Canadians ready for challenge of U.S. Open at Oakmont after demanding RBC Canadian Open

This is arguably the toughest stretch for Canada’s best male golfers, with two of their biggest events of year on back-to-back weeks.
Nick Taylor, Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith and Mackenzie Hughes were all in the mix in the final round of the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, the only PGA Tour event north of the border and a tournament that they consider “the fifth major” of their year.
On Thursday they will tee it up at an official major, the third of the men’s season, when the U.S. Open starts at the infamously challenging Oakmont Country Club outside of Pittsburgh.
Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C., said that the transition between the two tournaments can be difficult.
“Managing your rest, your energy levels, is huge,” said Taylor after finishing his final round of the Canadian Open at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. “The hard part going into next week, I’ve never been there. I’m going to see the golf course. I’m going to put some time in on the greens, around the greens, and just try to get as much rest as possible.
“I’ll have three days to manage that. It’s not like I’m going to be searching for anything golf game-wise because I feel like I’m in a good spot, so that’s definitely a nice thing.”
There are more media demands placed on Canada’s golfers ahead of the Canadian Open as they help promote the national men’s championship. Coupled with the desire to win the title — Taylor is the only Canadian to manage the feat in over 70 years — and the pressure of larger galleries, it can be an exhausting week.
Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., said that he and the other 23 Canadians at the national championship look forward to the Canadian Open every year.
“It’s the one time of the year that we’ve got everybody cheering for us, and we want to put on a good show for the fans. They get it once a year,” he said. “They were awesome this week, really, tons of great crowds.
“It’s a long week for us. We don’t get this every week, so it’s a little more mentally draining (…) There’s a lot of people around, saying hi to a lot of people, a lot of familiar faces, but it’s awesome.”
Conners, from Listowel, Ont., is the top-ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour so far this season, sitting ninth headed into the U.S. Open. Taylor is 14th on the FedEx Cup points list, Pendrith is 30th and Hughes is 47th.
Like Pendrith, Conners praised the fans at the Canadian Open, even going so far as to say it helped prepare him for the major at Oakmont.
“It’s cool to play in front of the home fans here, and a lot of people show up and support all the Canadian guys,” said Conners. “It’s a special feeling to be out there kind of living my dream.
“They kind of make me more relaxed. They give me some more energy. I’ve had a blast playing in front of them this week. Not feeling too worn out heading into what I know will be a demanding week (at the U.S. Open).”
Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., also took the back-to-back events in stride.
“I wouldn’t say it’s too difficult. We kind of do that sort of stuff all the time,” he said. “Week to week we make adjustments, and we get ready to go for the next one.
“Obviously, (the Canadian Open) is more of a taxing week for us as Canadians, but I’ll get myself ready to go for Thursday and hopefully have a great week over there.”
Although there are some similarities between TPC Toronto and Oakmont — especially penal rough — there’s no doubt which one is harder to play.
“I’ve heard some scary thing the last few days,” said Taylor, who will be playing Oakmont for the first time this week. “It’s probably hack-out rough, as in just hit a wedge 50 yards down the fairway and play from there.
“So if you can, be up and around the greens as much as possible.”
Pendrith said that the although they both have deep rough, the fairways are relatively wide at TPC Toronto compared to Oakmont.
“I went two weeks ago. It’s hard, yeah,” said Pendrith. “It was a day that was probably 10 degrees Celsius and blowing 20 and raining. It was very, very difficult. Hit driver on a par-3.
“Probably never done that before or not in a long time. It’s tricky.”
LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is the top ranked Canadian heading into this week’s Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. She’s 50th on the Road to CME Globe standings. Savannah Grewal (124th) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (135th) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., (164th) are also in the field at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Mich.
EPSON TOUR — Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., leads the Canadian contingent into the Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands presented by Johnnie Walker. She’s 37th in the Race for the Card standings. Josee Doyon (53rd) of Saint-Georges, Que., Monet Chun (64th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., Yeji Kwon (112th) of Port Coquitlam, B.C., Brigitte Thibault (135th) of Rosemere, Que., Vancouver’s Leah John (137th) and Mary Parsons (148th) of Delta, B.C., are also in the field at The Highlands in Harbor Springs, Mich.
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox wins four-hole playoff vs. American Sam Burns at RBC Canadian Open

CALEDON, ONT. – Despite recent evidence to the contrary, Ryan Fox doesn’t consider himself a playoff specialist.
The New Zealander beat American Sam Burns in a four-hole playoff to win the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, the second win of his PGA Tour career. The first also came in a playoff on May 11 when he birdied the first extra hole to beat Harry Higgs of the United States and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., to win the Oneflight Myrtle Beach Classic.
“If you’d have seen any of the ones I had in Europe, you wouldn’t say that,” said Fox, sitting beside the Canadian Open trophy at a news conference. “I didn’t have a great record in Europe in playoffs.
“I feel like you’ve got to take it on a little bit. It becomes match play. You kind of want to put the pressure on your opponent a little bit.”
Fox had an 0-2 playoff record on the European Tour, losing to Scotland’s Russell Knox at the 2018 Irish Open and to France’s Victor Perez at the 2022 Dutch Open.
He had to work to force the extra holes on Sunday.
Burns fired an 8-under 62 round, the best of the day, to lay claim to the top of the leaderboard. However, he had teed off an hour 45 minutes earlier than Fox and Italy’s Matteo Manaserro, the third round co-leaders.
As a result, Fox still had most of the course to play as Burns was signing his scorecard. Fox birdied Nos. 14 and 15 to get to within a shot of Burns and then sank a clutch birdie putt on No. 18 for a 4-under 66 day that forced the playoff.
No. 18 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley is a 576-yard, par-5 hole with the sloping green tucked behind a small pond with bunkers on the far side.
“I think 18’s a different hole compared to what it has been all week, not being able to get there in two,” said Burns on the possibility of a playoff and how he would prepare for it. “So I’ll probably (be at the range) trying to figure out what distance we want to have in for our third shot and maybe hit that shot a few times.”
After Fox and Burns made par on their first two playoff holes. The grounds crew actually cut a new hole closer to the tee — and the water — for the third and fourth runs down the hole.
Fox’s bolder approach on the second and fourth playoff rounds, designed to put pressure on Burns, finally paid off when he attacked the new pin.
“I had the exact shot I wanted to hit,” said Fox, who qualified for next week’s U.S. Open with the victory. “I wasn’t sure in the air if it was going to be a little short or perfect. I didn’t actually see it land. It was getting a bit hazy out there. Obviously by the crowd reaction I knew it was pretty good.
“Probably the best shot I ever hit in my life given the circumstances.”
Members of the All Whites, New Zealand’s national men’s soccer team, drove up to TPC Toronto on Sunday to cheer on Fox. They beat Ivory Coast 1-0 the night before at BMO Field in the Canadian Shield tournament and will face Ukraine on Tuesday.
“That was really cool, to have the Kiwi support out there, it was great,” said Fox. “They were there all day. We seem to have a lot of weeks where random Kiwis pop up, and to have the All Whites say, ‘hey, is there any chance we can come out and watch on Sunday?’ was really cool.
“To be able to meet them all there at the end and get a photo with them was pretty special.”
Grant Fox, Ryan’s father, was a fly half with the All Blacks, New Zealand’s men’s rugby team, appearing in 46 matches and scoring 645 points in his career. The elder Fox won the Rugby World Cup in 1987 and is still considered one of the finest goal-kickers of all time, getting inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2014.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian, tying for 13th at 13 under. Taylor won the Canadian Open two years ago at Oakdale Golf and Country Club.
“The energy was phenomenal the first couple days and being near the lead the last two days,” said Taylor, who will play in the U.S. Open next week at Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh. “I’m tired from it as well because it’s fun being up close to the lead and trying to get it done.
“I’ll get some rest the next couple days and be prepared.”
TPC Toronto will host the Canadian Open again next year.
It was a tight leaderboard throughout the round, with eight players tied for first before Fox and Manaserro even teed off.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry, for example, began his day with an eagle and followed it up with three consecutive birdies to start his day 5 under through just four holes to take sole possession of the lead. He bogeyed Nos. 17 and 18 to fall back into a tie for 13th.
Matteo Manassero and Ryan Fox share the 3rd-round lead in the RBC Canadian Open

Italy’s Matteo Manassero and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox both had rounds of 6-under 64 to share the third-round lead at the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday.
They’re at 14-under overall, a shot ahead of a Taiwan’s Kevin Yu as well as Americans Lee Hodges and Matt McCarty.
Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., fired a 6-under 64 to move 13 spots up the leaderboard into a tie with Americans Jake Knapp and Andrew Putnam for sixth at 12 under.
Second-round leader Cameron Champ of the U.S. struggled, shooting a 1-over 71 to drop back into a seven-way tie for ninth at 11 under.
Hughes was one of eight Canadians who made the cut at the national men’s golf championship.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Vancouver’s Richard T. Lee, the low Canadians after two rounds, also dropped down the leaderboard.
McIlroy tumbles out of RBC Canadian Open with a 78. Champ takes 2-shot lead into the weekend

Masters champion Rory McIlroy tumbled out of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday with his worst round in nearly a year, with Cameron Champ taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend in the final event before the U.S. Open.
McIlroy shot an 8-under 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey 8 in his highest score since also shooting 78 last year in the first round of the British Open. He had a double bogey on No. 11, four bogeys and two birdies.
“Of course it concerns me,” McIlroy said. “You don’t want to shoot high scores like the one I did today. Still, I felt like I came here obviously with a new driver thinking that that sort of was going to be good and solve some of the problems off the tee, but it didn’t.”
At 9 over, the two-time Canadian Open winner was 21 strokes behind Champ on the rain-softened North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
“Obviously, going to Oakmont next week, what you need to do more than anything else there is hit fairways,” McIlroy said. “Still sort of searching for the sort of missing piece off the tee.”
Champ had four birdies in a 68 in the morning a day after opening with a 62. He was at 12 under, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey.
“It’s firmed up a little bit, but fairly similar to yesterday,” Champ said. “The fairways I feel like were firming up a little bit. The greens slightly, but pretty close to how they were yesterday.”
The three-time PGA Tour winner got one of the last spots in the field after being the eighth alternate Friday when the commitments closed.
“I definitely didn’t think I was getting in,” Champ said.
Andrew Putnam was second after a bogey-free 62 on the course hosting the event for the first time. He won the 2018 Barracuda Championship for his lone tour title.
“I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of good iron shots, too, and my putter was on fire,” Putnam said. “Pretty much did everything right. Didn’t really make many mistakes.”
Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 drop into a tie for third at 9 under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65) and France’s Victor Perez (65).
Taylor won the 2023 event at Oakdale.
“Hung in there,” Taylor said. “Making a birdie on the last was important to end the day nicely.”
Del Solar was 8 under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was 8 under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65).
Stellar second round puts Canadian Richard T Lee in contention at RBC Canadian Open

CALEDON, Ont. – Richard T. Lee brought his A-game to the second round of the RBC Canadian Open in front of hometown fans and family.
The 34-year-old Canadian made his first cut on the PGA Tour by carding a six-under 66 for the round. He now sits at nine under heading into the weekend.
“I’ve played Web.com and made cuts there, but it’s my first cut made on the PGA Tour and it’s one of the best feelings I’ve had,” he said.
The five-foot-10 Canadian was quick to credit his iron play for his strong second round.
“I think the key to my success today was my iron shots. Inside 145 yards, I was spot on. I had great looks at birdie and some of them were pretty easy,” he said.
Lee was born in Richmond Hill, Ont., and moved to Vancouver when he was one year old.
“Prior to last year’s Canadian Open, I hadn’t been back to the Toronto area in a long time, but it’s a great feeling to be back,” said Lee, who now lives in Arizona.
Also soaking in the moment were his uncle Ken Hong and aunt Mary Hong, who were on-site to see their nephew’s performance.
“We’re from Toronto and it’s great to see him compete here,” said Ken Hong, who still remembers his nephew’s humble beginnings at age three.
“Last year, he missed the cut by one shot, and seeing what he did today shows he’s got determination to succeed,” he added.
Mary Hong admitted she got a little emotional watching Lee’s success.
“Richard played so amazing today. He seemed so calm and I’m just so proud of him. I cried a little bit after his round,” she said.
Lee currently competes on the Asian Tour but says his dream is to achieve success on the PGA Tour. After a strong second round, the talented Canadian is in contention near the top of the leaderboard.
Heading into the weekend, Lee is focused on keeping up his strong play.
“Just going to take it shot by shot and play the way I did today,” he said when asked about his mindset.
“It’s always been one of my dreams to succeed on the PGA Tour, and if I am able to get to Sunday and get a ‘W,’ then it will be a dream come true.”
Pendrith low Canadian at the RBC Canadian Open, 4 shots back of co-leaders Olesen, Del Solar

Three of Canada’s best golfers are in one of the marquee groups at the RBC Canadian Open and they’re living up to that top billing.
Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., were in the morning wave together in Thursday’s opening round. They were just ahead of a group that featured world No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Sweden’s Ludwig Aberg and Luke Clanton of the United States.
Pendrith was tied with Americans Alex Smalley and Paul Peterson at 5-under 65 to hold the clubhouse lead. They dropped down into a nine-way tie for eighth once the afternoon wave was finished. Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Chile’s Cristobal Del Solar both flirted with the course record at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, firing 9-under 61 rounds to finish the first round atop the leaderboard.
“It was great out there. I felt like the crowd really filled in on the back nine,” said Pendrith, standing within sight of the 18th green. “Nick was making some birdies, and I was making some birdies. Mac holed a 6-iron on 5.
“So it was a lot of fun. The crowd was into it. Nice to see a lot of people out here on a rainy day. We had a blast out there, and we all played pretty well.”
Taylor, the 2023 winner of the men’s national golf championship, was a shot back of Pendrith tied with a group for 16th. Hughes shot a 2-under 68 to sit in a tie with Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., among others.
“It was fun to feed off each other. It’s better than going the other way, obviously,” said Taylor. “Everyone played well.
“Mac probably could have made a couple more putts where he normally does, but for all of us to be under par, it was a good start.”
It was a far cry from their first appearances at the Canadian Open, when they were all amateurs getting to play in the national championship thanks to sponsor exemptions.
“It’s cool to look back on. I think 2008 might have been my first Canadian Open, and I teed off at 7:30 at night because we had a long rain delay, and that was kind of my unique first start,” said Taylor. “Fast forward 17 years, being the featured group, it’s cool. It’s what we dreamt about.”
Pendrith agreed with Taylor, adding that his first Canadian Open appearance at Royal Montreal Golf Club in 2014 was formative for him.
“Those experiences, I think, help me,” said Pendrith. “It’s one of the biggest events for us, and it’s one that we look forward to all year.
“It’s my fifth or sixth Canadian Open now, and it’s nice to play in a group with those guys and have all the fans supporting us. It’s the week that we look forward to every year.”
It’s a tradition on the PGA Tour that all the Canadians in the field practice together on the Tuesday of tournament week. That camaraderie bled over into Thursday’s round.
“To play a practice round with a couple buddies — excuse me, tournament round, it felt like a practice round is what I’m trying to say — It was a lot of fun,” said Taylor. “We kept it loose. It was nice to see a few birdies go in.”
A thunderstorm Wednesday night and continued rain into the morning made the greens soft and accuracy important. It affected spectators too, as they had to seek cover in the morning.
Fans who tried to come in the early afternoon struggled to find parking as one of two public lots at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley had to be closed because the heavy rainfall made the ground too soft to be driven on. The other parking lot quickly filled up, so Golf Canada encouraged spectators to use ride share or public drop-off if possible.
Olesen said that the rainy conditions actually helped him take the lead.
“Obviously, they’re a little bit softer than what they were yesterday,” he said. “I didn’t actually see the front nine until today. That worked out well maybe not to know any of the holes really.
“Sometimes you just have a feel of the greens and you just look at it, and you can sort of see the lines easy, and that was one of those days for me.”
DiMarco, Goldenberg, Cao and Javier pick up final exemptions to RBC Canadian Open field amid dramatic finish to Final Qualifier

Caledon, Ont. – The field is now set as the final four players locked up their spots in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open on Sunday following the Final Qualifier at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont.
Americans Christian DiMarco of Tampa, Fla., and Josh Goldenberg of Scarsdale, N.Y. claimed the top two spots on Sunday’s leaderboard to earn their exemptions, while Yi Cao of Beijing, China (Delta, B.C. resident) finished in a tie for second with Goldenberg to secure his exemption.
Team Canada NextGen member, Matthew Javier of North York, Ont., battled out with fellow Canadian Mark Hoffman of Toronto, Ont. for the final spot in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open field.
The two played the 18th hole to decide the winner with both finding the green on their approach. Putting from distance, Javier placed his birdie putt five feet left of the hole, while Hoffman laboured to a bogey finish. Javier converted on his par putt to secure the tournament’s final spot and end a dramatic Final Qualifier at The Pulpit Club.
“It’s been a lifelong dream to play an event on the PGA TOUR,” commented Javier following his playoff win on Sunday. Javier started his round at 9 a.m. and wrapped up play nearly 11 hours later, taking to a Matchplay mindset to secure the playoff victory over Hoffman.
DiMarco – who made his professional golf debut two weeks ago on the Korn Ferry Tour – led the group of players to earn an exemption on Sunday with a three-under par performance. A pair of early birdies at the first and third holes vaulted DiMarco into red figures to begin his round before adding two more birdies at the 11th and 12th to nab the top spot on the leaderboard. DiMarco is the son of golfer Chris DiMarco, who currently plays on the PGA TOUR Champions.
“I think it’s a testament to the work I’ve put in over the years and know that I just keep doing the right things and good things will happen,” said DiMarco who admitted to not having his sharpest game amid the afternoon’s windy and cool conditions.
DiMarco’s countryman, Josh Goldenberg of Scarsdale, N.Y., carded five birdies on his round to help secure his spot in next week’s field at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. Goldenberg entered the final three holes of his round at four-under par, but was reeled into a T2 finish alongside Cao after bogeys at holes 16 and 18. Teeing off at 7:40 a.m. local time, Goldenberg was forced to wait nearly eight hours to confirm his spot in next week’s Canadian Men’s National Open and passed the time by studying for one of his exams.
“At the end of the day it was totally out of my control and whatever was going to happen, I just tried accepting that,” said Goldenberg. “This is a dream come true, something I’ve thought about for my entire life. I just can’t believe it’s happening.”
Like the Americans ahead of him, Cao birdied the par-four 12th to get to his round back to even par before going on a decisive scoring run to punch his ticket to the RBC Canadian Open. Adding back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14, Cao worked his way to a two-under par performance to join Goldenberg with the clubhouse lead after both headlined the morning wave.
The 2025 RBC Canadian Open will run from June 4 – June 8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont.
Pendrith hoping to continue success on home soil

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., had a breakthrough year in 2024, and he’s keeping the momentum going into the 2025 PGA Tour season. The 33-year-old has already recorded four top-10 finishes, with the most recent coming at the PGA Championship.
At the second major of the season in Charlotte, N.C., the former Canadian national team member finished in a tie for fifth and earned US$694,700 for his efforts.
Pendrith enjoyed his biggest triumph in early May 2024, when he captured the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. In doing so, he became the first Canadian to win the tournament since its inception in 1944.
“I’m not a big history guy, but Byron Nelson is a special name and for my name to be on that trophy is super special,” he said following the win.
While consistency is often cited as the biggest key to success in golf, it’s also one of the hardest things to achieve. But it appears Pendrith has figured it out in his early 30s.
Former LPGA pro Rebecca Lee-Bentham, who went to high school with Pendrith, says his rise is nothing short of inspiring.
“Taylor picked up golf later than most kids, and from what I recall, he would shoot in the high 70s to mid-80s while the other top juniors were going under par in tournaments,” she said.
“If you told me a kid like him would be a winner on the PGA Tour, I wouldn’t believe you. But honestly, it’s one of the most inspiring things to witness. It’s a true testament to his talent, hard work and love for the game.”
Another standout from Richmond Hill, amateur Monet Chun, says Pendrith’s journey motivates her as well.
“I’ve played at Summit Golf and Country Club and know Taylor has played there too. It’s inspiring to see the success he’s having as a professional on the PGA Tour,” she said.
Now 34, Pendrith believes his best golf is still ahead of him. His key to continued success? Keeping the support system around him strong and steady.
“I’ve pretty much had the same team for a long time now. Derek Ingram is my golf coach — he’s been with me since I was part of the amateur national team, so that’s, I don’t know, 13 or 14 years now. He’s great. He knows my game, I’m comfortable with him, and he’s a great guy to hang around with,” said Pendrith.
“I started working with a physio out here a couple of years ago who’s helped with my body and preparation from week to week. I’ve also recently reconnected with a mental coach from the national team who I’ve known for 13 years.
“My family and my wife are a huge part of it. They’re a big part of the team and a huge reason for my success.”
Pendrith also draws motivation from his former teammates on the Canadian national team and at Kent State University — Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes.
“They were on the PGA Tour well before me. I was there to see Mackenzie’s first PGA win in Charleston — that was such a cool moment. And a couple of years later, Corey won,” he said.
“We were all teammates at Kent State and on the Golf Canada national team. It’s a lot of motivation and inspiration for me, having played so much golf with Corey and Mackenzie and knowing my game could compete with theirs.
“It was a huge goal of mine to join them on the PGA Tour, and to now join them in the winner’s circle is pretty cool.”
Now, Pendrith is looking forward to performing in front of a home crowd at the RBC Canadian Open, which will be held this year at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley — a course he knows well.
“I’m hoping to have a great week and put myself in contention on Sunday. It’s something all of us Canadian players dream about,” said Pendrith.
“I’m especially excited for this one. I’ve spent a lot of time at TPC Toronto — played a couple of Mackenzie Tour events there. I’ve practised there a lot and played with family and friends. It’s a beautiful venue and I can’t wait to get back.”
Final Field released for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open

Defending champion Robert MacIntyre and two-time winner Rory McIlroy along with international stars Ludvig Åberg, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Sungjae Im, Wyndham Clark, Tom Kim, Max Homa, Sahith Theegala, Sam Burns and Cameron Young ready to challenge
TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley
2023 champion Nick Taylor and fellow Canadian stars Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin and Adam Svensson headline a group of 21 Canadians set to compete in 114th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship
Two-night SiriusXM Concert Series will feature an all-Canadian line-up:
JUNO Award winners Billy Talent with JJ Wilde on Friday, June 6; and
JUNO Award winner, Sam Roberts Band with Ruby Waters
on Saturday, June 7
Caledon, Ont. – Golf Canada and RBC are pleased to announce the final field vying for the $9.8 million US purse at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open, June 4 – 8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont.
A world-class field led by two-time RBC Canadian Open Champion and world no. 2 Rory McIlroy will compete next week in Caledon. The 29-time PGA TOUR winner and career Grand Slam winner will be looking to claim his third Canadian Open title in 2025 and join a trio of three-time champions in Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, and Lee Trevino.
Other fan-favourites in the field for the 114th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship feature a number of international starts including Ludvig Åberg (world no. 6), Shane Lowry (world no. 14), Justin Rose (world no. 17), defending champion Robert MacIntyre (world no. 19), Sungjae Im (world no. 21), Wyndham Clark (world no. 22), Tom Kim (world no. 45), Alex Noren (world no. 71), Max Homa (world no. 87) and Gary Woodland (world no. 95).
Along with international stars, a 20-player Canadian contingent will compete at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Led by 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. (world no. 43) and fellow PGA TOUR winners, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 20), Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. (world no. 39), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 49), Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. (world no. 101) and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. as well as fellow PGA TOUR member Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont.
In addition to world class golf, fans at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open will be treated to the two-night SiriusXM Concert Series onsite at TPC Toronto featuring an all-Canadian line-up. Night one is headlined by JUNO Award winners, Billy Talent, featuring JJ Wilde. Night two features Juno Award winner Sam Roberts Band with Ruby Waters opening on Saturday. Fans will also have a chance to enjoy a number premium food and beverage options located in The Fareway featuring The Keg onsite at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
“We are proud and excited to welcome TPC Toronto to the host venue rotation for the RBC Canadian Open and look forward to kicking off this exciting new chapter next week for the 114th playing of our Men’s Canadian National Open Championship. Next week’s championship will bring a vision to life for TPC Toronto as the host venue,” said Ryan Paul, Tournament Director, RBC Canadian Open. “Golf fans and event enthusiasts are in for an exceptional experience with a world-class field competing in addition to a two-night concert series along with numerous premium food and beverage options at one of Canada’s premium live sporting events.”
In total, 156 players will compete for the $9.8 million US purse next week in Caledon when TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley will become the 38th golf course in the history of the RBC Canadian Open (and only the eighth since 1977) to host Canada’s National Men’s Open Golf Championship. In 2023, the Doug Carrick-designed North Course underwent a major golf course renovation under the guidance of renowned architect Ian Andrew with consultation from the PGA TOUR for the venue to host large-scale, global championship level competition.
Click here for a full field list for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont.
PGA TOUR Season Winners…
Seven in-year PGA TOUR winners will compete at TPC Toronto including Nick Taylor (Sony Open), Rory McIlroy (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The PLAYERS Championship, Masters), Thomas Detry (WM Phoenix Open), Ludvig Åberg (The Genesis Invitational), Brian Campbell (Mexico Open at VidantaWorld), Karl Vilips (Puerto Rico Open), and Ryan Fox (ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic).
Major Winners….
11 major winners are represented in the field including five-time major winner Rory McIlroy (2011 U.S. Open, 2012 & 2014 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship, 2025 Masters), Wyndham Clark (2023 U.S. Open), Gary Woodland (2019 U.S. Open), Shane Lowry (2019 Open Championship), Danny Willett (2016 Masters), Justin Rose (2013 U.S. Open) and Mike Weir (2003 Masters).
Past Champions…
Four past RBC Canadian Open champions will be in the field including two-time champion Rory McIlroy (2022, 2019) and defending champion, Robert MacIntyre (2024). In addition, Nick Taylor (2023), and Brandt Snedeker (2013) will also be competing.
International winners and other notables…
The field comprises over 180 international tournament wins. Seven winners from past European Ryder Cup Team wins and two winners from the U.S. Team wins and 10 U.S. Presidents Cup Team winners. Along with 34 past Olympians, including 2016 Olympic Games Gold medalist Justin Rose and Bronze medalist, Matt Kuchar.
21 Canadians to compete for their National Men’s Open Title…
In total, a 21-player Canadian contingent will challenge for the national championship led by 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. (world no. 43) and PGA TOUR winners, Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont. (world no. 20), Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont. (world no. 39), Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. (world no. 49), Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. (world no. 101) and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C. as well as fellow PGA TOUR member Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont. Canadian golf icon and Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. will be competing in his 32nd RBC Canadian Open. Six members of Team Canada including Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., Hunter Thomson of Calgary, Alta along with Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S. and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C. who recently accepted exemptions. Joining the Team Canada athletes are Richard T. Lee of Toronto, Ont., Wes Heffernan of Calgary, Alta., Roger Sloan of Calgary, Alta and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont. Three other Canadians earned exemptions through RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifying including Team Canada alumnus Cougar Collins of Mono, Ont. (First Ontario Regional Qualifier at Brampton Golf Club), Matt Scobie of Oshawa, Ont. (Second Ontario Regional Qualifying at Cherry Hill Club) and Brett Webster of Chilliwack, B.C. (B.C. Regional Qualifier at Squamish Valley Golf Club).
Final Tournament Exemptions to be Named…
The final four tournament exemptions into the field for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open will be handed out at the Final Qualifier on Sunday, June 1 at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. A high number of players attempted to gain entry into the field by competing at five Regional Qualifying sites earlier this month. A total of 103 players including 83 Canadians will compete at The Pulpit Club. Click here for a field list.
Lambton Golf & Country Club to host Final Qualifier for 125th U.S. Open on Golf’s Longest Day
On Monday, Lambton Golf & Country Club will be one of the site’s hosting a Final Qualifier into the 125th U.S. Open. The field is currently comprised of 70 players battling over 36-holes in Toronto. For the field competing at Lambton, click here. The 125th U.S. Open will take place, following the RBC Canadian Open, June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.
Three places in the 153rd Open Championship available at the RBC Canadian Open
The leading three players not already exempt who make the cut at the RBC Canadian Open will earn a place in The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush. In the event of a tie for a qualifying place, the player with the higher ranking in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) at the beginning of the week commencing June 2 will be awarded a place in The Open.
TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley to host National Finals of the BDO National Golf League…
The BDO National Golf League finals take place on Saturday, May 31 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) with 52 pairings (104 total golfers) competing for the national championship and the opportunity to represent Canada at The R&A 9 Hole Challenge at Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, one-week prior to the 153rd Open Championship. Launched by Golf Canada ahead of the 2023 season as a nationwide, season-long competition to enhance weekly recreational league experiences for men, women and junior golfers, the National Golf League embodies over 100 leagues across Canada and occurs throughout a six-week period of a club’s league season. Registration for the 2025 BDO National Golf League is now open, for more information please visit nationalgolfleague.ca.
MOBILE APP EXPERIENCE…
Experience the RBC Canadian Open like never before by downloading the Golf Canada Mobile App on your iOS or Android device. Essential features include a live map, leaderboard & pairings, tickets, breaking news, and special events. Plus, use the Golf Canada Mobile App to enhance your experience while playing! Find golf courses, track your game, set up matches against friends, access GPS yardages and more. Click here to download.
RBC CANADIAN OPEN – MEDIA GUIDE & PLAYER PERFORMANCE GUIDE
Below are links to the RBC Canadian Open Media Guide as well as the all-time Player Performance Guide:
2025 RBC Canadian Open Media Guide
RBC Canadian Open – All-Time Player Performance Guide
Tickets for the 2025 RBC Canadian Open are available here. Children aged 12-and-under get free admission with a ticketed adult.
Ashton McCulloch aims to continue building experience at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open

It didn’t take very long into his major debut for Ashton McCulloch to get his name into a unique circle of Canadian golfers. Under the backdrop of Donald Ross’ architectural masterpiece that is Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, McCulloch – who earned his spot in the 2024 U.S. Open by edging out a handful of regulars on the PGA TOUR in a qualifier – discovered that his name was more recognizable than he initially thought as the top Canadians on TOUR were already familiar with the then 21-year old amateur.
“The fact that they knew my name was so cool,” recalled McCulloch after his run-in with professionals including Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Hughes and Taylor Pendrith throughout the tournament. “I’m just a kid from Kingston, Ontario, and I play golf and those are professional golfers and obviously some of the best in the world, so the fact that they knew me and that we could have a normal conversation not even surrounding golf was really cool and something I won’t forget.”
McCulloch’s name started wedging itself into conversations of up-and-coming Canadian talents well before his appearance at a major tournament. His triumph at the 2023 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont. vaulted McCulloch into an elite group of names to have found success at the third-oldest amateur championship, joining a list of familiar figures in which he had the luxury of meeting at last year’s U.S. Open, including Taylor’s victory in 2007 and Hughes back-to-back championships in 2011 and 2012.
“It’s really cool to look at kind of what I’ve done in the game of golf and what other greats like Taylor, Hughes, Pendrith and all those guys and what they’ve done,” commented McCulloch. “I’m still far away from how good they are but just trying to continue to grow like they did,” he added.
The win clinched McCulloch a spot in the 2024 field at the RBC Canadian Open, his first professional event and one he grew up watching. The euphoria of playing his National Open immediately kicked in after rolling his final putt to take the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship by five strokes, and so too was the desire to prove to a lot of people that he was capable of playing at the highest level.
Though his debut experience at Hamilton Golf & Country Club last summer left him on the outside looking in come the weekend, McCulloch was pleased with his ball striking ability and ultimately adding an early steppingstone in his young and aspiring career.
The 22-year-old with have another opportunity on the biggest stage in the nation from June 4 to June 8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. Eager to build off his debut experience, McCulloch – the lowest raked Canadian in the World Amateur Golf rankings – adds to the strong list of Canadian talent competing next week as a result of his exemption.
“To have that opportunity to not only play against the best players in the world; test my game, learn from them and learn more about myself, but also just the pride in the opportunity to play for our country and our Canadian Open is something I’m so grateful to receive,” said McCulloch.
One of 18 male members part of the Team Canada program, McCulloch has steadily improved throughout his amateur career, competing in the Big Ten at Michigan State University (MSU) where he just finished his senior season. The top finisher on the team in his last six starts of the 2024 campaign, McCulloch was a major force at MSU and placed third in both the Big Ten Championship and the Canadian Collegiate Invitational as a junior. He also picked up a win at the Johnnie-O at Sea Island event last season and finished the year with the best scoring average in program history.
Earlier this month, McCulloch was awarded a sponsor’s exemption into the 2025 Rocket Classic set to take place in Detroit, Mich. in June. By the time he arrives at Detroit Golf Club, he will already have two other PGA TOUR events under his belt and looks to use the experiences as a launching pad towards his pursuit of a professional golf career.
“To use those events and not only the [ranking] points that you get from them but the experiences you get from them that are so much more valuable,” said McCulloch ahead of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open. “The journey is far from over and you just kind of keep on pushing and use those [events] as confidence boosters and not to get too complacent,” he added.
The 2025 summer will see McCulloch’s name featured alongside the game’s best players and add another Canadian threat to a pair of fields on the PGA TOUR. Nearing the end of his collegiate tenure, the future looks promising for McCulloch, a rising star with a name already familiar with several current Canadian on TOUR.
“I just want to keep progressing, keep the boots on the ground and keep going and try to chase the best golf that I can.”
McCulloch will be amongst a field of 156 players will compete at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in the 114th playing of the RBC Canadian Open, June 4 -8. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit rbccanadianopen.com.