson and Canada’s Adam Hadwin at the US$6.2-million tournament, just the latest stop on what has already been a whirlwind summer.

He got to ride a horse as marshal of the Calgary Stampede Parade earlier this month and helped give away a car at a recent music festival.

“All these neat opportunities that you’d never think riding a piece of wood down a mountain would bring to me,” said McMorris, who plays about five or six rounds of a golf a summer. “I live a pretty strange life with the weird things I get to do because of snowboarding, but it is nice to be around an event like this and to see all the world’s best coming up to Canada.”

Stuck rehabbing injuries the last two summers, including from the accident that nearly took his life, McMorris is happy to let things come his way when he’s away from the mountain.

That might not have always been the case in the past.

“I don’t think I ever took anything for granted, but I definitely don’t now,” he said. “I wake up every day and go, ‘OK this is way better than when I was almost dead.’ I try to take things at a slower pace now. I don’t need to rush to get back to snowboarding. I really appreciate my time in it, but I love my time off.

“I’m very thankful for the life I lead, and I’m more thankful than I’ve ever been.”

TSAWWASSEN, B.C. – 142 of Canada’s premier junior golfers will be in Tsawwassen from July 30 – August 3 for the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Beach Grove Golf Club.

Established in 1932, Beach Grove Golf Club is a championship golf course layout par 71 playing 6200 yards from the back tees. The course, situated in the heart of sunny Tsawwassen, B.C., is lined with mature trees and offers well-groomed fairways and the truest greens in the Lower Mainland.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting this strong field at Beach Grove and welcoming this prestigious championship to our course,” said Chris Hugill, General Manager at Beach Grove Golf Club. “The golf course is in tremendous shape and we look forward to showcasing its beauty as well as the great city of Tsawwassen.”

The impressive field is led by the Team Canada Development Squad, with 13 of Canada’s top-50 golfers in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) in the draw. At No. 360, Team Canada’s  Céleste Dao the highest ranked golfer in the field.

All four members of Team Canada’s Development Squad will be chasing the title in Tsawwassen: Céleste Dao (Notre-Dame Ile Perrot, Que.), Monet Chun (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Alyssa DiMarcantonio (Maple, Ont.) and Ellie Szeryk (London, Ont.). Szeryk finished last year’s event tied for second, the highest of the returning golfers from last year.

“Beach Grove Golf Club is the perfect host for our national Junior Girls Championship,” said Tournament Director Akash Patel. “Its signature holes and fantastic layout will provide a great challenge for the best junior golfers in Canada as they chase a national title.”

Susan Xiao was crowned champion at the event last year, finishing with a five-stroke victory. She would go on to place sixth at the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont.

A practice round will be conducted on July 30 prior to the championship’s opening round on July 31. Following the first two rounds of play, the field will be reduced to the low 70 players and ties with the top ten juvenile’s and ties included in the final round.

A tie for the championship will be decided by a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following the conclusion of play.

The 2018 Canadian Junior Girls’ champion will receive an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

The Canadian Junior Girls Championship has a long list of distinguished past champions including Canadian Golf Hall of Famer and major champion Sandra Post, and current LPGA superstar and 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Brooke Henderson.

The defending team champions from Ontario will look to make it two in a row in the inter-provincial team competition, which takes place over the first two rounds.

In rounds one and two the best two scores of the three golfers from each provincial team count towards the team’s score. The lowest aggregate score over rounds one and two determines the champion. British Columbia won the 2015 and 2016 titles.

Additional information about the tournament, including the full field and tee-times is available here.

NOTABLES
Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-l’Île Perrot, Que.
The 17-year-old is in her first year on the Team Canada Development Squad and has top-ten finishes in 11 out of the 16 events she has played at in 2018, including three wins this year: Mexican Junior Girls Championship, U.S Women’s Open Qualifying – Cape Cod National and Girls’ Provincial Junior Championship. She is currently ranked No.1 on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit and is ranked No. 377 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Ellie Szeryk of London, Ont.
The Team Canada Development Squad rookie finished T2 at this event last year, the highest of any returning player. The 18-year-old recently won the 2018 GO Investors Group Women’s Amateur Championship and finished in the top-ten in all nine of the 2018 stroke-play events she played in. She is currently No. 2 on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit.

Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont.
The 17-year-old is in her second year on the Women’s Development Squad and has three wins in 2018 so far. Chun is currently rank No.3 on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit and has won three Future Links driven by Acura Championships in the past three years: Pacific (2018), Ontario (2017) and Québec (2016).

Emily Zhu of Richmond Hill, Ont.
The 14-year-old, who finished T4 at the event last year, is currently ranked No. 4 on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit. Zhu has five top-finishes in 2018 so far, including a win at the GO Investors Group Junior Spring Classic in May.

Annabelle Ackroyd of Calgary, Alta.
The 16-year-old has four wins in 2018: Alberta Junior & Juvenile Girls Championship, USGA – U.S Girls’ Junior Sectional Qualifier, CJGA Junior at RedTail Landing and MJT – Alberta Spring Classic 2018. Ackroyd is currently ranked No. 6 on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit.

FAST FACTS
A British Columbia golfer has won the individual event the last three years: Susan Xiao in 2017 (Surrey, B.C.) Naomi Ko in 2016 (Victoria, B.C.) and Michelle Kim in 2015 (Surrey B.C.).

Six-time LPGA winner and major champion Brooke Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., won this event in 2012 at River Spirit Golf Club in Calgary, Alta.

The lowest single-round score in the tournament’s history is a 66 – Hannah Lee (2015), Elyse Archambault (2010), Karen England (1997), and Kristy Finlayson (1998).

Heather Kuzmich won four straight Canadian Junior Girls Championships from 1981-1984.

Four Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members are past champions of this event: Betty Stanhope-Cole (1956), Judy Darling Evans (1957), Gail Harvey (1958-60), and Sandra Post (1964-66).

Current LPGA golfer Alena Sharp was the 1999 Canadian Junior Girls Champion.

The 2018 Canadian Junior Girls champion will receive an exemption into the 2019 Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.

ABOUT THE COURSE
6, 036  yards, Par 72

Established in 1932.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Michael Gligic has lined up hundreds of shots at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

He played the course at least 100 times as a teenager under the tutelage of Sean Foley, long before the latter became swing coach for Tiger Woods.

Rounds have been less frequent over the last decade – Gligic estimates six or eight in total – usually alongside a couple of friends with a beer or two not far from his golf bag.

Thursday was an entirely different experience.

Gligic fired a 3-under 69 in the first round of the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey before play was suspended due to inclement weather. He finished the day tied for 41st.

“I don’t know if when I was 13 outside the ropes getting autographs if I really thought it would be a reality that one day I’d be inside the ropes,” the 28-year-old said. “It was a pretty cool experience. I’ll cherish that moment walking down No. 18.”

Gligic, who was born in Kitchener, Ont., and grew up in Burlington, just west of Oakville, has played two previous Canadian Opens elsewhere, but competing at the course where he started to hone his skills is special.

“A little nervy on the first tee shot,” Gligic said. “Other than that, settled in really well.”

Much of his career has been spent on golf’s third-tier Mackenzie Tour, previously called PGA Tour Canada. Gligic earned a spot at this year’s Open after tying for first in Monday’s qualifier.

With a morning tee time, his opening round included a combination of searing heat, wind and rain.

“I went to pull out my umbrella and my caddie was like, ‘Yeah, that’s in the car,”’ said Gligic, adding with a grin: “He’ll get a word from me … I’m sure he’ll carry it (Friday) rain or shine.”

The six-foot-four, 180-pound Gligic has plenty of support following him around Glen Abbey, where he fired four birdies against one bogey.

“I didn’t really have a specific goal,” said Gligic, one of 21 Canadians in the field. “I’m just going to try and hit one shot at a time and do what I can do and put myself in contention.”

The 2018 event might be the tournament’s swan song at Glen Abbey – a Jack Nicklaus-designed course that could soon be redeveloped as a subdivision – but Gligic is hopeful the venue’s 30th Open isn’t its last.

“There’s so much history,” he said. “It would be a shame to see it go.”

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., were tied at 4-under 68 as low Canadians.

The 39-year-old Hearn has had a tricky season with more down time than he’s used to after losing his full-time PGA Tour status, but is also in decent position to make some noise on home soil.

“I realize out here it can be fleeting,” Hearn said. “I’ve been working my tail off to try to get better.”

Robert Garrigus tops the leaderboard at 9 under following a round that included five straight birdies on the front nine.

Adam Hadwin, also from Abbotsford, sat at 2 under after playing alongside world No. 1 Dustin Johnson (68) and No. 4 Bubba Watson (70) in the early marquee group at the US$6.2-million event.

“No one was paying attention to me,” Hadwin joked.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was at 3 under through 17 after play was suspended for the day due to inclement weather. Amateur Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C., was at 3 under through 14 holes, while Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., was also at 3 under but after 12 holes.

Joey Savoie, an amateur from La Prairie, Que., shot 71, while Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., fired a 72.

Calgary’s Ryan Yip was at 1 under through 12 holes, and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., finished his round at even-par 72. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was also at par after 12 holes.

Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., the 2003 Masters champion, shot 75.

Gligic enjoyed Thursday’s moment in the spotlight, but was eager to put it behind him with even more pressure on the horizon.

“It’s just the first day,” he said. “So much can happen. I could shoot 64 or 84 (in the second round).

“It’s golf, and things can change overnight.”

OAKVILLE, Ont. – As good as Robert Garrigus has been at the RBC Canadian Open, he thinks he could have been even better in Thursday’s first round.

The American shot a 9-under 63 to take the clubhouse lead. A rainstorm suspended play for over two hours in the late afternoon before the PGA TOUR tournament resumed for a little over an hour. By the end of the day, Garrigus was still one shot ahead of fellow American Adam Schenk at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

“Could have been 59 there if a couple putts didn’t lip out,” said Garrigus, who had birdie putts lip out on Nos. 10 and 17. “Got lucky on the par-5, on 13, hit it right in the middle of the water, and it hit a rock and bounced over the thing and I made birdie.

“I think 20-something-under is going to win, so we’ll forget about it when I get home. This was a good day, get to enjoy it for a minute, but I’ve got to close my mind off.”

Keeping focused has been an issue for Garrigus of late.

He shot an impressive 6-under 66 in the third round of the Barbasol Championship last Saturday, before coughing up an ugly 7-over 79 in the final round. The low point for Garrigus was when he quadruple bogeyed the 567-yard par-5 No. 17, finishing the tournament tied for 66th at 4 under.

“I prayed a lot this week, I’ll tell you that much,” said Garrigus. “There was a lot of prayers for my family, just to give me peace and calm, just to come out and not worry about it, not worry about where I am.”

Last year at Glen Abbey, Garrigus shot a 10-under 62 in the third round to match the course record. If not for those two missed putts on Thursday, he could have tied or surpassed that mark.

“I love this place. I’ve always played well in Canada. There’s a lot of good vibes here. And the golf course is absolutely pure,” said Garrigus. “I mean, I was walking on the fairway on No. 8, and it just felt like you were walking on carpet, and you get up on the green, and it’s like grass. The conditions are absolutely perfect.”

Although Garrigus played in ideal conditions, they turned a few hours after he got off the course. Play was suspended for over two hours in the late afternoon, with high winds and potential lightning strikes making it unsafe to keep golfing. Play resumed for another hour after the rain cleared, but over a dozen players were unable to finish their round.

Rain on Monday and briefly on Wednesday had kept the greens and fairways soft.

Schenk made the most of the conditions, closing out his round in the rain with three straight birdies as the morning group finished its day at the US$6.2-million PGA Tour event.

“If you were in the fairway, it was much easier to attack, but you could still play from the rough, so I did that too often today but was fortunate to get away with it,” said Schenk, a PGA Tour rookie who is fighting to keep his card with a handful of tournaments left on the schedule. “But if you can get within 20 feet of the hole, you’re going to make some putts, especially in the morning. The greens are very smooth.”

Chris Stroud was third after shooting a 7-under 65.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot 4-under 68 for the top score among Canadians. After play resumed Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., drained a six-foot putt on No. 18 to tie Hearn.

“I thought I was hitting a little better before the delay, felt a little off on the last few holes,” said Taylor, who was on the 16th hole before the delay. “Made a couple putts on the last two holes so that was nice to finish the round off.”

Adam Hadwin, also from Abbotsford, the top-ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour, fired a 2-under 70.

Victoria’s Pat Fletcher, who was born in England, was the last Canadian to win the country’s national championship, claiming the event all the way back in 1954. Carl Keffer is the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club will welcome the nation’s premier young golfers for the 2018 Canadian Junior Boy Championship. The 80th playing of the tournament will take place between July 30-Aug. 2 and will consist of 156 junior golfers, including all five members of Team Canada’s Development Squad.

Founded in 1913, Medicine Hat Golf and Country Club is a par-72 championship golf course located on the cliffs of the South Saskatchewan River.

“Our tremendous staff has worked very hard and the course is in fantastic shape. The community of Medicine Hat is extremely excited to host an event of this calibre,” said Cam Jacques, General Manager at Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club. “We look forward to hosting this strong field through what is sure to be a great week of golf.”

The Canadian Junior Boys Championship has served as a significant milestone in a number of professional and amateur careers. Before playing on the PGA TOUR, Abbotsford, B.C., native Nick Taylor captured the 2006 Canadian Junior Boys title. Other champions include Canadian Golf Hall of Fame members Doug Silverberg, George Knudson, Gary Cowan and Doug Roxburgh.

“Golf Canada is pleased to head to Medicine Hat to hold our annual Canadian Junior Boys Championship,” said Tournament Director Adam Cinel. “We have received a very warm welcome here and truly appreciate the support and commitment of the staff, volunteers and community. Medicine Hat Golf & Country Club will be a great platform to showcase the talents of Canada’s best junior golfers.”

In 2017, Calvin Ross became the first New Brunswick golfer to win the Canadian Junior Boys Championship after the Fredericton native set an amateur course-record 62 during the third round, eventually securing a seven-stroke victory. Team Canada’s Christopher Vandette won the under-16 Juvenile title.

In order to be eligible to participate in the championship, all entrants must be under 19 years of age as of August 1^st, 2018. This year’s field will consist of the defending Canadian Juvenile Junior Champion, Team Canada Development Squad members, the current Junior Club Champion, the top six finishers in all Future Links, driven by Acura regional championships and those players earning a spot through their respective provincial championship.

NOTABLES
Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que.
The 16-year-old Team Canada Development Squad member finished third at the event last year, the highest of any returning player. Vandette, who was ranked No.1 on the 2017 Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit, is coming into the tournament with two top-ten finishes, including a solo second at the 2018 Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship. 

Cam Kellett of London, Ont.
The 18-year-old, who will be competing in his first ever Canadian Junior Boys Championship, is currently ranked No.1 on the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit. Kellett finished in the top-10 in six of the seven events he has competed in this year so far, including a win at Golf Ontario Men’s Match Play Championship and second place finishes at Future Links, driven by Acura Ontario Championship and Golf Ontario Investors Group Junior Spring Classic.

Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont.
The 18-year-old member of Team Ontario is currently ranked No.3 on the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit and is coming into the tournament with a win at Golf Ontario Investors Group Junior Spring Classic and four top-ten finishes.

Ethan Choi of Pincher Creek, Alta.
The 16-year-old is currently ranked No.4 on the Future Links, driven by Acura Order of Merit and finished T5 at this event last year. Choi has four top-five finishes in 2018 so far, including a win at PGA of Alberta Junior Masters.

Nolan Thoroughgood of Victoria, B.C.
The 17-year-old rookie member of the Team Canada Development Squad finished in fourth at the event last year T3 at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship at Bear Mountain Resort – Valley Course in May and has finished in the top-ten in nine out of the 10 tournaments he competed in during 2017.

FAST FACTS

• The first championship was held in 1938, which was won by James Hogan.
• Current Canadian Golf Hall of Famers who won the championship include: Doug Silverberg, George Knudson, Gary Cowan and Doug Roxburgh.
• In 1970, the 16-and-under Juvenile Championship was added to the Championship, which runs concurrently with the competition, with the winner receiving the Jack Bailey Trophy.
• Nine golfers have won both the Juvenile and Junior titles: Jim Rutledge, Jeff Makahon, Rob McMillan, Jesse Collinson, Dustin Risdon, Gord Scutt, Rafael Lee, Mitch Sutton and Charles-Eric Belanger.
• There is a Junior Inter-Provincial Team championship that is held in conjunction with the first 36 holes of the tournament, which has been held since 1959.
• The Junior champion earns an exemption into the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.
• 2017 Junior Champion: Calvin Ross.
• 2017 Juvenile Champion: Christopher Vandette.
• 2017 Inter-Provincial champion: Alberta
• Current PGA TOUR player Nick Taylor captured the title in 2006.
• London, Ont., product Mitch Sutton was the last player to win the event in back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009.
• More information on the event including tee times can be found here.

ABOUT THE COURSE

• Established in 1913.
• Course was redesigned during 1984-1986
• The 9^th & 10^th holes were just recently redesigned and rebuilt during the fall of 2017. These two greens will open for play in May of 2018.
• Hosted the Alberta Ladies Amateur, Alberta Men’s Amateur and 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship
• Assistant Professional Jesse Florkowski is the reigning 3-time One Arm World Champion Golfer
• Course tournament record: 65 by Kelly Risling in 2016
• More information can be found here.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – The 109^th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship gets underway Thursday with 156 of the world’s best golfers, including 21 Canadians and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson set to compete for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open trophy and the champion’s share of the $6.2 million (US) purse.

Johnson, an 18-time winner on the PGA TOUR, has had great success at Canada’s National Open Championship, finishing runner-up in both 2013 and 2016.

“It’s always good to come back here. I’ve had some success here and I enjoy coming and playing the Canadian Open, especially being an RBC ambassador,” said Johnson. “I get a lot of fans out here and they’ve been great the past few years.”

The world’s No. 1 golfer had high praise for the work superintendent Andrew Gyba and his team have done to get the course ready for the RBC Canadian Open.

“The course is in really good shape, probably the best shape I’ve seen it since I’ve played here,” added Johnson. “It’s going to be a good week.”

Johnson went on to talk about the recently announced date change for the RBC Canadian Open—moving to June 3 to 9 beginning in 2019—and the impact he anticipates it will have on the tournament.

“I think it’ll be good for the golf tournament. A lot of guys like to play the week before the U.S. Open, so you’ll definitely get some different guys,” said Johnson. “I think the field will definitely improve, even though this year I feel like we have a really good field at the tournament.”

PAIRINGS FOR ROUNDS 1 and 2
Pairings and start times for the opening two rounds of the 109th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship on Thursday, July 26 and Friday, July 27 are now available online here.

INTERVIEW VIDEO, AUDIO AND TRANSCRIPTS FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 25
Interview, audio and transcripts for the following players and events from Wednesday, July 25 are available here and video is available here. Please note the videos are unedited, uncut and broadcast-quality.

• Brooks Koepka
• Jhonattan Vegas
• Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Connors
• Dustin Johnson

2018 MEDIA GUIDE AND PLAYER PERFORMANCE BOOK:
Media can also download the 2018 RBC Canadian Open Media Guide for complete stats, records and historical information. Media can also download the 2018 RBC Canadian Open Player Performance Book which details individual player statistics from 1904-2017.

TELEVISION COVERAGE:
The following are television times for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open:

Thursday July 26

• TSN 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Golf Channel 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Friday July 27

• TSN 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Golf Channel 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday July 28

• Golf Channel 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• CBS & Global 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday July 29

• Golf Channel 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• CBS & Global 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

RED AND WHITE DAY:
On Friday, July 27, we invite you to wear your brightest reds and your whitest whites to celebrate Canada and show your support for the Canadian players competing in our National Open. Canadian flags will be handed out at the main entrance while supplies last. 

TICKETS:
Grounds tickets for all days of the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, as well as, a limited number of premium ticket packages are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing is available online at http://www.rbccanadianopen.com/. Golf Canada and RBC are also pleased to offer FREE admission to juniors 17 and younger—Click here to download a FREE Junior Pass.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Dustin Johnson pulled on the Edmonton Oilers jersey with “Gretzky 99” on the back, lined up his shot and hit it over the water and on to the green at No. 7 on Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Jersey: 9⃣9⃣
Swing: ?@DJohnsonPGA pays homage to @WayneGretzky with an @Oilers jersey at “The Rink” during his @RBCCanadianOpen pro-am.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/NyVSspUOVz

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 25, 2018

American through-and-through, the RBC Canadian Open is Johnson’s home tournament by marriage, with future father-in-law Wayne Gretzky growing up in nearby Brantford, Ont.

But playing in a pro-am tournament on Wednesday morning, Johnson was encouraged to embrace his extended family’s sport of choice at Glen Abbey’s seventh hole, which has a tee box surrounded by hockey boards and tournament volunteers stationed at the hole wearing referee’s stripes.

“I’m sure Wayne had something to do with it,” said Johnson with a laugh. “They wanted us to wear our favourite hockey jersey when we hit the shot on No. 7 so I had the Gretzky jersey on.”

Johnson leads a highly competitive field that also includes U.S. Open winner Brooks Koepka, two-time RBC Canadian Open winner Jim Furyk, and top-20 players Tommy Fleetwood and Bubba Watson. Jhonattan Vegas, who has won the last two RBC Canadian Opens, is also back.

As world No. 1, Johnson always draws a big crowd. But the added boost of having family ties to hockey royalty makes him extra popular at the RBC Canadian Open.

“I get a lot of fans up here, thanks to Wayne. Thanks Wayne, I appreciate that,” said Johnson, who is engaged to Gretzky’s daughter Paulina. “I get a lot of fans and it’s great. It’s always fun to play for a big crowd, to have them cheering you on.”

Johnson will tee off with Watson and Canadian Adam Hadwin to start the first round on Thursday. Hadwin, ranked No. 55, is the top Canadian on the PGA TOUR this season. Although he’s from Abbotsford, B.C., he also sees the RBC Canadian Open as his hometown event, even if it’s more than 4,000 kilometres from home.

“It’s always exciting to come back in to Canada and play,” said Hadwin. “They love golf up here. They love supporting Canadians. I’m really just proud to represent them.”

Hadwin is one of 21 Canadians in the field at this year’s tournament, which also includes PGA regulars Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont.

Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., the 2003 Masters champion, and David Hearn, from Gretzky’s home town of Brantford, are other Canadians to watch.

Pat Fletcher of Victoria was the last Canadian to win the national championship in 1954, finishing at 8-under with a four-stroke lead at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf Club.

“We all want to do well, we all want to play well,” said Hadwin. “I know it’s been a long time (since a Canadian won).”

The RBC Canadian Open’s undergoing major changes after this season. With Glen Abbey possibly slated for demolition, it could be the last time the Jack Nicklaus-designed course will be used for the event. Hamilton Golf and Country Club will play host next year.

It’s position on the PGA TOUR’s schedule is also being moved from mid-July, a week after the British Open, to early June, the week before the U.S. Open. The change in schedule will improve the strength of the RBC Canadian Open’s field as many golfers like to rest after the British Open.

“I like playing the week before (a major),” said Koepka. “I think it’s good prep to know where your game is at. I wouldn’t be surprised if the (Hamilton) golf course, they grow the rough up just to kind of imitate, I guess, Pebble Beach a little bit.”