Brampton, Ont. – Team Canada alumnus Cougar Collins of Mono, Ont. took advantage of favourable morning conditions at Monday’s opening Regional Qualifier to book his spot in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.
A former member of Team Canada’s Men’s Amateur Squad in 2020 and 2021, Collins carded a 65 at Brampton Golf Club in Brampton, Ont. on Monday to take the clubhouse lead at six-under par. Finishing his round just after 1 p.m. local time, Collins was forced to wait nearly six hours before being declared the event’s official winner, a feat he was more than happy to hold out for with brief periods of rain weaponizing the course shortly before the final group teed off at 2:01 p.m. local time.
Finishing in a tie for sixth at last year’s Monday Qualifier and unsuccessful in his attempt to earn a place in the 2024 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Hamilton, Ont., Collins put any doubts of being in the 2025 field to rest with his prevailing victory Monday.
He will get set to take on the North course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont., a destination not far from his hometown of Mono, Ont., when action begins on June 4.
“It’s actually my home course so it’s really freaking cool,” commented an elated Collins following his win. “I’ve wanted to play in the Canadian Open since I started golfing. Obviously, this is like our major championship if you will, for Canada, so I’m pretty pumped to be playing in it.”
Collins rode a hot start on Monday to perch himself atop the leaderboards, carding birdies at holes one, six, seven and nine to make the turn with a field-best score of 33. He then navigated the first four holes of his back nine at even-par before separating further from the morning wave with consecutive birdies at the 14th and 15th to shoot himself up to six-under par.
A double bogey at the par-3 16th erased all of his momentum on the back nine, however, the scare was only temporary after Collins found redemption on the 17th with an eagle to maintain his distance over his chasers.
“I was pretty steady all day until I came up onto 16 and hit it in the water,” said Collins. “I was mad, but I got over it pretty quickly and I’m glad I was able to bounce back and make eagle on 17.”
Several other players from the morning wave capitalized on fair conditions to secure exemption into the final qualifier, including current Team Canada NextGen members, Jager Pain of Woodbridge, Ont. and Antoine Jasmin of Blainville, Que. The two played alongside Collins throughout the day and carded rounds of 68 and 71 respectively.
“I thought both of them had great games,” praised Collins of his two playing partners, Pain and Jasmin. “I’m sure they’re going to play very well in college,” he added.
RBC Canadian Open – Ont. Regional Qualifier Results:
| Pos. | Player | Residence | To Par | Total |
| 1 | Cougar Collins | Mono, Ont. | -6 | 65 |
| T2 | Marcus Rodrigues | Burlington, Ont. | -3 | 68 |
| T2 | Drew Nesbitt | Oro Medonte, Ont. | -3 | 68 |
| T4 | Chris Wilson | Toronto, Ont. | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Jager Pain (a) | Woodbridge, Ont. | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Derek Gillespie | Bethesda, Md. | -2 | 69 |
| T7 | Matteo Rocco (a) | Toronto, Ont. | -1 | 69 |
| T7 | Lucas Gilbart (a) | Toronto, Ont. | -1 | 70 |
| T7 | Cam Burke (a) | Kitchener, Ont. | -1 | 70 |
| T7 | Ryan Borg | Mississauga, Ont. | -1 | 70 |
| T7 | Terry O’Brien | Barrie, Ont. | -1 | 70 |
| T12 | Christian DiMarco | Tampa, Fla. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Derek Dalziel (a) | London, Ont. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Robbie Latter | Port Carling, Ont. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Antoine Jasmin (a) | Blainville, Que. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Alessandro Cappa (a) | Toronto, Ont. | E | 71 |
| T12 | David Li Sheman | Aurora, Ont. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Logan Ambrose (a) | Orangeville, Ont. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Patrick Deardorff | Clarkston, Mich. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Brian Hadley | Sarnia, Ont. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Justin Caron | Hammonds Plains, N.S | E | 71 |
| T12 | Yuvish Singh | Brampton, Ont. | E | 71 |
| T12 | Justin Viera (a) | Brampton, Ont. | E | 71 |
For the full leaderboard from Monday’s action at Brampton Golf Club, please click here.
The top 10 per cent of Monday’s finishers (excluding Collins, the low medalist) advanced to the final qualifier ahead of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, set to be contested at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. on Sunday, June 1.
All winners (low medalists) at regional qualifying sites surpassing a field size of 120 players are awarded a direct exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open and will compete alongside the game’s best at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. from June 4-8.
Players around the country will have four additional opportunities to punch their ticket into Canada’s Men’s National Open, as well as the Monday Qualifier on June 1, with regional qualifiers continuing on Tuesday, May 6 at Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont.
Squamish Valley Golf Club in Squamish, B.C. will host the following Regional Qualifier on Thursday, May 8 before wrapping up play later in the month with a pair of regional qualifiers contested at Sundre Golf Club in Sundre, Alta. and Golf Griffon des Sources in Mirabel, Que. on Wednesday, May 21.