The Memorial was arguably the toughest challenge on the PGA Tour so far this season and Adam Hadwin rode its ups and downs to his best showing of the year.

Only 11 players finished under par at the Memorial, with only six shooting under par in the final round at Muirfield Village Golf Club. Hadwin, from Abbotsford, B.C., finished third at the signature event to rocket up the FedEx Cup standings to 24th, leapfrogging Taylor Pendrith, Nick Taylor and Corey Conners to become the highest-ranked Canadian on tour. 

But the U.S. Open, traditionally the most punishing course setup on the men’s golf calendar, now looms.

“It’s going to be a very similar test, let’s be honest,” said Hadwin after finishing his round at the Memorial on Sunday after a 2-over round put him at 4-under overall. “You’re going to hit some good shots that don’t get rewarded and you’re going to have to scramble and stay patient and do all the things that I tried to do today.

“I’ve got to keep grinding, just keep doing what I’m doing and it will come.”

Hadwin’s showing at the Memorial moved him 24 spots up the official world golf rankings into an Olympic berth with one week before the men’s qualifying deadline. He also moved up to seventh for the Presidents Cup international team rankings, one spot out of an automatic berth for the prestigious international tournament.

He said that the challenges of the Memorial are good preparation for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in Pinehurst, N.C., where the United States Golf Association typically prefers tight fairways and long rough to put an emphasis on accuracy.

“You could look at it one of two ways; either (the Memorial) is good prep for next week or we just got our butts kicked before going into next week,” said Hadwin. “I expect the USGA to do what the USGA does, make it very difficult on us, challenge us mentally more than anything. 

“I feel like I’m in a pretty good spot. I’m just going to have to rest up and, again, just keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

Seven Canadians are in the field at Pinehurst, tying the U.S. Open record set in 1912 and matched in 2023. 

Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Taylor of Abbotsford are the second and third highest-ranked Canadians on the PGA Tour, 35th and 36th on the FedEx Cup standings respectively. Conners (43rd) of Listowel, Ont., Mackenzie Hughes (46th) of Dundas, Ont., and Adam Svensson (87th) of Surrey, B.C., round out the pro contingent from Canada at the U.S. Open.

Svensson and amateur Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., qualified for the U.S. Open together at Cherry Hill Club in Ridgeway, Ont., on June 3, a day after the RBC Canadian Open was completed at Hamilton Golf and Country Club. Svensson finished in a tie for 51st at the Canadian Open while McCulloch missed the cut, giving him two days to rest before the U.S. Open qualifier.

“It was more mentally exhausting than anything,” said McCulloch, a junior at Michigan State University, about making his Canadian Open debut. “Playing in my first PGA Tour event, I didn’t know everything that came with it. There’s a lot of pressure when you do play for your first time. 

“That Saturday I was exhausted. I didn’t do a whole lot that day. It all worked out, and I ended up qualifying for the U.S. Open, so not a bad way to spend your weekend recovering before a U.S. Open qualifier.”

The 21-year-old McCulloch is the first Canadian amateur to qualify for the major since NHL referee Garrett Rank did it in 2018.

Canadians across major professional golf tours:

LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is sixth in the Race to CME Globe standings heading into the Meijer LPGA Classic. She’s one of five Canadians in the field at Blythefield Country Club of Belmont, Mich. Savannah Grewal (81st) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (140th), Maude-Aimee Leblanc (143rd) of Sherbrooke, Que., and Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., will also tee it up.

KORN FERRY TOUR — Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., is the highest ranked Canadian heading into this week’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open. He’s ranked 20th on the second-tier tour’s points list. He’ll be joined at Crestview Country Club by Etienne Papineau (45th) of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., Sudarshan Yellamaraju (94th) of Mississauga, Ont., and Jared du Toit (115th) of Kimberley, Ont.

EPSON TOUR — Brigitte Thibault of Rosemere, Que., is 107th in the Race for the Card, the points list for the second-tier Epson Tour. She’ll play on Friday when the Otter Creek Championship tees off in Columbus, Ind. Selena Costabile of Thornhill, Ont., Vancouver’s Leah John and Kate Johnston of Ayr, Ont., are also in the field but unranked.

Dublin, Ohio, USA – Adam Hadwin has qualified for The 152 Open at Royal Troon through the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.
 
The Memorial Tournament was the seventh event in the Open Qualifying Series and took place at Muirfield Village.
 
The Canadian was the leading player in the field not already exempt, finishing in third place at 4-under.
 
The next events in the Open Qualifying Series are the KOLON Korea Open and the KLM Open taking place from 20-23 June.

During a challenging Sunday at Muirfield Village, where only a few players managed to score below par, Hadwin quickly climbed the leaderboard with three birdies in his first seven holes. This brought him within striking distance of the 54-hole leader, Scottie Scheffler. However, Scheffler ultimately edged out Collin Morikawa by one stroke to claim his fifth win in eight starts.

In addition to punching his ticket to The Open, Hadwin’s chances of representing Team Canada at the Olympic Men’s Golf Competition in Paris this summer improved significantly. He jumped 24 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking, from No. 59 to No. 35, positioning himself as Canada’s second available spot with one week of qualification remaining.

At the last Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes represented Canada in men’s golf. In 2016, it was David Hearn and Graham DeLaet. Becoming an Olympian is a notable achievement missing from Hadwin’s impressive resume.

Olympic golf qualification depends on the Official World Golf Ranking, which will be finalized after the U.S. Open next week. Nick Taylor is likely to secure the first spot, leaving Conners, Hadwin, Taylor Pendrith, and Hughes in contention for the second spot.

All five Canadians will compete next week at Pinehurst No. 2.

Caledon, Ont., is preparing to welcome the world — through the RBC Canadian Open — to its rolling green hills.

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley was announced as the host for the 2025 edition of the RBC Canadian Open, the men’s national golf championship and the only PGA Tour event north of the border, two weeks ago. 

Mayor Annette Grove said the success of this year’s event at Hamilton Golf and Country Club shows what it can do for a municipality’s international profile.

“It’s an opportunity to really put Caledon on the map globally,” said Grove on Tuesday. “I understand that over one million households across the United States, people from 140 different countries, viewed the tournament over the weekend in Hamilton, so this is an exciting opportunity for Caledon.”

The CPKC Women’s Open, Canada’s national women’s championship and the only LPGA Tour event in the country, travels across the country. It was at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club last year and will be at Calgary’s Earl Grey Golf Club at the end of July.

The men’s championship, however, stays in southern Ontario. St. George’s Golf and Country Club and Oakdale Golf and Country Club, both in Toronto, hosted in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Along with Hamilton and Toronto TPC, the four courses — and possibly a fifth to be announced at a later date — will comprise a rotation of locations in and around Toronto, Canada’s largest city.

Golf Canada’s chief operating officer Garrett Ball outlined the two tournaments’ economic impact at a news conference on Wednesday at the Canadian Open. He said the national sport organization had an $84-million economic impact on Canada as a whole, with $66 million of that in Ontario.

Although the final ticket sales data wasn’t yet released on Tuesday, Golf Canada estimated last week that 137,000 fans attended the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club between Wednesday and Sunday. The organization also estimated that more than 60,000 of them came from more than 40 kilometres away.

Neil Lumsden, Ontario’s minister of tourism, culture and sport, announced at the same news conference that the province would contribute $1 million to Golf Canada to support the event.

“The impact won’t just be for three or four days, it will be significant and it will be long lasting,” said Lumsden. “This touches all bases on what we are trying to do across Ontario. 

“So far, when we partner up (with Golf Canada), the expectations have been met and exceeded, and this will be no different at the RBC Canadian Open.”

Groves is excited to bring that kind of economic activity to Caledon, a regional municipality northwest of Toronto, that is stretched out over 700 square kilometres. That includes the unincorporated town of Bolton, the region’s largest community, as well as seven villages and 10 hamlets.

“I believe that this is a wonderful opportunity for our local businesses right across the town,” said Groves, who pointed to the villages of Alton and Cheltenham as well as the hamlet of Terra Cotta as communities that will benefit. 

“Right across the town, businesses will certainly benefit from this economically.”

Hosting a RBC Canadian Open is not without its challenges. Staff and fans arriving account for thousands of extra cars on roads and in parking lots in the area. The township also has a limited number of accommodations for visitors.

“One of the things that we we’re working on, certainly, is shuttling people. We’ve got other areas in Caledon and Caledon is a very big place,” said Groves. “We are working with our communities right across Caledon and with our partners to make sure that we can shuttle people safely to the Osprey Valley golf course.”

Groves also said that her town would be working with the neighbouring municipalities of Brampton, Ont., and Orangeville, Ont., for infrastructure support like hotels and shuttle points.

She also pointed to Caledon’s previous success hosting the equestrian competitions at the 2015 Pan American Games, which were held at the Caledon Equestrian Park in Palgrave, Ont.

Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Kevin Kisner to join Furyk in Montreal

MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada – U.S. Team Captain Jim Furyk announced Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Kevin Kisner as captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup, which will be played at The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Montreal, Canada, Sept. 24-29. Furyk has the option to name up to two additional assistants prior to the competition.

“I am excited to announce Stewart, Justin and Kevin as my captain’s assistants for the 2024 Presidents Cup in Montreal,” said Furyk. “The three of them have a tremendous history with this event, but more importantly, they will be trusted voices in the team room and on the course for our guys. I look forward to working with them closely as we build a 12-man U.S. Team that is ready to compete at Royal Montreal this fall.”

Cink, an eight-time PGA TOUR winner, has appeared in four Presidents Cups (2000, 2005, 2007, 2009), compiling a 9-7-2 record in four U.S. Team victories, including a 4-0-0 performance in his debut in 2000. The only time Cink and Furyk were paired together in Presidents Cup competition was in 2007 at Royal Montreal, where they notched a 2-up victory over Angel Cabrera and K.J. Choi during Saturday’s fourball matches. The 51-year-old will be making his first appearance as a captain’s assistant in 2024.

“Jim is a longtime friend and it’s an honor to be named as a captain’s assistant for the 2024 Presidents Cup. This event has meant so much to my career and it’s a thrill to get to return to Montreal, where I have such great memories from 2007,” said Cink.

Leonard, 51, has competed in the Presidents Cup five times (1996, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2009), compiling an 8-11-4 all-time record. The 12-time PGA TOUR winner, who currently plays on PGA TOUR Champions, was paired with Furyk four times between the 2003 and 2009 Presidents Cups, where the pair combined for a 2-1-1 record.

“It has been incredible to watch this U.S. Team grow and develop in team competition over the years, and I can’t think of anyone better than Jim to lead this talented group into Montreal in a few months,” said Leonard, who will be making his debut as a captain’s assistant. “My history with this event goes back nearly three decades, so I was honored to receive the call and I’m excited for a great week of golf in September.”

Kisner will also be making his debut as a captain’s assistant in 2024 after competing for the U.S. Team in 2017 and 2022. The four-time PGA TOUR winner, who owns a 2-2-3 career record in Presidents Cup competition, built a reputation as a tenacious match play competitor, winning the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in 2019 and finishing runner-up in 2018 and 2022.

“Match play is my favorite format in golf and I’m looking forward to adding some expertise and insight to our team room as we lead an incredible contingent of players into Montreal,” said Kisner, 40. “Jim is someone I’ve looked up to throughout my career and is naturally just a great leader, so it was a thrill when he called and asked me to serve as a captain’s assistant this fall.”

For more information about the Presidents Cup, or to purchase tickets, please visit PresidentsCup.com. 

HAMILTON, Ontario — Robert MacIntyre, with father Dougie at his side as his caddie, held on to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.

Four strokes ahead entering the final round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, MacIntyre shot a 2-under 68 to beat playing partner Ben Griffin by a stroke. On the par-4 18th, the 27-year-old Scottish left-hander two-putted for par from 12 feet, holing out from 1 1/2 feet.

“Goose bumps. It’s incredible,” MacIntyre said. “It’s a dream of mine to play golf for a living. It’s been a dream of mine to win on the PGA Tour. … I just can’t believe I done it with my dad on the bag. The guy’s taught me the way I play golf.”

MacIntyre finished at 16-under 264 for the breakthrough victory in his 45th career PGA Tour start. The former McNeese State player was a member of Europe’s winning 2023 Ryder Cup team and has two European tour victories, the 2020 Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown and 2022 Italian Open.

“I was in a dog fight there,” MacIntyre said. “Obviously, Ben made it difficult coming in the stretch. He played well. It’s just incredible to do this with my dad on the bag and have my girlfriend here and I’m sure there’s a party going on back home in Oban.”

Griffin had a 65. He parred the 18th after birdieing the previous three holes.

“I fought hard,” Griffin said. “It felt like there was a lid on the cup for most of the day for me. I hit so many pretty good putts, I wouldn’t say like striped putts, but pretty good putts and just kept burning edges. A couple bad putts, but stayed patient.”

Victor Perez of France was third at 14 under after his second straight 64.

Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy also shot 64 to tie for fourth with Tom Kim (64) at 13 under. McIlroy won in 2019 the last time the tournament was in Hamilton and again in 2022 at St. George’s in Toronto.

“Three really good rounds of golf, one not so good one,” McIlroy said. “Felt a little out of sorts on Friday. Did a good range session and sort of rectified it.”

Corey Conners was the top Canadian, shooting a 65 to reach 12 under.

“Definitely something to be proud of,” Conners said. “Yeah, obviously disappointing to not win the big trophy, but, yeah, it’s a cool honor.

Fellow Canadian Mackenzie Hughes, tied for second entering the day, was another shot back after a 70.

Last year at Oakdale in Toronto, Nick Taylor made a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth hole of a playoff against Tommy Fleetwood to become the first Canadian to win the event since 1954.

Mackenzie Hughes had the dream scenario of winning the RBC Canadian Open in his hometown within reach but then it all slipped away.

Hughes started the final round of the men’s national golf championship tied for second, four shots back of Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre. Hughes had three birdies on his first four holes and MacIntyre bogeyed No. 1 to lift the Canadian to the top of the leaderboard.

The final 10 holes were tough on Hughes, with three bogeys dropping him back down as MacIntyre found his rhythm and surged to his first PGA Tour victory.

“Pretty gutted,” said Hughes, pausing to collect himself. “Yeah, I wanted this one pretty badly.

“I don’t know. This one will sting for awhile. I obviously got off to the start I needed to get off to but I just didn’t.”

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., ended a 69-year drought for Canadians at their national championship last year after a thrilling four-hole playoff at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf and Country Club. It has been 110 years since Canadians won it in consecutive years, with Albert Murray (1913) and Karl Keffer (1914) the last to accomplish the feat.

Hughes spoke all week about trying to stay mentally present and shelve any pressure he might feel. Not just because he was aware of the importance of keeping the championship in Canada, but because this year’s event at Hamilton Golf and Country Club was essentially in his hometown.

Billed from Dundas, Ont., just eight kilometres away from the course in Ancaster, Ont., — both towns were amalgamated into the city of Hamilton in 2000 and 2001 respectively — Hughes allowed that the pressure of the final round did weigh on him.

“Today I felt sort of the enormity of a few of the putts I had and a few of the shots,” he said. “Kind of felt like I was running out of holes at times and that I needed to make something happen. 

“In this game you can’t really force things or feel like you need to start pressing, it’s kind of a hard game to be pressing.”

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., actually leapfrogged Hughes on the final leaderboard to win the Rivermead Cup, the trophy for lowest scoring Canadian at the men’s national championship. Conners shot 5-under 65 on the day to finish 12 under in sole possession of sixth.

“I guess it’s a nice consolation prize,” said Conners, who also won it in 2022. “Definitely something to be proud of but obviously disappointing to not win the big trophy. It’s a cool honour.”

There was a small silver lining for Hughes. His performance earned him a spot in the upcoming British Open at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland.

“It’s a great, I guess, bonus after not getting what you want, but kind of hard to think about that at the moment,” said Hughes. “It’s always great to get a major start under your belt and to play at Troon.

“I’ve played there before, so it’s a really fun golf course and looking forward to getting there in July.”

Taylor Pendrith (69) of Richmond Hill, Ont., tied for 21st at 7 under. He is projected to move three spots up to 30th on the FedEx Cup standings, making him the highest ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour.

“A good step in the right direction,” said Pendrith, who went to Kent State University with Hughes and Conners. “I felt like I did a lot of good things, I putted awesome today, saved me a lot.”

Ben Silverman (68) of Thornhill, Ont., tied for 35th, Adam Svensson (70) of Surrey, B.C., tied for 51st. Myles Creighton (70) of Digby, N.S., tied for 57th. Edmonton’s Will Bateman (74) tied for 62nd, and David Hearn (76) of Brantford, Ont., finished 69th in his 20th Canadian Open appearance.

Al Riddell was going to go have a quiet Sunday afternoon coffee with his family when his dad asked if he had heard that Mike (Fluff) Cowan, C.T. Pan’s caddie, had slipped during the fourth round of the RBC Canadian Open and that a fan had started carrying his bag for him.

Riddell put his own caddie gear back on and headed back to Hamilton Golf and Country Club to see if Pan, an old friend of his from the Mackenzie Tour, needed some help.

“I don’t live too far. I’m from here. I live 15 minutes away. So we just got changed, got ready,” said Riddell. “I just went over to see him and if he was OK, if he needed someone and I jumped in for the back nine.”

Riddell usually caddies for Paul Barjon, who missed the cut on Friday, and so he was available to be the last of Pan’s four caddies in the final round of the Canadian Open. Pan shot a respectable 1-under 69 in the rain.

Cowan, Pan’s regular caddie, went down in the middle of the third hole. Paul Emerson, a fan watching the tournament, stepped inside the ropes to carry Pan’s clubs through the fourth hole.

The Taiwanese golfer birdied No. 3 but bogeyed No. 4.

Mike Campbell, who works in caddie services at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, took over for holes five through nine. That pairing grabbed birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.

Riddell and Pan’s wife Michelle — who has caddied for him before — were waiting to spell Campbell at the 10th hole. Pan ultimately chose Riddell for the final nine holes of the round.

“I just brought my yardage book and if he needed info, I had info,” said Riddell. “And if he didn’t, he just wanted me to be quiet which most people do. I just was quiet. So it worked out.”

Pan eagled the par 4 No. 12 hole, but also bogeyed Nos. 11 and 16.

The 76-year-old Cowan was not seriously injured after the fall.

Mackenzie Hughes is having fun, he really is. He’s just trying to stay focused as he chases the RBC Canadian Open title.

Shouts of “atta boy Mac!,” “Let’s go Canada!” and “We got you, Mac!” rang across Hamilton Golf and Country Club on Saturday as Hughes shot a 3-under 67 to sit in a tie for second with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and American Ben Griffin. All three are trying to catch Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who shot a 4-under 66 to build a four-shot lead heading into the final round of Canada’s men’s golf championship.

“I never get cheered for like this really ever, because when I’m playing in the U.S., I’m pretty much a nobody,” said Hughes, who is from Dundas, Ont., just eight kilometres away from the course. “Being here at home you feel like they’re really pulling you across the line.

“I made a putt on 10 and it was just like, it was like chills. The putt went in, the crowd went nuts, and just some of those moments and things I felt I’ll remember for a long time.”

If Hughes can catch MacIntyre in the final round it will be the first time in 110 years that Canadians have won the men’s national golf championship in back-to-back years.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., ended a 69-year drought at the home open at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf and Country Club in 2023.

As long a wait as it was for a Canadian to win the national title — Pat Fletcher was the last to do it in 1954 — it has been even longer since Canadians won it in consecutive years. Albert Murray (1913) and Karl Keffer (1914) were the last homegrown back-to-back champs.

Hughes has said all week that he’s trying to shelve any pressure to keep the title in Canada and just stay present when he’s on the course, even as the crowd is very vocally in his corner.

“For me, it’s about not trying too hard, not forcing things,” he said. “For the most part I would say I did a pretty good job. 

“There were a few things I would like to do over again, but, yeah, for the most part playing near the lead in your National Open I felt like I did a pretty good job handling everything and kept myself within distance for tomorrow.”

At the hockey-themed No. 13 hole, dubbed The Rink because of the hockey boards surrounding the tee box, Hughes did allow himself to get personal. For a second time at the tournament he pulled on the hockey jersey of family friend Bill Bath, who died April 23.

“I just feel like he was a huge part of my life and my journey to this point,” said Hughes of Bath, who caddied for him in 2019 when the Canadian Open was last in Hamilton. “We walked these hills the last time I was here and it’s just nice to kind of keep him out there with me, if you will. 

“I know we’re in the midst of a lot of chaos and competitiveness on that Rink hole and it’s actually a super hard shot with like a 6-iron or 5-iron, but there are bigger things than golf and he was a really close friend of mine and I’m thinking about him a lot.”

MacIntyre was 1 over on the day through 13 holes, allowing Hughes to briefly take the lead, but he reeled off three consecutive birdies and eagled No. 17 to pull way ahead of the field.

“I didn’t have it great at the start, but I feel like whenever I dropped a shot I bounced back with maybe two good shots into the green, and I would pick up a shot back,” said MacIntyre. “It never got away from me.

“A bit of luck, a bit of myself staying in the moment, staying calm. I got my reward with the putter in the end.”

Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy remained an obvious fan favourite on Saturday. Roars could be heard every time he made a birdie putt as he fired a 5-under round to bounce back from a disappointing 2-over struggle on Friday. That lifted him into a four-way tie for 11th at 7-under overall.

“I feel like an honorary Canadian at this point and the support I get here is amazing,” said McIlroy, who won his first Canadian Open on the same course in 2019. “I keep saying it, but just a pleasure to play in an atmosphere like that.

“The crowds are so good, they’re so supportive, so enthusiastic, looking forward to one more day of it.”

Corey Conners (67) of Listowel, Ont., was in that group with McIlroy. Taylor Pendrith (66) of Richmond Hill, Ont., was a shot back in a five-way tie for 15th. 

Hughes, Conners, and Pendrith were all on Kent State University’s men’s golf team together.

When Ben Silverman was announced in the 13th tee box at the RBC Canadian Open, the fans at the feature Rink hole knew just what to do: rise and sing “O Canada,” in its entirety.

The ovation was the highlight of Silverman’s day, as the golfer from Thornhill, Ont., one of eight Canadians left in the men’s national championship, shot an even-par 70 on Saturday to sit in a tie for 49th at 1-under overall.

“I didn’t expect that,” said Silverman of the patriotic serenade. “I kind of was getting pumped up for it. It’s just a fun environment. It’s cool to be around.”

Silverman had five birdies in Saturday’s third round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, but also had three bogeys and a double bogey on the par-4 No. 3 hole to finish his day no better or worse than the previous day. He liked how he’s played through the first three rounds of the Canadian Open, however.

“No major adjustments,” said Silverman on how he’ll prepare for Sunday’s final round. “Just keep doing what I’m doing and hope that all balls stay in the fairway and then I can have a better chance to score.”

Silverman is ranked 112th on the FedEx Cup standings with 229 points this season, having made 10 cuts at 16 events with four top 25s. The Canadian Open is his third consecutive made cut and given his position on its leaderboard it’s projected that he’ll hold his position on the PGA Tour rankings.

“Making cuts just cements the fact that I’m playing well, which I know I am,” said Silverman after coming off the course. “But honestly, the way the FedEx Cup points work unless you’re finishing top 20 at full field events like this, you’re not building enough points to make playoffs. 

“So it’s bittersweet at the same time because T-40 essentially doesn’t mean much. You need to climb up to top 20, top 10 and contend for wins.”

Taylor Pendrith (66) of Richmond Hill, Ont., fired a 4-under 66 on Saturday afternoon to move 15 spots up the leaderboard and into a tie for 15th. He did it all with a new caddie as Mitch Theoret, who usually carries his bag for him, was in a wedding party on Saturday. 

Instead, “Dynamite” Dean Emerson, who usually caddies for Patton Kizzire, stepped up.

“Dynamite Dean! He was great,” said Pendrith. “We had a fun time out there. Kept it pretty light. 

“He kept me hydrated, made sure I was eating my bars, and gave me some good numbers, so, yeah, he was awesome.”

Anaheim Ducks centre Ryan Strome was also in contention to carry Pendrith’s clubs for him.

“We joked about it,” laughed Pendrith. “I didn’t know how serious he was, because he was supposed to be at the same wedding that Mitch is in. 

“He said he would do it if I needed him, but he’s realizes that it’s my job and I should probably take a professional caddie, so it’s all good.”

Mackenzie Hughes (67) of nearby Dundas, Ont., was the low Canadian after three rounds, sitting in a tie for second at 10 under, four shots back of leader Robert MacIntyre of Scotland.

Corey Conners (67) of Listowel, Ont., was tied for 11th at 7 under and Edmonton’s Wil Bareman (72) dropped 23 spots into a tie for 36th at 2 under. 

Adam Svensson (69) of Surrey, B.C., was tied with Silverman at 1 under. 

Myles Creighton (71) of Digby, N.S., was tied for 58th at even-par 70 and David Hearn (72) of Brantford, Ont., was tied for 64th at 2 over.

Mackenzie Hughes first competed in the Canadian Open at the Hamilton Golf & Country Club when he was a bright-eyed 21-year-old.  Today, 12 years later, the 33-year-old from Dundas, Ontario is a seasoned veteran and has two PGA TOUR victories to his name – and is contention to potentially add one more victory to his resume on Canadian soil.

While some things have changed, the thing that remains the same is the support Hughes receives when he returns home – and his eager desire to play his A game in front of the appreciative and energetic Canadian golf fans.

“I remember doing it at 21 years old and being pretty wide eyed and maybe caught off guard by how big the moment was,” said Hughes, who won the Canadian Men’s Amateur both in 2011 and 2012.

He speaks about watching Canada’s National Open as a young kid in 2003 and 2006 and wanting to get close to the players to get photos and autographs. Today, he’s the one being asked for photos and autographs.

Hughes says the Canadian players competing at the tournament have to multi task with other commitments besides golf during tournament week – but he personally wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I try to relish the fact that I’ll have some extra cheers out there and a lot of friends and family (in the crowd),” said Hughes during his pre-tournament presser.

This year, there are a record number of Canadians competing at the RBC Canadian Open. In total, there are 28 Canadians competing including defending champion, Nick Taylor, and two of Hughes’ former Kent State University teammates, Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.

“Amongst the Canadians we talk about this a little bit just in the fact that when we come back for this one week a year you kind of feel like a little bit of a star. You go next week and it feels different – even though it’s a big tournament next week as well,” said Hughes, a long-time member of the Canadian National Team.

“Coming here feels different. The support and the way the fans are behind us is really cool. It’s probably one of the most fun tournaments to kind of get in contention for just because of how much support we have,” he continued.

Hughes acknowledges the significance of Nick Taylor’s dramatic playoff victory last year and strives to achieve his own version of greatness.

“While we’re not answering the question of who will be the first Canadian to win since Pat Fletcher, but I still think that when we come here, we’re all pretty eager to do well close to home,” said Hughes.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well every single week but coming here I really enjoy playing well in front of the home crowd.”

Hughes has certainly brought his A game for the hometown crowd and enjoyed a stellar second round, firing a six under 64. 

“When I started the day obviously, I’m just trying to get myself in position for the weekend. Then I kind of got off to a start where I felt like I kind of had some good juices going early,” he said.

As a teammate of Hughes from the Canadian National Team program and during their collegiate days at Kent State University, Corey Conners knows what Hughes is capable of doing when he’s playing his best golf.

“It’s fun to watch. I’m a little bit jealous sometimes how well he rolls it,” said Conners with a smile.

“(Mackenzie) can get on a good roll, and the greens here are rolling beautifully.  No surprise he’s rolling a bunch of putts in,” he added about his good friend and former teammate.

At seven under par, Hughes has positioned himself as the top Canadian in the field heading into the weekend.

“I had a few minutes to process the round and kind of the whole day and while the finish was disappointing, I look at the whole body of work. Starting today if you told me I was going to shoot 64, I would have taken it,” noted the Dundas, Ont., native during his post round presser. “It gets me into contention for the weekend and that’s all I can ask for.”