TROON, Scotland – Phil Mickelson pointed his putter toward the hole and was ready to step right into major championship history Thursday in the British Open.

Instead, he endured another dose of heartache.

All because of a 63.

The 16-foot putt looked good until the last turn, catching the right side of the cup. The ball then rode the edge until it sat there on the other side of the hole. Mickelson plopped his hand on his forehead in disbelief. His caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, toppled onto his back.

“I want to cry,” Mickelson said.

No tears were necessary at Royal Troon, not after a round that was brilliant even by Lefty’s standards, and certainly not after building a three-shot lead over Patrick Reed and Martin Kaymer on an ideal day by the Irish Sea.

Mickelson seized the moment with a birdie on the par-5 16th from a bunker short of the green, and a 4-iron to 15 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th to reach 8-under par. Over the last 43 years in the majors, there had been 27 rounds of 63. No one had shot 62.

Mickelson knew that. He also knew he most likely would never get a chance like this after his 6-iron settled 16 feet from the hole on No. 18.

“That putt on 18 was an opportunity to do something historical,” he said. “I knew it, and with a foot to go I thought I had done it. I saw that ball rolling right in the center. I went to go get it. I had that surge of adrenaline that I had just shot 62. And then I had the heartbreak that I didn’t and watched that ball lip out.

“Wow, that stings.”

What helped ease the pain is that it was only Thursday. He has gone three years since his last victory, the British Open at Muirfield, where his 66 ranks among the great closing rounds in a major. Mickelson still considers it his best round.

He might not have if that 16-foot putt had dropped.

It was reminiscent of his putt that spun all the way around the cup in the Phoenix Open three years ago when he could have shot 59. That didn’t hurt as badly as this one because five players have shot 59 on the PGA Tour.

“This one’s going to stay with me for a while because of the historical element of the major championships,” he said. “The opportunity to shoot 62 and be the first one to do it, I just don’t think that’s going to come around again. And that’s why I walk away so disappointed.”

Even with such a close call, Mickelson is in good company.

Jack Nicklaus missed a putt just inside 3 feet for a 62 in the 1980 U.S. Open at Baltusrol. Greg Norman had to only two-putt from 30 feet for a 62 at Turnberry in the 1986 British Open and took three putts. Tiger Woods watched his 15-foot putt for 62 spin 270 degrees around the cup in the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. Nick Price’s birdie putt for a 62 in the 1986 Masters dipped in and out of the cup.

Asked why there had never been a 62 in the major, Mickelson pointed to his putt.

“There’s a curse,” he said. “Because that ball should have been in.”

It wasn’t for a lack of effort. He went with a 6-iron to play a baby cut back toward the hole, and it worked out perfectly. He brought in his caddie and told him that “I need your best read.” Ernie Els did his part, putting out of turn to turn the stage over to Mickelson.

The pace was perfect. The putt looked perfect – until it wasn’t. By a fraction.

“I saw that ball going in and I just had a good, clear vision of what was going to happen,” he said. “What I didn’t see was what happened.”

And now, he faces a return to reality.

Of the seven previous players to open with a 63 in a major, only Nicklaus at the 1980 U.S. Open and Raymond Floyd at the 1982 PGA Championship went on to win.

Royal Troon might not be this gentle the rest of the week. The forecast was for strong wind and rain for Friday, especially when Mickelson and Kaymer play in the morning. Lefty was ready to embrace whatever came his way.

“One of the biggest challenges is when you shoot a round like this, you start expectations running through your head and so forth, and that’s the one thing that I’ll have to try to suppress and hold off,” he said. “We’ll have three more rounds. We’ll have varying conditions tomorrow. It’s going to be very difficult.”

Eight Americans were among the top 11 on the leaderboard at Royal Troon, where they have won the Open the last six times. That group included Steve Stricker, the 49-year-old in his first major this year, and Justin Thomas, the 23-year-old in his first British Open.

Defending champion Zach Johnson had a chance to shoot 63 if he birdied the last two holes. He went bogey-bogey for a 67.

But this day was all about Mickelson, who never seriously came close to making bogey. He missed only three greens and two fairways, one on the 18th when he switched to a 3-wood and, realizing what was at stake, sent his shot toward a pot bunker.

It bounced just far enough left to avoid it. It looked as though everything was going to his way. Right until the final inch.

For 112 years, the Olympic dream for Canadian golf was a historic footnote. That will change this summer in Rio de Janeiro when golf makes its celebrated return to the Olympic Games.

The Olympic spotlight is the brightest in all of sport. The Games — 10,000 athletes from 206 countries competing over 17 days in 306 medal events — are the pinnacle of sport and showcasing golf on that powerful stage will impact the game worldwide.

For 120 golfers — 60 men and 60 women — joining their countrymen in Rio, there is no prize money, no ties, no cut, no major and no next year. They’ll play for their country and their flag — a once-in-a-lifetime moment for an athlete to climb podium-high above his or her competitors and be washed over in the emotional celebration of a national anthem.

Professional golfers are all too often measured by money lists and majors. Golf’s return to the Olympics transcends both. The best players on the planet will challenge for dozens of majors over their career, amassing millions of dollars along the way. The mindset to prep for a competition that offers no next year is foreign to golf — immersed in a bubble with the world’s finest athletes who face the enormous pressure to perform on the biggest stage in sport.

Imagine a scenario where seven groups of competitors come down to the 72nd hole with a gold, silver and bronze medal up for grabs. The emotion of a playoff would be incredible. Winners will rise to the occasion and the rest will wonder what might have been in their Olympic moment. For Canadians watching at home, picture our four golfers proudly wearing the Maple Leaf in defending the Olympic gold medal that George S. Lyon won in 1904. Despite golf’s popularity in this country, courses from coast to coast can share in the spirit of Olympism.

The Olympic movement is more than sport theatre on the biggest stage. It’s a celebration of values — excellence, inclusiveness, equality, fun, integrity, sustainability and access to sport along with physical, mental and social well-being — that are important to Canadian golf. For two weeks in August, the Olympics will connect billions of people through an intense and emotional sport experience.

I believe in the power of heroes. Those moments watching the Olympics play out that ignite our interest in the athletes and our passion for sport. Enthusiasts from around the world that may not feel a connection to golf embracing the world’s best players competing for their country; a son or daughter experiencing the Games and curiously asking mom or dad if they can give golf a try. That’s the true power of golf’s return to the Olympic Games.

For Canadian golf fans — myself firmly included — the only thing more satisfying than the serenity of the golf course this summer would be hearing our national anthem once the final putt drops in Rio.

A golfer’s anthem This article was originally published in the May 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

TROON, Scotland – Rory McIlroy was never more thrilled to be playing the British Open.

Thursday was his first round since he won the claret jug at Royal Liverpool two years ago because he had to sit out St. Andrews with an ankle injury. And finally, he was able to talk about his birdies – all five of them – instead of jabs at Olympic golf that caused such a stir earlier in the week.

“It’s nice that the tournament started,” McIlroy said after opening with a 2-under 69. “I think I said all I needed to say on that matter and hopefully I can go out tomorrow and play similar to the way I did today and get myself right into contention for another claret jug.”

McIlroy gave away three shots, and a share of the early lead, with two sloppy holes on the back nine at Royal Troon. But in a procession of golf’s Fab Four, he made the best of the ideal conditions along the Irish Sea.

Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and McIlroy were in separate groups separated by four tee times. Spieth was heard uttering rare words – “I can’t buy a putt” – on his way to a 71, while Day made it three straight majors as the No. 1 player in which he failed to break par in the opening round. He had a 73. Johnson played in the easiest conditions and shot 71.

MCILROY’s MISSION

The strong talk from McIlroy on the idea of Olympic golf helping to grow the game might have revealed a deeper state of his mind. He is fed up with watching others go to No. 1 and win majors, and there was a sense he was ready to do something about it.

He came out firing, and with a third straight birdie on the Postage Stamp par 3 at No. 8, he was 4 under and tied for the lead. That changed with a shot over the green, a poor chip and three putts for a double bogey on the 13th, and he was so angry that he dropped another shot on the 14th.

“I think if I would’ve stepped on the first tee and someone would have given me a 69, I probably would have taken it,” McIlroy said. “But if somebody had given me that score on the 10th, I probably would have.”

The real test could be Friday with rain in the forecast. McIlroy, even with his roots in Northern Ireland, is not regarded as a player who thrives in bad weather. And he was six shots behind Phil Mickelson. His hope is that it clears out by the time he tees off in the afternoon.

“I don’t think we’re going to see the course like this for the rest of the week,” he said.

DAY’S SLOW START

Day takes his No. 1 ranking seriously. Maybe too seriously.

Favored in all three majors this year, he still can’t seem to get off to a good start. Dropped shots on the back nine sent him to a 72 at the Masters. He opened with a 76 at Oakmont and had to play well just to make the cut. And in the ideal conditions at Royal Troon, he shot 73.

For the third straight time, he has to spend the rest of the week catching up.

Day might be one of the few players hoping for bad weather because it might be his best way to get back into the tournament.

“I’m already missing greens anyways,” he said. “And if I’m going to miss greens, I’m going to miss greens on hard days, and if I can just grind myself out and make pars, it would be great. If I can hit a little bit better tomorrow, that would be fantastic.”

SPIETH STUMBLES

Spieth faced two 10-foot birdie putts on his opening holes. He missed them both, a sign of what was to come. The player known as the best putter in today’s crop of players required 18 putts on the front nine – a pair of two-putt birdies, one par save and a three-putt bogey on the ninth.

He stared for the longest time at a leaderboard next to the 17th green, realizing that even par wasn’t going to cut it on a perfect day as this.

When asked what was wrong with his putting, Spieth smiled and said, “That’s a question I almost never get asked. So because of that, I’m not thinking much of it.”

He at least hit the ball well from tee to green, calling it his best since he won by eight shots in Hawaii to start the year. He made a lot of putts in Hawaii.

JOHNSON’S MAJOR ENCORE

In his first round at a major since winning the U.S. Open, Johnson played a round that usually gets rewarded at a U.S. Open – 14 pars, two birdies, two bogeys. Except this was the British Open, and the conditions were never easier at Royal Troon.

He blasted driver on the opening hole toward the sea and made bogey. He played the par 5s in even.

“Obviously, you have to hole some putts here,” he said.

That’s true at any major.

De Winton, Alta. – Kenna Hughes won a hard-fought battle on Thursday to edge out the defending champion, Katy Rutherford, who finished three shots back. Hughes carded 6 birdies en route to her victory, including three in a row on the back nine.

When asked to comment on her win, Hughes replied, “I hit my driver and irons well all week. It feels great to win considering I was struggling with my game earlier this season. I’m pleased to say I put together three solid rounds of golf.”

Taylor Stone of Pinebrook Golf & Country Club shot +21, 234, claiming victory in the Alberta Juvenile Girls Championship.

Kehler Koss, who recently won the 2016 CN Future Links Western Championship, finished third in the Alberta Junior Girls Championship, granting her a position on the interprovicial squad with Hughes. The final spot was claimed by Alicia Easthope, who finished in 4th. The Alberta Junior Girls Interprovincial Team will move on to compete in the Canadian Junior Girls Championship from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.

The third round of the Alberta Junior & Juvenile Boys Championship finished with Jaxon Lynn out in front for the Junior Boys and Chandler McDowell leading the Juvenile Boys. Lynn and McDowell shot -3, 68, and -5, 66, respectively in today’s round.

The final round of the junior and juvenile boys championship will commence at 7 a.m. on Friday, July 15.

Alberta Golf would like to extend thanks to the staff at Cottonwood Golf and Country Club for their efforts in accommodating the 2016 Alberta Junior & Juvenile Championship.

For final round standings from the championship, click here.

FAIRVIEW, P.E.I. – Ideal conditions and sunny skies set the stage for the second round of the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship at Countryview Golf Club. First-round co-leader Calvin Ross claimed sole possession of the Junior Boys lead, while Allison Chandler extended her advantage atop the Junior Girls division to 10 strokes.

Defending Junior Boys champion Calvin Ross carded a 70 to reach 3-under 141. The product of Fredericton, N.B., tallied four birdies across the front nine to build a four-stroke lead.

Alex Taylor of Nine Mile Creek, P.E.I., also posted a 2-under round, sinking five birdies in his final 12 holes. The 16-year-old alongside Kevin Chen (Stratford, P.E.I.), Jack Anderson (Halifax) and Shaun Margeson (Fall River, N.S.) hold shares of second at 1-over 145.

Chester, N.S., resident Allison Chandler shot 1-over 73 to further distance herself from her Junior Girls competitors. The 18-year-old defending champion sunk three birdies on the day to finish 2-under 142. Port Williams, N.S., native Meghan McLean sits in second at 8-over, while her younger sister Heather is one-stroke back in third following a 4-over second-round showing.

Laura Jones, who began the day in sixth-place, carded a 76 to climb into fourth at 11-over. The product of Moncton, N.B., claimed runner-up honours at the 2015 edition of this event at Gowan Brae Golf Club in Bathurst, N.B. Sarah Beqaj of Toronto sits fifth at 13-over.

The top six finalists in the Junior Boys Division will earn exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. In the case of ties, exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff. All competitors within the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls Division will gain entry into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be conducted from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The final day of competition will see the Junior Boys tee-off at 7:30 a.m. before the Junior Girls begin play at 10:10 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.

I wasn’t there in 1976 when Jack Nicklaus proudly presided over the opening of his first solo design, Glen Abbey Golf Club, in Oakville, Ont. It was a purpose-built course, providing a test for the world’s best players but, innovatively for that era, putting the needs of the spectators right up there with those of the competitors.

“I sort of came up with the idea of putting the clubhouse in the centre of the property and then having like spokes of a wheel going out, playing holes out and having the gallery go out on those spokes,” Nicklaus has said.

Three years later, I covered my first RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey and have only missed a couple played there since.

During my tenure in the early 1990s as Golf Canada’s Director of Communications and Member Services, my office in Golf House overlooked the course. I delved into its genesis and design philosophy when I included it in the first volume of my Great Golf Courses of Canada books.

Over the years, I have played it dozens of times. The more I played it, as the course and I matured in a golfing sense, I increasingly appreciated it. Safe to say, I know Glen Abbey.

So it irks me somewhat when I hear the often uninformed criticism of Glen Abbey and the fact that since 1976, it has been the semi-permanent home of our Open championship. Next week, it will play host to our Open for the 28^th time.

Focusing on the five holes in the valley is like focusing just on Amen Corner at Augusta National. There is no denying they are something special: The tee shot from on-high at 11, the tough par-3 12^th, the do-or-die par-5 13^th, the risk-reward 14^th (often ranked as one of the toughest holes on the PGA TOUR) and the short but confounding par-3 15^th.

But the holes “up top” on the tablelands, present their own challenges and to write them off is facile.

Subjectively, I love playing The Abbey, typically cruising (with any luck) through the first five holes before confronting two tough par-4s on 6 and 8, with the maddening par-3 7^th tucked between them. Although the ninth presents water in front of the green, a short- to mid-iron gets you home. Hole 10 is a breather before heading down into the valley. Then up the hill and on to 16, a par-4 for the Open, and then 17 with its multiple fairway bunkers and its controversial amoeba-shaped green. On my second (more likely third) shot on 18, I always pause to look at the fairway bunker on the right from where Tiger Woods hit that astounding 6-iron to win in 2000. “The shot of the year,” according to Golf Channel.

I am no fan of course rankings. I prefer instead to evaluate each course’s overall experience.

In my estimation, Glen Abbey ranks right up there from a number of perspectives. When the rough is up, the greens are fast and the fairways are narrowed, it provides all the elements for a PGA TOUR venue. It welcomes spectators with a fan-friendly design. The site is logistically ideal for a TOUR event. Gate receipts and corporate sponsorships provide revenue for Golf Canada to underwrite its many “grow the game” initiatives.

I will not argue that Glen Abbey is the best, most difficult or most beautiful course in the country. But it is iconic nonetheless.

Like Nicklaus and Rod McIsaac and Dick Grimm and Bruce Forbes, whose vision gave birth to Glen Abbey, it deserves to be in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, as the old saying goes.

Glen Abbey Golf Club will play host to the 2016 and 2017 RBC Canadian Opens. For more info, visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.

The 2016 RBC Canadian Open won’t be the only national golf competition taking place this coming week at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Twenty-five competitors from across Canada will converge at Glen Abbey on Saturday, July 16^th for the eighth annual CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, marking the culmination of more than 2,200 participants competing at 134 golf facilities across Canada. As determined by their standing on the National Leaderboard, the top 25 juniors in the country will compete in a four-part skills challenge (putting, chipping, driving and iron play) with one overall winner per age group and gender.

The highest skills challenge scorers from events across Canada during the 2016 golf season are listed below:

The winners of the CN Future Links Skills Challenge National Event in the boys and girls 15-18 age groups will receive an exemption into their local CN Future Links Championship in 2017. All other attending participants of the CN Future Links Junior Skills National Event will receive prizing courtesy of Titleist Footjoy.

On the Sunday prior to tournament week, junior participants will also have the opportunity to test the storied Glen Abbey layout in an exciting match play format, outfitted by program sponsor Cobra Puma Golf. Following that, participants will be provided weekly grounds passes and have an opportunity to be involved in Monday’s Pro-Am and secure a spot in Wednesday’s CN Future Links Walk with a Pro event during the Wednesday Pro-Am.

Click here to learn more about the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event.

Through separate qualifying events, six Canadians have punched their tickets to the U.S. Men’s Amateur next month.

Amateur Squad member Eric Banks of Truro, N.S., was the latest Team Canada athlete to secure his spot—posting a 66-71 on Tuesday to finish as medalist at the Crestwood Country Club in Rehoboth, Mass. His effort was matched by Joey Savoie of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., who bested the field at the Milford, Conn., event hosted at the Great River Golf Club. The Saint Leo freshman carded a 72-68 to earn medalist honours with a one-stroke advantage.

Team Canada’s Amateur Squad duo of Blair Hamilton and Hugo Bernard shared medalist honours on Monday in Hamilton, N.Y., to lock up the two available spots at the Seven Oaks Golf Course qualifying event.

The pair kept up a steady pace throughout the 36-hole stroke-play event, both carding totals of 139 (-5) to win the qualifier by one stroke. Bernard, a Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., product, made his push by going 3-under par on his final nine holes to secure his spot. Teammate and Burlington, Ont., native Hamilton’s final round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 5^th hole, cancelling out a double-bogey just two holes prior.

Canada’s Josh Goheen of Greely, Ont., finished two-strokes off the pace at 3-under par to become the second alternate from the Seven Oaks GC event.

Also in New York, Maxwell Sear of Unionville, Ont. bested the field at the Mendon Golf Club on Monday with a 69-68 to close at 5-under par. The West Virginia Mountaineer sophomore birdied three of his first five holes to boost him towards the one-stroke victory.

Rounding out the quintet is Canadian Kaleb Gorbahn of Smithers, B.C., won the Blaine, Wash., qualifying event last week.

All five Canucks will head to Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., from Aug. 15–21 to compete for the title, and one of two spots into The Masters in 2017. Canada’s Corey Conners (currently on the Young Pro Squad) finished as a finalist back in 2014, eventually going on to finish as top amateur at the 2015 Masters.

Click here for updated qualifier scoring.

Pumped for the US Am!! pic.twitter.com/U02YeCcPTj

— Eric Banks (@EricBanks19) July 12, 2016

T-1 in my US AM qualifier with 71-68!! Excited to play in the biggest amateur tournament in the world in august!! pic.twitter.com/nPrTA4LYkE

— hugo bernard (@Hbernard63) July 11, 2016

See you at Oakland Hills #USAmateur #hammythekid pic.twitter.com/yJumujVCYF

— Blair Hamilton (@BlairHamilton12) July 12, 2016

FAIRVIEW, P.E.I. – The first round of the 2016 CN Future Links Atlantic Championship opened under clear skies at Countryview Golf Club. Defending champion Allison Chandler holds a five-stroke advantage atop the Junior Girls division, while defending Junior Boys champion Calvin Ross, Sam Reid and Shaun Margeson share the lead.

Chandler captured the 2015 CN Future Links Atlantic Junior Girls title at Gowan Brae Golf Club in Bathurst, N.B. The Chester, N.S., native picked up where she left off, notching four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole en route to a 3-under 69.

Meghan McLean of Port Williams, N.S., stayed bogey-free through her final 10 holes to take sole possession of second at 2-over. Toronto’s Sarah Beqaj sits third at 3-over following a four-birdie showing. An eagle on the par-5 12th hole propelled Sarah Holt of Waterville, N.B., into fourth-place, while Port Williams, N.S., resident Heather McLean holds fifth.

Calvin Ross recorded four birdies on the day in pursuit of a second-straight CN Future Links Atlantic Junior Boys title. The product of Fredericton, N.B., shot 1-under 71 for a share of the lead alongside Sam Reid of Moncton, N.B., and Shaun Margeson of Fall River, N.S.

Andre Savoie (Dieppe, N.B.), Luke Gavin (Peterborough, Ont.) and Adrian Mallet (Cornwall, P.E.I.) matched 72s to hold shares of fourth.

The top six finalists in the Junior Boys Division will earn exemptions into the 2016 Canadian Junior Boys Championship at Clovelly Golf Club in St. John’s, N.L., from August 1-4. In the case of ties, exemptions will be decided via a hole-by-hole playoff. All competitors within the Top-6, including ties, in the Junior Girls Division will gain entry into the Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The tournament will be conducted from August 2-5 at The Links at Penn Hills in Shubenacadie, N.S.

The second day of competition will see the Junior Girls tee-off at 7:30 a.m. before the Junior Boys begin play at 8:20 a.m. Additional information, including pairings and up-to-date scoring is available here.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and RBC are proud to announce that Web.com Tour player Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., along with a trio of National Amateur Squad members are among the Canadians receiving tournament exemptions to compete in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open taking place at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 18-24.

Fritsch, who will make his ninth appearance in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship, is having a strong year on the Web.com Tour with a victory at the Servientrega Championship Presented by Efecty and a runner-up finish at the El Bosque Mexico Championship presented by INNOVA that positions the 38-year-old fifth on the Tour’s money list.

Tournament exemptions have also been given to Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Hugo Bernard of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., Calgary’s Jared du Toit and Burlington, Ont., native Blair Hamilton.

As well, this will be the second consecutive year in which Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., has earned his place in the RBC Canadian Open by claiming victory in the previous year’s Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

PGA of Canada professional Dave Levesque of Montréal earned his way into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open by claiming the No. 1 position on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Branson Ferrier of Barrie, Ont., shot 4-under 68 at King’s Forest Golf Course to top the 144-player field to earn an exemption through the RBC Canadian Open Ontario Regional Qualifier.

Fritsch, Bernard, du Toit, Hamilton, Rank, Levesque and Ferrier will be among 12 Canadians who will challenge for the 107th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.

Leading the Canadian contingent at Glen Abbey will be Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn, whose 2016 season includes six Top-20 finishes, including a T9 result at The RSM Classic in Sea Island, Ga. Hearn, who held the 54-hole lead before finishing third in the 2015 RBC Canadian Open, is the No. 127-ranked player on the World Golf Ranking.

Joining Hearn will be fellow Canadian PGA Tour players Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., Abbotsford, B.C., natives Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., who will be playing in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship for a 25th time.

“We are excited to have these 12 deserving Canadians compete in the 107th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “The passion that these talented players have shown in representing Canada is a true inspiration to the country’s young golfers and we are proud to welcome them to the field for the RBC Canadian Open.”

The 12 Canadian players will look to become the first Canadian to capture the national title since Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat in 1954.

The Canadians confirmed for Glen Abbey will join a field of PGA Tour and international stars that includes defending champion and World No. 1 Jason Day, U.S. Open champion and World No. 2 Dustin Johnson, World No. 15 Matt Kuchar, 2006-2007 RBC Canadian Open champion and World No. 20 Jim Furyk, 2013 RBC Canadian Open champion and World No. 23 Brandt Snedeker, World No. 71 Ryan Palmer, World No. 74 Graeme McDowell, 2016 Masters low amateur Bryson DeChambeau, former World No.1 amateur Jon Rahm and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els.

Celebrating Canada’s Olympic Golf Team on Tuesday July 19…

The 2016 edition of the RBC Canadian Open is one of the final events before golf returns to the Olympic Games following a 112-year absence. For the first time since Canadian George S. Lyon captured gold in 1904, teams from around the globe will compete on international sport’s grandest stage.

The 2016 Canadian Olympic golf team will be officially welcomed by the Canadian Olympic Committee to Team Canada during a FREE public celebration at Glen Abbey on Tuesday, July 19 at 11 a.m. ET. The men’s team will compete from August 11-14, while the women’s team will take to the Campo Olimpico de Golf course in Rio de Janeiro from August 17-20.

In addition, Friday, July 22 will once again be Red and White Day at the RBC Canadian Open. Players and spectators are encouraged to wear Canada’s national colours in support of our Canadian hopefuls in the field challenging for Canada’s National Open Championship.

Confirmed Canadians in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open:

David Hearn

• Currently the No. 1-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 127)
• Currently ranked No. 74 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 14th RBC Canadian Open (finished 3rd in 2015)

Graham DeLaet

• Currently the No. 2-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 146)
• Currently ranked No. 105 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 8th RBC Canadian Open

Adam Hadwin

• Currently the No. 3-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 182)
• Currently ranked No. 89 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 7th RBC Canadian Open (finished T4 in 2011; T7 in 2015)

Nick Taylor

• Currently ranked No. 286 in the world and No. 106 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 7th RBC Canadian Open

Mike Weir

• 8-time PGA TOUR winner
• 2003 Masters champion
• Inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2009
• Competing in his 25th RBC Canadian Open

Brad Fritsch

• Currently ranked 5th on the 2016 Web.com money list
• Won 2016 Servientrega Championship on Web.com Tour
• Competing in his 9th RBC Canadian Open

Jared du Toit

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently the No. 1-ranked Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 56)
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

Blair Hamilton

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently the No. 2-ranked Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 106)
• Competing in his 2nd RBC Canadian Open (tied for low amateur at 2015 RBC Canadian Open)

Hugo Bernard

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently ranked No. 255 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking
• Won NCAA Division II Championship
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

Garrett Rank

• Former Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• 2014 & 2015 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion
• Competing in his 2nd RBC Canadian Open

Dave Levesque

• Currently ranked No. 1 on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC
• Competing in his 3rd RBC Canadian Open

Branson Ferrier

• Winner of RBC Canadian Open Ontario Regional Qualifier
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

The final field for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open will be released on Friday, July 15 after 5 p.m. ET.

Information regarding tickets, free 17-and-under junior passes, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open can be found at www.rbccanadianopen.com.