HAMILTON, Ont.  — Using a loonie as his ball marker, Rory McIlroy fired a final round 9-under par 61 to win Canada’s National Open Championship, the RBC Canadian Open in his first appearance.

McIlroy’s 22-under-par 258 is the lowest 72-hole score ever carded at the RBC Canadian Open. The previous record of 263 was held by Johnny Palmer (1952), Scott Piercy (2012) and Tim Clark (2014). His final round 61 is also the best final round at the 110-year-old event, breaking the record of 62 held by Andy Bean (1983).

The 30-year-old entered Sunday’s final round sharing the lead with Americans Matt Kuchar and Webb Simpson. He started his round by lipping-out a chip for eagle on the first hole, en route to birding four of his first five holes. With the win the Northern Irishman claimed his 16^th PGA TOUR title.

“It’s been a while since I played like this and sort of put my foot down, but it was so nice to do it today,” said McIlroy. “I’m very proud of what I’ve done today. Hopefully this sets up well for the rest of the year, too.”

McIlroy becomes only the sixth player to win the career Triple Crown, having won the U.S. Open in 2011 and The Open Championship in 2014. He joins an exclusive club that includes Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods.

“The reception from the Canadian crowds have been incredible this week,” added McIlroy. “They couldn’t have been any better. They’ve been so welcoming all week. I can’t wait to come back next year.”

Right back at ya, @McIlroyRory!

Cheers, champ ? pic.twitter.com/WIotjSqxvm

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) June 10, 2019

McIlroy is the first golfer to win the RBC Canadian Open on his first attempt since Chez Reavie in 2008 and the first European to capture the title since Sweden’s Carl Pettersson in 2010.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry and American Web Simpson finished tied for second at 15-under par 265 for the tournament. Americans Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker finished tied for 4^th at 13-under.

Adam Hadwin fired an even-par 70 in the final round, finishing as the low Canadian at 12-under par 268 on the tournament. Hadwin was awarded the Rivermead Cup for the fourth time of his career as low Canadian.

“The crowd was amazing all week,” said Hadwin. “That reception coming up 18 was something special. I pictured it with being a few more [strokes] under earlier in the week, but they were amazing. I’m just disappointed I couldn’t get it done in front of them.”

By virtue of his sixth-place finish, Hadwin qualifies for the 2019 Open Championship being held July 14-21 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Also earning an exemption in the 2019 Open Championship was Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. New for 2019, the RBC Canadian Open is included in The Open Qualifying Series. Up to three players who are not already exempt earned places in the 148^th Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Taste of ??! @Graeme_McDowell drains a 30-footer on 18 and punches his ticket to @TheOpen ????@SteamWhistle ? pic.twitter.com/ijhON9pGOo

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) June 9, 2019

The 2020 RBCCO is being held at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto from June 8 to 14.

Click here to view the full leaderboard for the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

ANCASTER, Ont. – Golf Canada’s plans to elevate the RBC Canadian Open have paid off.

Laurence Applebaum, Golf Canada’s CEO, called the 2019 edition of the tournament a success on Sunday, even as the national sport organization was still adding up its figures.

“I can categorically say that the RBC Canadian Open 2019 will be a record year,” said Applebaum at a morning news conference before most pairings had teed off in the final round of the national championship. “It’s going to be a record on basically every single metric we look at.”

Golf Canada reported a 65 per cent increase in attendance, a total of approximately 120,000 people over seven days. Beer sales, always a point of pride for the only Canadian stop on the PGA Tour, doubled from last year’s event at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Setting the stage for a thrilling Sunday finish at the #RBCCO

Tickets ➡️https://t.co/7mfBsjhFcY pic.twitter.com/ZoSzqMSSUn

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) June 9, 2019

That growth was part of a plan initiated by Golf Canada, lead sponsor RBC, and the PGA Tour, to raise the RBC Canadian Open’s profile.

The overall purse was increased to US$7.6 million for 2019, up from $6.4 million. The date was also moved from late July to the first week of June, a more advantageous position in golf’s calendar, a week before the U.S. Open instead of a week after the British Open.

A pair of concerts were added to the event, with country music stars Florida Georgia Line playing on Friday night and Kingston, Ont., rock group the Glorious Sons performing on Saturday night.

“I think we saw on Friday and Saturday that music and golf do work together,” said Mary DePaoli, executive vice-president and chief marketing officer for RBC. “Anecdotally there were so many people that came to hear music but got here early to see some golf.”

The Hamilton Golf and Country Club hosted the Canadian Open for the first time since 2007. It will welcome the national championship in 2023. St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto will hold the event in 2020 and 2024, with the hosts for 2021 and 2022 expected to be announced by the end of this year.

Looking back on the Sunday morning hype that surrounded the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

HAMILTON, Ont.  — Rory McIlroy, Matt Kuchar and Webb Simpson sit in a three-way tie for the lead at 13-under par heading into the final round of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

McIlroy catapulted to the top of the leaderboard with a 6-under 64. He was bogey free, while knocking in six birdies and says he has been enjoying the atmosphere during his first visit to Canada’s National Open Golf Championship.

“It’s probably the best atmosphere I’ve played in in a long time,” said McIlroy. “The Canadian fans really come out and support this event. That 13^th hole there [The Rink] is pretty cool. I think what they’ve been able to do here is right on the limit of fun, but still in keeping with the traditions of the game, so I think it’s been awesome. I’ve had a wonderful reception from everyone and just excited to get to play in front of them again tomorrow.”

Kuchar started the day with a share of the lead and remained steady, shooting 1-under-par 69 Saturday. Currently sitting No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings, Kuchar was atop the leaderboard for most of the day, but a bogey on No. 15 pulled him back into a tie with McIlroy and Simpson.

”It was a tough day out there,” said Kuchar. “It took a lot of good scoring to stay in the position I’m in. The support out here has been fantastic. The crowds have been great. The energy has been great. The Rink is completely unique.”

Simpson had a bogey-free 67 that helped him grab a share of the lead with 18 holes remaining.

Canadian Adam Hadwin is one-shot back, sitting T4 after moving day. A bogey on No. 2 made for an unfavourable start, but Hadwin clawed his way back into contention with three back-nine birdies. He is tied with Shane Lowry and Brandt Snedeker, a stroke behind the leaders at -12.

“I certainly got a lot more out of this round,” added Hadwin. “I really struggled with that left-to-right wind off the tee – couldn’t really figure it out. I’m just proud of the way I battled today. You know you have to go out and shoot a low one tomorrow.”

Mackenzie Hughes enjoyed his third straight round in the 60s – a 1-under par 69 – that dropped him one-spot into a share of 8^th.

Nick Taylor started the day tied for third but carded a 73 to slip into a tie for 9^th.

The final round of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open tees off at 8:25 a.m. on Sunday, June 9. Pairings and tee times and be found here.

Canada’s Roger Sloan takes a tour through the Hamilton Fare Way and the Titleist Fitting Zone

ANCASTER, Ont. – As Roger Sloan walked up the 14th fairway at Hamilton Golf and Country Club he thought about how he could be doing better with his approach shot.

After opening the par-4 hole with a 294-yard drive the product of Merritt, B.C., knew that to stay competitive in the third round of the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday he’d have to get as near to the pin as possible.

“I’d been thinking all day ‘I haven’t hit it close, I haven’t hit it close,” said Sloan, whose 152-yard shot with his eight iron landed within eight feet of the hole.

“To be able to hit that eight iron in there within a couple of feet was definitely nice.”

With the green slightly elevated from his position on the fairway, it was the cheers from red-clad Canadian fans that let him know he was in position to birdie.

“I’ve always enjoyed this tournament,” said Sloan. “It’s our national championship, golf is obviously a huge part of Canadian culture and Canadian golf fans are very passionate.

“As a Canadian it’s so thrilling to be out there and hearing the cheers and hearing the support.”

Sloan had three birdies on the back nine in a 2-under 68 round. Although not a very low score, the entire field struggled on the rapidly drying course, helping him climb 17 spots up the leaderboard.

“You’ve got to stay patient out there with the wind being a little more severe, it’s in the same direction it has been,” said Sloan, who teed off at 9:10 in the morning. “It’s out there for the guys in the afternoon but I’m very pleased with how I played today.”

Toronto’s Richard Jung had a 5-over 75 round to drop down the leaderboard to 63rd.

Sloan, who has played in five Canadian Opens and made the cut three times, is excited to be playing on the Saturday and Sunday of the only PGA Tour event on home soil.

“Anytime you can play all four rounds here at the Canadian Open, it’s great being a Canadian,” said Sloan. “I’m excited for the opportunity to go out there and play well tomorrow.”

HAMILTON, Ont.  —  Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., as well as Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., all sit within the top 10 after two-rounds of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

Taylor carded a second-round 65 Friday and finds himself tied for third with 2013 RBC Canadian Open champion Brandt Snedeker at 11-under par. His 5-under par performance included three birdies on his final four holes.

“I felt good, to be honest,” said Taylor. “Early on, I was hitting good shots, but putts weren’t dropping. Then I hit four great shots on the last two holes. It was nice to make that putt on the last hole.”

Snedeker matched the lowest single-round score ever at the RBC Canadian Open by carding a 10-under par 60. Carl Pettersson shot 60 in 2010 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club.

“I didn’t really think about it until I got to the 17^th tee,” said Snedeker, whose scor of 60 is also a new Hamilton Golf and Country Club course record. “I was hitting the ball so well off the tee and making so many putts. It was one of those rounds where everything comes together.”

Hadwin holds sole possession of 6^th at 9-under. Hughes and Silverman share 7^th spot at 8-under.

Silverman handed in a scorecard of 9-under-par 61 Friday, which is the lowest round ever recorded by a Canadian at Canada’s National Open Golf Championship.

“It’s great, it’s where I want to be,” added Silverman. “I was hitting fairways and it’s almost impossible to score around here if you’re missing fairways. “

Americans Scott Brown and Matt Kuchar both shot 7-under to finish the day as co-leaders at 12-under.

The shot of the day belonged to Kramer Hickok. The Austin, Tex., native made an albatross on No. 4 – only the fourth albatross in RBC Canadian Open history and the first since Guy Hill in 1996 at Glen Abbey Golf Club. This was the sixth albatross on the PGA TOUR this season.

Toronto’s Richard Jung was tied for 33rd at 4-under and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., was tied for 55th at 2-under.

The third-round of the RBC Canadian Open gets underway at 8:25 am, while the final pairing tees off at 2:10 pm. Tee times for the third round can be found here.

HAMILTON, Ont. – Mackenzie & Ebert Ltd. will lead a significant golf course improvement plan to the historic Harry S. Colt layout at Hamilton Golf & Country Club starting in the fall of 2019.

Noted English Golf Course Architect, Martin Ebert, a partner in the firm, will oversee the re-investment in the course assets to all 27 holes as the club modernizes its bunkers, greens and irrigation system over a two-year period.

“When Harry Colt visited Hamilton G&CC in the spring of 1914 he developed the brilliant layout that you see before you today, but he never returned during construction or to see the finished project,” says Ebert, who was first hired as HGCC’s consulting architect in 2014. “As part of the renewal of the golf course assets, our goal is to strengthen the character and original design philosophy of this wonderful Colt masterpiece for members and all golfers to enjoy.”

The club has an original set of hand sketched Colt drawings that have been used as a guideline for the changes and will draw on Mackenzie & Ebert’s vast knowledge of other Colt courses to fine-tune the holes. The firm currently advise seven of the 10 current Open Championship venues including Royal Portrush, which will host The Open later this summer.

“The improvements that will be implemented acknowledge that the course is a private members’ facility for the vast majority of life and the adjustments are designed to enhance the overall member experience,” says Ebert. “We would also like to create a fitting test for the finest players when they come to compete at the Canadian Open and other championships.”

Important to the membership and the project is the commitment by the club to keep 18 holes open for play at all times through the use of temporary greens. One of the championship nines will close in September, while the other 18 holes will remain open throughout the fall. Construction will progress continuously through the remaining nines and is expected to be completed by the spring of 2021 to allow for grown-in. The RBC Canadian Open is slated to return to HGCC in 2023.

The Golf Course Improvement Plan is the No. 1 priority within the club’s Long-Range Master Plan – Vision 2030 – the document will be finalized and presented to the membership later this year. As part of the Golf Course Improvement Plan, a 30-year-old irrigation system will be replaced with leading edge technology. The Poa Anna turf greens will be converted to Bentgrass and constructed to modern standards with multiple pin placement opportunities. The bunkers will be constructed using the latest techniques and in the spirit of the original Colt design with adjustments for today’s modern era.

Rhod Trainor will retire as the Superintendent at the end of 2019. He will stay on as a consultant as Project Manager throughout 2020 and focus on implementing the Golf Course Improvement Plan immediately after the RBC Canadian Open. Associate Golf Course Superintendent, Jordan Kitchen has been named Interim Superintendent. He will be responsible for day-to-day golf course and turf maintenance through the end of 2020.

“We believe this approach is in the best interest of the club and in the best interest of the project. Team continuity and course knowledge throughout the project is key for its success as well as for member and guest experience over the next 18 months,” says Sean McDonough, Club President.

Canadian Nick Taylor stops in at Hambrgr, one of 8 restaurants delivering a unique culinary experience to fans at the 2019 RBC Canadian Open from June 6-9.