One of the biggest moments of Ben Silverman’s golf career was thanks, in part, to the efforts of a member at Oakdale Golf and Country Club.

Now he has an opportunity to return the favour by shedding a little light on the Toronto-area club as it prepares to host this year’s RBC Canadian Open.

Silverman, from nearby Thornhill, Ont., had only recently turned pro when he qualified to represent Canada at the 2013 Maccabiah Games. He didn’t have the funds to fly out to Israel for the multi-sport event for Jewish athletes, but an Oakdale member stepped up to pay Silverman’s way for the event.

He went on to win gold by 11 shots at Caesarea Golf Club, while Canada earned bronze in the team event.

“It’ll be nice to be able to go play at Oakdale where a bunch of (Maccabiah Games teammates) are members. (…) I think it’s amazing that they are getting to showcase their club at the national championship.”

Silverman was named to the RBC Canadian Open field on Monday, earning an exemption along with Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., who plays on the Europe-based DP World Tour. Silverman has only played at Oakdale once before, ahead of the Maccabiah Games back in 2013, but said he’s excited to compete on the composite course from June 6-11.

“It’s just more special that it’s closer to where my friends and family are, that are going to be able to come watch,” said the 35-year-old Silverman. “So I’ll be able to have more hometown support than I would traditionally anywhere else for the Canadian Open.

“But man, I’ve always just been excited to play in any RBC Canadian Open.”

Founded in 1926 in an agricultural area northwest of Toronto – the course has long since been subsumed into the city – Oakdale was born out of necessity as most country clubs at the time did not allow Jewish, Black, or Asian people to join. The club was founded seven years before the infamous Christie Pits riot, when Nazi-inspired youth flew a swastika flag to antagonize and provoke Jewish Canadians playing baseball at the public park in downtown Toronto.

“There were a number of members of the Jewish community who said, ‘Well, if we can’t play anywhere, let’s create our own place,”’ said Mark Sadowski, a past president of Oakdale on the club’s origins. “That was the spirit of, what started, the journey towards establishing Oakdale.”

The club’s membership is still predominantly Jewish but, as it was created in reaction to antisemitism, faith is not a barrier to anyone joining. Membership is sold to families rather than individuals and philanthropic work, either through donation or service, is the most important requirement for joining.

Sadowski said that charitable component to membership has its roots in the Jewish faith.

“That’s the sort of mindset of our club and I think that’s always been the case,” said Sadowski. “Since its origination it was expected that if you could afford to join a club like Oakdale you could afford to give to the community and that’s the standard that exists today.”

Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum said that growing up in Toronto he was aware of Oakdale’s reputation as a family-first club. He hopes that spirit will inhabit this year’s Canadian Open and again in 2026, when Oakdale will celebrate its centennial by hosting the men’s national championship a second time.

“It’s about community. It’s about culture. But the broader sense of culture, a culture of a club, culture of togetherness,” said Applebaum on Monday after the RBC Canadian Open’s media day at Oakdale. “I think what the membership is probably most proud of is welcoming people into their club like they’d be welcoming them into their homes.

“That probably is what makes it so enjoyable for us to bring the RBC Canadian Open to Oakdale.”

Jim Furyk gets another crack at being U.S. captain for a road game, this time the Presidents Cup in Canada.

The PGA Tour on Tuesday introduced Furyk as captain for the 2024 matches at Royal Montreal, where the Americans will try to win for the 10th consecutive time.

Mike Weir previously was named International team captain for the Presidents Cup, which returns to Canada for the second time.

“Being selected by my peers to take on the role as captain of the U.S. Team for the 2024 Presidents Cup is truly an honor that I am humbled and excited to accept,” Furyk said.

Furyk is the fourth Presidents Cup captain – and second in a row – to have been a Ryder Cup captain previously. He had that job in 2018 in France against a hostile crowd, and it ended with a seven-point European victory.

“My favorite question is, `Would you have done anything differently?’ I laugh,” Furyk said in an interview in October, after he served as an assistant Ryder Cup captain to Steve Stricker at Whistling Straits. “How much of an arrogant (person) would you have to be to say, `No, I’d do it the same way.’ Of course I’d do things different.

“For the first year or year-and-a-half, that Ryder Cup in France, there wasn’t a week or day that I didn’t think, `This is what I would have done. This is what I could have changed.”’

The Presidents Cup is different. The Americans have lost only once since the matches began in 1994, and that was in 1998 in Australia. They won last year at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina.

Furyk played seven times in the Presidents Cup, including the U.S. victory at Royal Montreal in 2007 when Jack Nicklaus was captain for the fourth time. Furyk also is a back-to-back winner of the RBC Canadian Open, at Hamilton Golf Club in 2006 and Angus Glen in 2007.

(May 1, 2023)  One of the hottest golfers on the planet is sure to be a fan-favourite at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto as world no. 6 Matthew Fitzpatrick will compete in the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.

Competing in his third RBC Canadian Open, the 28-year-old Englishman is having a stellar 2023 season with three top-10 finishes including a victory at the recent RBC Heritage and a T10 finish at The Masters. Currently ranked no. 22 on the 2022 FedEx Cup, Fitzpatrick, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR, six-time winner on the DP World Tour, and two-time Ryder Cup team member will compete in Canada’s National Open Championship before defending his U.S. Open title the next week at L.A. Country Club.

“I am really looking forward to returning to Canada and competing in the RBC Canadian Open in front of the amazing Canadian golf fans,” said Fitzpatrick. “Having won the RBC Heritage last month, I am hopeful to play well at Oakdale and keep that momentum going into the U.S. Open.”

Fitzpatrick joins an emerging field headlined by two-time defending champion and world no. 3 Rory McIlroy who will be looking to become the first player to win three consecutive RBC Canadian Open titles. A victory for McIlroy would make him only the fourth three-time champion, joining Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, and Lee Trevino. Leo Deigel’s four victories are the most in the tournament’s storied history.

McIlroy and Fitzpatrick will be joined by fellow European stars Tommy Fleetwood as well as Shane Lowry. The world no. 23 ranked Lowry is a two-time PGA TOUR winner and a past Open Championship winner while Fleetwood, who has two top-10 PGA TOUR finishes this season, has won seven international titles, and is ranked no. 25 in the world.

The group will compete alongside Team RBC ambassadors Sam Burns (world no. 13), Cameron Young (world no. 16), Sahith Theegala (world no. 24), seven-time PGA TOUR winner Webb Simpson, and nine-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar.

A full Canadian contingent will also challenge for the national championship led by PGA TOUR winners Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 30), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 57), Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. (world no. 56), Nick Taylor of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 65), and Adam Hadwin of Abbottsford, B.C. (world no. 71) as well as fellow PGA TOUR members Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont.

A trio of Canadians have also accepted tournament exemptions to compete at Oakdale including Winnipeg, Man. Native Aaron Cockerill who is currently ranked 24^th on the DP World Tour as well as Thornhill, Ont. native Ben Silverman who won on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this year to sit second on the Tour’s 2023 Points List.

Also accepting an exemption to compete is Canadian golf icon and President’s Cup International Team Captain Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. who will be competing in his 31^st  RBC Canadian Open, one back of fellow Canadian Golf Hall of Famer George Cummings who had a record 32 starts in Canada’s National Open Championship.

In addition to world class golf, fans at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open will be treated to the two-night RBCxMusic Concert Series onsite at Oakdale Golf and Country with Grammy Award-winning pop group, the Black Eyed Peas performing on Friday, June 9 and Canadian Grammy Award-winning icon Alanis Morissette performing on Saturday, June 10.

“We are less than 40 days away from the RBC Canadian Open and extremely excited to get the tournament started,” said Bryan Crawford, Tournament Director, RBC Canadian Open. “Oakdale Golf and Country Club in the heart of Toronto joins our host club rotation for the first time and will present a great test of golf for the world’s best players. Our partners have leaned into our National Open Championship in a major way to deliver a truly immersive fan festival experience as a kickoff to summer.”

Tickets for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.

TORONTO, April 27, 2023 — ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ that Friday, June 9 will be ‘Good Night’ at the RBC Canadian Open.

RBC and Golf Canada are excited to announce six-time Grammy Award-winning pop group, Black Eyed Peas, will headline the RBCxMusic Concert Series on Friday night of the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.

Performances for the RBCxMusic Concert Series will take place on the Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10 of tournament week on site on the practice facility at the iconic Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto.

Last month, seven-time Grammy Award-winning Canadian icon Alanis Morissette was announced as the headline artist for the RBCxMusic Concert Series on Saturday, June 10, 2023.

Audiences will also enjoy opening acts from First Up with RBCxMusic – a program dedicated to providing emerging Canadian artists with a platform for exposure, funding, education, and mentorship opportunities. Opening act performances will take place at the SiriusXM Stage located onsite in the Fare Way food and beverage experience.

Tickets for Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10 at the RBC Canadian Open are $120 (plus tax and service charges) and include full day access to the tournament and the RBCxMusic Concert Series. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission to the RBC Canadian Open all week with a ticketed adult. Tickets are available at RBCCanadianOpen.com.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada will merge into a singular Tour to form PGA TOUR Americas, which will begin play in February 2024, the PGA TOUR has announced.

PGA TOUR Americas will consist of 16 events contested across Latin America, Canada and the United States from February through September. The top 10 finishers on the season-long points list will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season.

“As we build on the rich golf history across Latin America and Canada, we are thrilled about PGA TOUR Americas and the role this tour will play in preparing players for the next step in their professional golf journey,” said Alex Baldwin, who oversees PGA TOUR Americas, the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. “PGA TOUR Americas will be an extremely competitive tour aimed at identifying, developing and transitioning top-performing players to the next level as they ascend through the ranks and strive to reach the highest level of professional golf, the PGA TOUR.”

The PGA TOUR Americas season will begin in February with the Latin America Swing, which will conclude in May. Eligibility for the Latin America Swing will include the top 60 finishers from the final 2022-2023 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Points List and the top 60 finishers from the final 2023 PGA TOUR Canada Points List. PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will also provide access to the Latin America Swing of PGA TOUR Americas for the winners of a First Stage site, as well as additional finishers beyond the 40th position and ties from Final Stage of 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. Additional access to the Latin America Swing will include the Latinoamérica Dev Series and the highest finisher on the 2023 APGA season-long points list who is a member of the APGA Player Development program.

The top 60 players from the Latin America Swing will continue on to compete in the North America Swing. Additionally, PGA TOUR Americas will host a mid-season Q-School, as well as introduce graduates from PGA TOUR University (finishers 6-20). Full eligibility for PGA TOUR Americas will be announced later this year and will feature similar categories to PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Canada, including open qualifiers, sponsor exemptions and eligible Korn Ferry Tour members.

As PGA TOUR Americas heads to the North America Swing, members will compete in Canada and the United States from June through September in an effort to finish in the top 10 on the season-long points list and earn Korn Ferry Tour membership – exempt through the third reshuffle – for the following season.

In addition to Korn Ferry Tour cards being awarded to the top 10 finishers on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List, there are also numerous performance benefits available on PGA TOUR Americas. Five conditional Korn Ferry Tour cards are available to the top two finishers in the Latin America Swing and the top three performers from the North America Swing, in the event those individuals do not finish in the top 10 on the final PGA TOUR Americas Points List.

Additionally, performance on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List will grant access into 2024 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. The top 10 finishers on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List, the top two finishers in the Latin America Swing and the top three finishers in the North America Swing will earn exemptions to Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

Finishers 11–25 on the PGA TOUR Americas Points List, finishers 3–10 from the Latin America Swing and finishers 4–10 from the North America Swing will earn exemptions to Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

All remaining PGA TOUR Americas members will earn exemptions to First Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

The 2024 PGA TOUR Americas schedule will be announced in September. Finalized details regarding eligibility – including the priority ranking – as well as purses and points distribution, will be announced closer to the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas season beginning in February 2024.

AVONDALE, La. – Paired together for the first time at the Zurich Classic, Canadians Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin matched the Zurich Classic Foursomes record with a 9-under 63 to narrowly finish runner-up; marking the second runner-up finish of Taylor’s career (2023 WM Phoenix Open) and the fourth for Hadwin (first since the 2019 Fortinet Championship).

Nick Hardy and Davis Riley birdied four of their final six holes to give both players their first PGA TOUR wins.

They began the final round three shots back and closed with a 7-under 65 in alternate-shot play to finish with a tournament-record total of 30-under 258 at TPC Louisiana, eclipsing the 259 posted by 2022 winners Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. Hardy and Riley were two shots better than Canadians Hadwin and Taylor.

Riley’s previous best finish was a playoff loss to Sam Burns in the 2022 Valspar Championship. Hardy’s best was a tie for fifth at the Sanderson Farms Championship last fall.

Each takes home $1.24 million and earns a two-year exemption for winning the PGA TOUR’s only official team event.

Hadwin and Taylor’s 63 tied the course record in alternate shot that was set in Friday’s second round by Cantlay and Schauffele. The Canadians’ 10th and final birdie of the round on the 13th hole briefly gave them a one-shot lead, and they went to the clubhouse tied for first before the eventual champions birdied twice more.

Wyndham Clark and Beau Hossler, who finished each of the first three rounds atop the leaderboard and opened the final round with a one-stroke lead, made their first three bogeys of the tournament – two on their final three holes – and closed with a 1-under 71 to finish third, three shots back.

Cantlay and Schuffele made eight birdies before their second bogey of the day on 18 left them tied for fourth with Matthew NeSmith and Taylor Moore at 26-under.

SAN ANTONIO – When Corey Conners won the Valero Texas Open in 2019 he got a pair of cowboy boots instead of a trophy.

Sometimes, especially during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, he would wear them around his Florida home.

Conners now has some footwear options after winning the Texas Open for the second time in five years on Sunday, closing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke victory over rookie Sam Stevens.

“I get a brown pair for winning the second time so at least I don’t have two black pairs,” said Conners with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll just switch it up and wear the brown pair around.”

Also the 2019 winner, Conners had a 15-under 273 total on TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course. The 31-year-old from Listowel, Ont., now heads to the Masters, where he tied for sixth last year for his second straight top-10 finish at Augusta National.

He said that the two wins in San Antonio played out very differently for him.

“Today, I was definitely more in control. I feel like I made some mistakes in 2019,” said Conners after a bogey-free final round. “I also made a lot of really good shots in an up and down roller-coaster round in 2019.

“Today was a little more steady. Part of my plan was to be as steady as I could. Just get in play. Give myself lots of looks.”

Conners joins Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., as Canadians who have won on the PGA Tour this season.

It’s expected that Conners will move up to No. 18 on the FedEx Cup standings when they’re updated Monday.

Those three will all be at the Masters, joining Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., making it the first time that four Canadians are playing in the Masters, the first major of the men’s golf season.

“It’s really exciting,” said Conners, who represented Canada at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with Hughes. “Excited to get a (practice round) with Mack and the other guys on Tuesday. We’ve all been playing great.”

A shot behind Patrick Rodgers starting play, Conners had a three-shot lead after he birdied No. 15. Stevens eagled the 17th, but missed a nine-foot birdie putt at 18 that would have tied it. Connors ended it with a three-foot par putt on 18.

Stevens shot a 66. Sam Ryder (66) and Matt Kuchar (68) followed at 13-under.

Rodgers saw a chance for his first tour victory and first Masters spot slip away. He shot a 73 to finish fifth at 11-under.

Conner’s best finish since hoisting the 2019 Texas Open trophy was a third-place effort at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year.

Conners led after the first round with a 64 when the weather-delayed opening 18 finished Friday. But his second-round 72 dropped him three behind Rodgers after 36 holes, which Conners cut to a stroke with his third-round 69.

Stevens was third last week at the PGA Tour’s stop in the Dominican Republic.

(TORONTO, March 27) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, are excited to announce Sam Burns and Cameron Young have committed to play the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.

The tournament, which is the 112th playing of Canada’s national open golf championship, will take place June 6 to 11 at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto.

Burns and Young met in the final of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, with Burns topping Young for his fifth-career PGA Tour victory. The 26-year-old is now ranked No.10 in the world on the back of his three PGA Tour titles in the last 12 months. Burns, of Shreveport, Louisiana, is ranked No.8 in the FedExCup.

Young, meanwhile, continues his impressive early-career effort on the PGA Tour. His second-place result at the Match Play was his sixth career runner-up finish. Young, from Scarborough, New York, is the reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year and is ranked 14th in the world.

Both Burns and Young, who were members of the victorious United States’ President Cup squad, were added to RBC’s impressive roster of ambassadors in November.

The RBC Canadian Open is one of the most highly anticipated events on the PGA Tour, attracting top golfers from around the world. The tournament has a rich history dating back to 1904 and has been won by some of the greatest names in golf, including Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Rory McIlroy – the two-time defending champion.

More player announcements will be made in the weeks leading up to tournament week. Players have until 5 p.m. ET on Friday, June 2 to commit to the event.

For information on tickets, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality, visit www.rbccanadianopen.com.

TORONTO, March 23, 2023 — RBC is pleased to announce seven-time Grammy Award-winning Canadian icon Alanis Morissette as the headliner for Saturday night at the 2023 RBCxMusic Concert Series. The headliner for Friday night will be announced soon.

Hosted by RBC and in partnership with Live Nation Canada and Golf Canada, the RBCxMusic Concert Series has seen unforgettable performances from the likes of Maroon 5, Florida Georgia Line, Flo Rida and The Glorious Sons. Performances will take place on the Friday and Saturday evenings of tournament week on site at the iconic Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Ontario, home of the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. Audiences will also enjoy opening acts from First Up with RBCxMusic – a program dedicated to providing emerging Canadian artists with a platform for exposure, funding, education and mentorship opportunities.

Alanis Morissette will close the RBCxMusic Concert Series on Saturday, June 10, 2023. The closing night of the concert series has sold-out every year since it was introduced in 2019.

“It’s always a great feeling to perform back home in Canada,” said Alanis Morissette. “The RBCxMusic Concert Series at the RBC Canadian Open is a celebration of live music, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Canadian icon Alanis Morissette as one of our headliners for the RBCxMusic Concert Series at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open,” said Shannon Cole, Vice President, Brand Marketing, RBC. “Both music and golf share an incredible power in bringing communities together, and we’re excited to see the continued success of this highly-anticipated event.”  

In addition to legendary music performances, spectators can expect the return of other exciting fan-favourite experiences, including The Rink located at the 14^th hole, the RBC Avion Visa Sky Lounge (exclusively reserved for Avion Visa cardholders), the RBC Vantage deck, and an enhanced food and beverage area at The Fare Way featuring The Keg.

“The RBCxMusic Concert Series has been a catalyst for growing the RBC Canadian Open into a world class sport and entertainment event. Having an iconic Canadian like Alanis Morissette headline the Saturday night performance will be an outstanding experience for all of our guests,” said Bryan Crawford, Tournament Director, RBC Canadian Open.

Now available on RBCCanadianOpen.com, tickets for Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10 are $110 (plus tax and service charges) and include full day access to the tournament and the RBCxMusic Concert Series. The concert grounds will be located across from the Oakdale Golf and Country Club Clubhouse, and 1st and 10th tee. RBC clients can unlock exclusive tickets and receive a $10 Concert Cash^® code redeemable towards a future concert ticket purchase. The event is General Admission / All Ages.

If a lot (and we mean a lot) goes right for a pair of Canadian golfers this week, then there will be plenty of eyes on a particular Round-of-16 match at Austin Country Club.

But for Nick Taylor, he’s just trying to enjoy the uniqueness of the week at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play – especially after another solid result on the PGA Tour on Sunday.

Taylor and countryman Adam Hadwin have a chance to face off against each other if they make it out of group play at the WGC, a unique scenario that could unfold for the Canadians if they both top their groups. Taylor, at No. 67 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and Hadwin at No. 63, also have a chance to earn Masters berths this week if they get into the top-50 in the OWGR by week’s end. Either golfer could do that if they make it to the semi-finals, per the world-ranking projections, but given the way the brackets look only one could do it since one would have to beat the other to move on.  

Taylor, who finished tied for 10th at last week’s Valspar Championship for his fourth top-10 result of the season, admitted he’s not thinking about the carrot at the end of the week, just given how many variables there are first.

“It’s one of those things where so much has to happen. It’s so different than a stroke play event. A lot of things I can’t control but it’s a lot of matches away. You knock one down at a time, that’s great, but it’s not in my mind right now,” Taylor said. “Maybe it’ll be there Saturday afternoon if I have to win a match to get there, but not starting Wednesday.”

With a laugh, Taylor said he and Hadwin have never played a match against one another in a tournament. He won the 2007 Canadian Men’s Amateur championship, which was the last year it was a match-play event, in 38 holes. He did not face any of the current crop of Canadians on the PGA Tour en route to the finale, however, and never faced off against his countrymen in U.S. Amateurs or collegiate events either.

About a decade ago he won a match-play event on a mini-tour in the U.S., but he can’t recall in the last 10 years if he’s ever played another match-play tournament.

Still, he enjoys the format.

“Playing one person is so different than what we normally do but I’ve always enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to it,” said Taylor. “I’m not a huge fan of round robin; I’m a bigger fan of knockout-and-go. But it also gives you three matches and hopefully I can win all three. You’re always trying to win each but if the first day doesn’t go as plan you still have a shot so you can keep grinding away.”

This is set to be the final match-play tournament on the PGA Tour schedule for the foreseeable future, as it was confirmed recently this event would be removed from the 2024 schedule. There are 64 golfers in the field divided into 16 groups of four. The winner of each group will move on to the knock-out rounds.

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion, while there are five Canadians in the field – a record – with Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, and Adam Svensson joining Hadwin and Taylor.

Taylor said Austin Country Club, which will play host for the seventh time is “quirky” but ideal for this format.

“It suits match play. There are so many different shots you can hit and strategies, like where you are in your match or where your competitor hits it, that can change your strategy quickly which makes it a fun course for your format,” he said.

While there are plenty of reasons to believe in the Canadian contingent this year – Conners finished third last year, for example, knocking off Dustin Johnson in the consolation match – it’s Taylor who is coming into the week with the most momentum.

The 34-year-old had a fairly introspective off-season and came into the 2022-23 campaign with a new approach to his game. He’s using celebrated Canadian short-game guru Gareth Raflewski now and switched the claw putting grip. That’s seen Taylor move from 137th in Strokes Gained: Putting last season to 52nd in the same category so far this year. He’s 19th on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total and last week at the Valspar was a perfect example of how his complete game benefitted him by the end of 72 holes.

“Last week was pretty steady, I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff… but each day I felt like a different part of my game was carrying me to the finish line,” he said.

“Since I went to this claw grip my four days putting are definitely not as bad as they used to be, and I can have consistent good rounds. It’s elevated on the greens a little bit which is kind of everything out here. If you can take advantage of hot rounds with the putter and turn your 74s into 72s then that’s crucial. That’s been the biggest change.”

Taylor’s wife, Andie, is due with their second child on May 8and the two-time Tour winner said he’ll take three weeks off around the birth before returning to action at the RBC Canadian Open. He said he’ll likely tee it up at the Valero Texas Open next week (a win-and-you’re-in scenario for the Masters) unless he goes deep this week at the WGC-Match Play.

To do that, however, he’ll have to knock down a fellow Canadian first.

“It’ll be pretty fun. I’m sure all of Canada will be glued to the TV, “ Taylor said with a laugh, “at least a lot of Ledgeview members will be glued to the TV.”