OAKVILLE, Ont. – Chris Crisologo was on the driving range earlier this week when he looked over and realized Los Angeles Kings defenceman Drew Doughty was taking some practice swings of his own just a few steps away.

A lifelong Vancouver Canucks fans, Crisologo asked for a picture with the former Norris Trophy winner – a smiling shot of a golfer and hockey player.

On the range @RBCCanadianOpen and I had to turn around to see who was striping it behind me… it was @dewyy8. Awesome person to talk to! #StillACanucksFan pic.twitter.com/URRq207x7F

— Chris Crisologo (@CJCrisologo8) July 26, 2018

Crisologo will soon be the one getting stopped by strangers if he keeps up his stunning play at the RBC Canadian Open.

The 22-year-old amateur from Richmond, B.C., sits at 7 under in a tie for 23rd after wrapping up his rain-delayed opening round Friday morning with a tidy 68 before battling to a 69 on his second trip around Glen Abbey Golf Club.

“There are nerves,” Crisologo said. “But with the hometown crowd you can feel the energy.

“It’s not too hard to (turn) that into a positive.”

Crisologo sat at 7 under through six holes of the second round, but bogeyed three of his next four before picking up birdies on the back nine’s three par-5s.

“It’s just kind of managing your emotions,” he said. “There’s going to be momentum swings.”

Slight in stature and generously listed at five foot nine, Crisologo crushes the ball off the tee. One of his drives Friday measured 364 yards.

“He’s got speed like a Rory McIlory,” Golf Canada men’s coach Derek Ingram said. “You’re like, ‘He couldn’t have hit that.”’

A Golf Canada national team member since last fall, Crisologo competed four years in the NCAA with Simon Fraser University. He won B.C.’s amateur championship two weeks ago, but arrived at his first Canadian Open minus any expectations.

“He was excited to be here,” Ingram said. “He’s taking advantage.”

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian at 9 under in a tie for 10th after a roller-coaster Friday that included eight birdies and three bogeys.

The last Canadian crowned national championship was Victoria’s Pat Fletcher, who bested the field at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf Club in 1954.

“If I play well and I’m low Canadian, that’s great,” Taylor said. “But I’m trying to win a golf tournament.”

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., followed up his first-round 73 with a 10-shot improvement to sit at 8 under in a tie for 15th. He had an eagle putt on No. 18 that could have tied the course record, but his 40-foot effort just missed.

Kevin Tway, whose father Bob captured the Open in 2003, tops the leaderboard of the US$6.2-million PGA Tour event at 13 under.

Roger Sloan (69) of Merritt, B.C., joined Crisologo at 7 under, while Mackenzie Hughes (69) of Dundas, Ont., is a stroke back.

David Hearn (72) of Brantford, Ont., who finished third in 2015, and Calgary’s Ryan Yip (72) just made the cut at 4 under as seven Canadians will play this weekend, the most since 2008 when eight qualified.

But Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin isn’t one of them after a 71 that left him at 3 under.

The 55th-ranked player in the world described his frustration level afterwards as “100 out of 10.”

“You come here with the highest of expectations and want to play well,” Hadwin said. “I just can’t seem to get it done.”

Jared du Toit (69) of Kimberley, B.C., carded an eagle on No. 16, but pushed a 10-foot birdie putt to the right on the final hole to also just miss the cut.

Michael Gligic (77) of Burlington, Ont., was 3 under after the first round, but struggled Friday and wound up 2 over.

Mike Weir (71) of Brights Grove, Ont., headlined the other 11 Canadians in the field heading home.

Crisologo said he will seek out du Toit, who played in the final group in 2016 as an amateur before finishing tied for ninth, on what to expect this weekend.

“It’s nice having that connection with previous amateurs, previous players that have played well at this tournament,” said Crisologo, who isn’t eligible for any of the Open’s prize money. “There’s no way to prep for it.”

One thing Crisologo can expect is bigger crowds and a lot more attention as the microscope sharpens further into focus.

“You never know what to expect,” he said. “I’m just out here to enjoy the moment and make the most of this opportunity.”

One that, if all goes well, will include a lot more picture requests.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – After any PGA TOUR round Kevin Tway calls his longest-serving coach: his dad Bob. That pipeline of advice will be especially handy as the Tways try to become the first father-son duo to win the Canadian Open.

Tway birdied the par-5 18th hole to take the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday. He fired a 7-under 65 to finish his day at 13-under overall at Glen Abbey Golf Club. No one caught him in the afternoon, putting him in a prime position to win this weekend.

After signing his scorecard and grabbing a meal in the clubhouse Tway expected he would phone his dad.

“I talk to dad every day, no matter if I’m home, here,” said Tway, who is from Edmond, Okla., but resides in Jupiter, Fla. “We talk about every round. He can probably tell you what kind of shots I’m hitting just by like watching on TV. He knows what the swing looks like. He’s been there throughout, so he’s a big key for me.”

Bob Tway won the Canadian Open in 2003 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, which will host the national championship in 2019. The elder Tway won eight PGA TOUR events over his career with his best finish coming in 1986 when he won the PGA Championship, two years before Kevin was born.

“It would be great to match (Canadian Open titles),” said Kevin. “He’s given me insight on this course. Although he won (in Hamilton), he’s played here many times.”

Your leaders heading into the weekend at the #RBCCO

A post shared by RBC Canadian Open (@rbccanadianopen) on Jul 27, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

Bob Tway twice finished in a tie for ninth at Glen Abbey, in 1986 and 1995.

Although no father-son duo has won the Canadian Open, brothers Charles and Albert Murray of Montreal both won the national title twice during their Canadian Golf Hall of Fame careers. Charles won his first in 1906, while Albert won the brothers’ final title in 1913.

Keegan Bradley was in Tway’s pairing on Friday morning and made birdie-eagle-birdie-eagle on the final four holes to launch himself into a tie with South Korea’s Whee Kim for second at 12 under.

After sinking a 21-foot, two-inch putt on No. 18 Bradley turned to Tway and excitedly said something along the lines of “I’m coming.” Neither could remember the specifics because they were so excited.

“That was crazy,” said Bradley, who also had an eagle on the second hole. “I’ve never had anything close to that happen in my career.”

South Korea’s Byeong Hun An (67) and Johnson Wagner (65) were tied for fourth at 11-under. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson shot a 6-under 66 to enter a four-way tie for sixth with fellow American Zac Blair, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, and New Zealand’s Aaron Baddeley at 10 under.

Robert Garrigus, the leader after the first round, shot an even par on Friday but was in a tie for 10th on the strength of his 9-under performance to start the TOURnament.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian. He fired a 5-under 67 on Friday to move to 9 under at the US$6.2 million PGA TOUR event.

“I hit it great off the tee, which set me up for a lot of short irons, and I gave myself a lot of chances,” said Taylor. “I actually missed a couple chances that I had on the back, as well, so I had a lot of chances and it was nice to make a bunch of them.”

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was one stroke behind Taylor after a torrid second round of 9-under 63. Silverman had a chance to tie the course record, but missed a 39-foot putt for eagle on the 18th hole and sits in a tie for 15th.

Silverman didn’t know that he was close to the course record at Glen Abbey, which is shared by many golfers but was most recently matched by Garrigus last year.

“I had no idea, I didn’t know what the course record was,” said Silverman. “I was just trying to keep going lower.”

Amateur Chris Crisologo (69) of Richmond, B.C., and Roger Sloan (69) of Merritt, B.C., are tied for 23rd at 7 under. Mackenzie Hughes (69) of Dundas, Ont., was in a group at 35th sitting at 6 under. Calgary’s Ryan Yip and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot identical 72s to tie for 61st.

The cut line was projected at 4 under.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – One sport involves hurdling off snow-covered jumps as music blares in front of rabid fans. The other is played on manicured grass.

Still, Canadian Olympic snowboarder Mark McMorris sees a lot of similarities between his craft and the golfers he’s been watching this week.

“The littlest adjustments can make the biggest difference,” McMorris said Friday as he took in the second round of the RBC Canadian Open. “If you tuck a little bit too much in snowboarding, you might start spinning or flipping faster. I feel like we might have a little bit more room for error than the golfers.

“Our errors are a little bit more consequential to our well-being, but there can be some big financial errors for these guys.”

Speaking just off the 17th tee at Glen Abbey Golf Club, McMorris knows more than he cares to about consequential errors.

The 24-year-old from Regina was nearly killed in a March 2017 snowboarding accident in British Columbia’s backcountry when he crashed into a tree.

McMorris suffered breaks to his jaw and left arm, a ruptured spleen, a stable pelvic fracture, rib fractures and a collapsed left lung – 17 broken bones in all.

He had to be airlifted off the mountain before spending 10 days in a Vancouver hospital and was on a liquid diet for six weeks.

But McMorris somehow rebounded in time to capture bronze in men’s slopestyle at the Pyeongchang Winter Games for his second Olympic medal.

The echoes of those horrific injuries, however, continue to linger.

“I’m still not normal,” he said of the pain that remains nearly 16 months later. “I have plates in my face, plates in my arm, plates in my leg. My main focus is on mobility because it tightens up on me.

“It’s pretty impressive what the human body can do, given the circumstances.”

McMorris, who is sponsored by RBC, said he chatted with world No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson and Canada’s Adam Hadwin at the US$6.2-million tournament, just the latest stop on what has already been a whirlwind summer.

He got to ride a horse as marshal of the Calgary Stampede Parade earlier this month and helped give away a car at a recent music festival.

“All these neat opportunities that you’d never think riding a piece of wood down a mountain would bring to me,” said McMorris, who plays about five or six rounds of a golf a summer. “I live a pretty strange life with the weird things I get to do because of snowboarding, but it is nice to be around an event like this and to see all the world’s best coming up to Canada.”

Stuck rehabbing injuries the last two summers, including from the accident that nearly took his life, McMorris is happy to let things come his way when he’s away from the mountain.

That might not have always been the case in the past.

“I don’t think I ever took anything for granted, but I definitely don’t now,” he said. “I wake up every day and go, ‘OK this is way better than when I was almost dead.’ I try to take things at a slower pace now. I don’t need to rush to get back to snowboarding. I really appreciate my time in it, but I love my time off.

“I’m very thankful for the life I lead, and I’m more thankful than I’ve ever been.”

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Michael Gligic has lined up hundreds of shots at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

He played the course at least 100 times as a teenager under the tutelage of Sean Foley, long before the latter became swing coach for Tiger Woods.

Rounds have been less frequent over the last decade – Gligic estimates six or eight in total – usually alongside a couple of friends with a beer or two not far from his golf bag.

Thursday was an entirely different experience.

Gligic fired a 3-under 69 in the first round of the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey before play was suspended due to inclement weather. He finished the day tied for 41st.

“I don’t know if when I was 13 outside the ropes getting autographs if I really thought it would be a reality that one day I’d be inside the ropes,” the 28-year-old said. “It was a pretty cool experience. I’ll cherish that moment walking down No. 18.”

Gligic, who was born in Kitchener, Ont., and grew up in Burlington, just west of Oakville, has played two previous Canadian Opens elsewhere, but competing at the course where he started to hone his skills is special.

“A little nervy on the first tee shot,” Gligic said. “Other than that, settled in really well.”

Much of his career has been spent on golf’s third-tier Mackenzie Tour, previously called PGA Tour Canada. Gligic earned a spot at this year’s Open after tying for first in Monday’s qualifier.

With a morning tee time, his opening round included a combination of searing heat, wind and rain.

“I went to pull out my umbrella and my caddie was like, ‘Yeah, that’s in the car,”’ said Gligic, adding with a grin: “He’ll get a word from me … I’m sure he’ll carry it (Friday) rain or shine.”

The six-foot-four, 180-pound Gligic has plenty of support following him around Glen Abbey, where he fired four birdies against one bogey.

“I didn’t really have a specific goal,” said Gligic, one of 21 Canadians in the field. “I’m just going to try and hit one shot at a time and do what I can do and put myself in contention.”

The 2018 event might be the tournament’s swan song at Glen Abbey – a Jack Nicklaus-designed course that could soon be redeveloped as a subdivision – but Gligic is hopeful the venue’s 30th Open isn’t its last.

“There’s so much history,” he said. “It would be a shame to see it go.”

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., were tied at 4-under 68 as low Canadians.

The 39-year-old Hearn has had a tricky season with more down time than he’s used to after losing his full-time PGA Tour status, but is also in decent position to make some noise on home soil.

“I realize out here it can be fleeting,” Hearn said. “I’ve been working my tail off to try to get better.”

Robert Garrigus tops the leaderboard at 9 under following a round that included five straight birdies on the front nine.

Adam Hadwin, also from Abbotsford, sat at 2 under after playing alongside world No. 1 Dustin Johnson (68) and No. 4 Bubba Watson (70) in the early marquee group at the US$6.2-million event.

“No one was paying attention to me,” Hadwin joked.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was at 3 under through 17 after play was suspended for the day due to inclement weather. Amateur Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C., was at 3 under through 14 holes, while Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., was also at 3 under but after 12 holes.

Joey Savoie, an amateur from La Prairie, Que., shot 71, while Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., fired a 72.

Calgary’s Ryan Yip was at 1 under through 12 holes, and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., finished his round at even-par 72. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was also at par after 12 holes.

Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., the 2003 Masters champion, shot 75.

Gligic enjoyed Thursday’s moment in the spotlight, but was eager to put it behind him with even more pressure on the horizon.

“It’s just the first day,” he said. “So much can happen. I could shoot 64 or 84 (in the second round).

“It’s golf, and things can change overnight.”

OAKVILLE, Ont. – As good as Robert Garrigus has been at the RBC Canadian Open, he thinks he could have been even better in Thursday’s first round.

The American shot a 9-under 63 to take the clubhouse lead. A rainstorm suspended play for over two hours in the late afternoon before the PGA TOUR tournament resumed for a little over an hour. By the end of the day, Garrigus was still one shot ahead of fellow American Adam Schenk at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

“Could have been 59 there if a couple putts didn’t lip out,” said Garrigus, who had birdie putts lip out on Nos. 10 and 17. “Got lucky on the par-5, on 13, hit it right in the middle of the water, and it hit a rock and bounced over the thing and I made birdie.

“I think 20-something-under is going to win, so we’ll forget about it when I get home. This was a good day, get to enjoy it for a minute, but I’ve got to close my mind off.”

Keeping focused has been an issue for Garrigus of late.

He shot an impressive 6-under 66 in the third round of the Barbasol Championship last Saturday, before coughing up an ugly 7-over 79 in the final round. The low point for Garrigus was when he quadruple bogeyed the 567-yard par-5 No. 17, finishing the tournament tied for 66th at 4 under.

“I prayed a lot this week, I’ll tell you that much,” said Garrigus. “There was a lot of prayers for my family, just to give me peace and calm, just to come out and not worry about it, not worry about where I am.”

Last year at Glen Abbey, Garrigus shot a 10-under 62 in the third round to match the course record. If not for those two missed putts on Thursday, he could have tied or surpassed that mark.

“I love this place. I’ve always played well in Canada. There’s a lot of good vibes here. And the golf course is absolutely pure,” said Garrigus. “I mean, I was walking on the fairway on No. 8, and it just felt like you were walking on carpet, and you get up on the green, and it’s like grass. The conditions are absolutely perfect.”

Although Garrigus played in ideal conditions, they turned a few hours after he got off the course. Play was suspended for over two hours in the late afternoon, with high winds and potential lightning strikes making it unsafe to keep golfing. Play resumed for another hour after the rain cleared, but over a dozen players were unable to finish their round.

Rain on Monday and briefly on Wednesday had kept the greens and fairways soft.

Schenk made the most of the conditions, closing out his round in the rain with three straight birdies as the morning group finished its day at the US$6.2-million PGA Tour event.

“If you were in the fairway, it was much easier to attack, but you could still play from the rough, so I did that too often today but was fortunate to get away with it,” said Schenk, a PGA Tour rookie who is fighting to keep his card with a handful of tournaments left on the schedule. “But if you can get within 20 feet of the hole, you’re going to make some putts, especially in the morning. The greens are very smooth.”

Chris Stroud was third after shooting a 7-under 65.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot 4-under 68 for the top score among Canadians. After play resumed Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., drained a six-foot putt on No. 18 to tie Hearn.

“I thought I was hitting a little better before the delay, felt a little off on the last few holes,” said Taylor, who was on the 16th hole before the delay. “Made a couple putts on the last two holes so that was nice to finish the round off.”

Adam Hadwin, also from Abbotsford, the top-ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour, fired a 2-under 70.

Victoria’s Pat Fletcher, who was born in England, was the last Canadian to win the country’s national championship, claiming the event all the way back in 1954. Carl Keffer is the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – The 109^th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship gets underway Thursday with 156 of the world’s best golfers, including 21 Canadians and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson set to compete for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open trophy and the champion’s share of the $6.2 million (US) purse.

Johnson, an 18-time winner on the PGA TOUR, has had great success at Canada’s National Open Championship, finishing runner-up in both 2013 and 2016.

“It’s always good to come back here. I’ve had some success here and I enjoy coming and playing the Canadian Open, especially being an RBC ambassador,” said Johnson. “I get a lot of fans out here and they’ve been great the past few years.”

The world’s No. 1 golfer had high praise for the work superintendent Andrew Gyba and his team have done to get the course ready for the RBC Canadian Open.

“The course is in really good shape, probably the best shape I’ve seen it since I’ve played here,” added Johnson. “It’s going to be a good week.”

Johnson went on to talk about the recently announced date change for the RBC Canadian Open—moving to June 3 to 9 beginning in 2019—and the impact he anticipates it will have on the tournament.

“I think it’ll be good for the golf tournament. A lot of guys like to play the week before the U.S. Open, so you’ll definitely get some different guys,” said Johnson. “I think the field will definitely improve, even though this year I feel like we have a really good field at the tournament.”

PAIRINGS FOR ROUNDS 1 and 2
Pairings and start times for the opening two rounds of the 109th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship on Thursday, July 26 and Friday, July 27 are now available online here.

INTERVIEW VIDEO, AUDIO AND TRANSCRIPTS FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 25
Interview, audio and transcripts for the following players and events from Wednesday, July 25 are available here and video is available here. Please note the videos are unedited, uncut and broadcast-quality.

• Brooks Koepka
• Jhonattan Vegas
• Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Connors
• Dustin Johnson

2018 MEDIA GUIDE AND PLAYER PERFORMANCE BOOK:
Media can also download the 2018 RBC Canadian Open Media Guide for complete stats, records and historical information. Media can also download the 2018 RBC Canadian Open Player Performance Book which details individual player statistics from 1904-2017.

TELEVISION COVERAGE:
The following are television times for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open:

Thursday July 26

• TSN 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Golf Channel 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Friday July 27

• TSN 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  Golf Channel 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday July 28

• Golf Channel 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• CBS & Global 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday July 29

• Golf Channel 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• CBS & Global 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

RED AND WHITE DAY:
On Friday, July 27, we invite you to wear your brightest reds and your whitest whites to celebrate Canada and show your support for the Canadian players competing in our National Open. Canadian flags will be handed out at the main entrance while supplies last. 

TICKETS:
Grounds tickets for all days of the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, as well as, a limited number of premium ticket packages are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing is available online at http://www.rbccanadianopen.com/. Golf Canada and RBC are also pleased to offer FREE admission to juniors 17 and younger—Click here to download a FREE Junior Pass.

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA – The PGA TOUR announced that Facebook has been added to an already impressive viewing schedule for fans within Canada to watch the RBC Canadian Open July 26-29 at Glenn Abbey Golf Club. Facebook will join Golf Channel, PGA TOUR LIVE, Twitter, Global TV, TSN, RDS (French only) and DAZN to offer a tournament record 235 hours of live coverage available on virtually any device, radio or television in Canada.

“Fans are consuming golf across more platforms than ever,” said Bill Paul, Golf Canada’s Chief Championships Officer. “We’re excited to be taking advantage of new and innovative technologies to help bring the RBC Canadian Open to additional viewers and encapsulate an exciting new, young demographic.”

Facebook will distribute exclusive live coverage of featured groups on Saturday and Sunday morning of the RBC Canadian Open in the U.S. and Canada on a free basis. To access, users can follow the PGA TOUR LIVE Page at www.facebook.com/pgatourlive. The PGA TOUR will uniquely produce this coverage for Facebook’s social video platform, with interactive elements aimed to engage fans.

While PGA TOUR Canadian broadcast partners TSN, RDS, Global TV and Golf Channel will deliver extensive RBC Canadian Open action to television sets across Canada, they will each stream coverage that can be accessed via Golf Channel Live (www.golfchannel.com/livegolf), TSN Go (www.tsn.ca/live), RDS Direct (www.rds.ca/emissions/en-direct) and Global TV (www.globaltv.com/watchlive)

PGA TOUR LIVE, the PGA TOUR’s global, Over-The-Top subscription service is available iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android smartphones and tablets, Windows 10, Xbox, as well as PGATOURLIVE.com. PGA TOUR LIVE Featured Groups coverage of the RBC Canadian Open will begin at 7 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday and will feature Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson and Canadian star Adam Hadwin. PGA TOUR LIVE Featured Groups coverage is available for $5.99 per month or $39.99 for a year. The PGA TOUR LIVE Featured Groups on Thursday and Friday can also be accessed via the DAZN Over-The-Top sports subscription service at www.DAZN.ca.

Finally, Twitter’s preview window of PGA TOUR LIVE will be available globally to its audience and can be found at www.live.twitter.com/pgatourlive and via @PGATOUR.  The Twitter preview window of PGA TOUR LIVE will begin at 7am ET on both Thursday and Friday, concluding after the Featured Groups finish their second hole.

RBC Canadian Open Coverage Schedule (all times ET):

Thursday, July 26
7-8:30 a.m.                            Preview – Featured Groups             Twitter
7 a.m. – 3 p.m.                       Featured Groups                               PGA TOUR LIVE, TSN and DAZN
3-6 p.m.                                  Featured Holes                                 PGA TOUR LIVE
3-6 p.m.                                  Broadcast                                           TSN, RDS and Golf Channel

Friday, July 27
7-8:30   a.m.                          Preview – Featured Groups             Twitter
7 a.m. – 3 p.m.                       Featured Groups                               PGA TOUR LIVE, TSN and DAZN
3-6 p.m.                                  Featured Holes                                  PGA TOUR LIVE
3-6 p.m.                                  Broadcast                                           TSN, RDS and Golf Channel

Saturday, July 28
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.              Featured Groups                                   Facebook (U.S. and Canada)
1-6 p.m.                                 Featured Holes                                    Facebook and PGA TOUR LIVE
1-2:45 p.m.                           Broadcast                                               Golf Channel
3-6:00 p.m.                           Broadcast                                              Global TV and RDS

Sunday, July 29
8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.              Featured Groups                                   Facebook (U.S. and Canada)
1-6 p.m.                                 Featured Holes                                     Facebook and PGA TOUR LIVE
1-2:45 p.m.                           Broadcast                                               Golf Channel
3-6:00 p.m.                          Broadcast                                               Global TV and RDS

Fans can also listen to the SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel on SiriusXM radios (Sirius channel 208, XM channel 92). For more information, visit www.SiriusXM.com/SiriusXMPGATOURRadio.

OAKVILLE, Ont.  —  The start times for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open Championship Pro-Am at Glen Abbey Golf Club for Wednesday, July 25 have been released.

The event will see 103 professional golfers take to the renowned Oakville course to entertain a field of 156 amateurs as part of the PGA TOUR’s new ‘Nine and Nine’ Pro-Am format where amateur participants will play nine holes each with a pair of PGA TOUR professionals. Click here for pairings and start times.

As well, the pairings and start times for the opening two rounds of the 109th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship on Thursday, July 26 and Friday, July 27 are now available online here.

PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE – WEDNESDAY, JULY 25
The following interviews will take place in the Media Centre onsite at Glen Abbey Golf Club on Wednesday, July 25:

Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners – 11:30 a.m.
Dustin Johnson – 12:00 p.m.
Brooks Koepka – After morning Pro-Am (9 holes)
Jonathan Vegas – After morning Pro-Am (9 holes)

INTERVIEW VIDEO, AUDIO AND TRANSCRIPTS FOR TUESDAY, JULY 24
Interview, audio and transcripts for the following players and events from Tuesday, July 24 are available here and video is available here. Please note the videos are unedited, uncut and broadcast-quality.
• Lee Trevino (presentation of the Triple Crown Trophy)
• Ben Silverman
• Tory Merritt
• Andrew Gyba (Glen Abbey Superintendent)
• Canadian Golf Hall of Fame Induction Celebration

GOLF CANADA WALK WITH A PRO
Golf Canada is welcoming a number of its junior program participants to the 2018 RBC Canadian Open to join PGA TOUR professionals on hole number 7, #TheRink, during Wednesday’s Championship Pro-Am. The “Walk with a Pro” event offers junior golfers the chance of a lifetime – to carry a professional’s putter or bag and maybe even take the pro’s first putt.

TELEVISION COVERAGE:
The following are television times for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open:

Thursday July 26 
• TSN 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Golf Channel 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Friday July 27 
• TSN 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Golf Channel 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday July 28
• Golf Channel 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• CBS & Global 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday July 29
• Golf Channel 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• CBS & Global 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

TICKETS:
Grounds tickets for all days of the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, as well as, a limited number of premium ticket packages are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing is available online at http://www.rbccanadianopen.com. Golf Canada and RBC are also pleased to offer FREE admission to juniors 17 and younger—Click here to download a FREE Junior Pass.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Canada’s Ben Silverman was having a great round. His shots had been solid all week. His putter was finally rolling. When he spotted a small rain cloud off in the distance, he didn’t think twice about it.

The 30-year-old from Thornill, Ont., shot a 65 in his final round to tie his career low at the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship, finishing in a tie for 12th place finish.

But ahead of this week’s RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, the Canadian was still lamenting the rain storm that interrupted what he believed was a run to victory. Silverman was one shot back through 10 holes in Kentucky when a thunderstorm interrupted the fourth round, postponing its completion to Monday.

“I saw a little rain cloud rolling in in the distance, but I didn’t think it was going to be anything severe, and we still had over an hour of daylight, so I’m ready to line up my putt, and they blow the horn, and it’s like ‘Come on!”’ Silverman said, laughing. “I made the putt anyway right after they blew the horn.

“And the next morning it just wasn’t the same feel. It’s like I tried focusing, I tried remembering the same feels I was having on the green or setting up to all my shots, but it was slightly different, it wasn’t quite there, couldn’t quite get it going again.”

Three-time RBC Canadian Open champ Lee Trevino kicked off Tuesday’s festivities in fine fashion. Trevino had the crowd roaring at the RBC Hall of Fame Day celebrations with a stab at U.S. President Donald Trump. Born in the U.S. to Mexican parents, he joked he had to leave last week to get to Oakville on time, because of “a guy building a fence.”

Silverman, meanwhile, is one of 21 Canadians playing in this week’s US$6.2 million tournament and so naturally finds himself a headliner in what’s become an annual story: when will a homegrown player win the RBC Canadian Open?

Pat Fletcher, who was born in England, was the last Canadian winner, taking the 1954 event at Point Grey in Vancouver. Carl Keffer is the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914.

Mike Weir came close to ending the drought in 2004 at Glen Abbey, but lost a playoff to Vijay Singh.

“There hasn’t been anybody that’s still living, so I want to be the first for sure,” Silverman said.

Pressure?

“No, it’s just one of my goals. My career is not going to be riding on it, whether I win this or not,” he said. “But it’s just one of my goals that I want to do and I feel like it would put me on a platform amongst Canadian golfers to be recognized the way Mike Weir is.”

Silverman believes he has the game to do it this year, a far cry from his one previous appearance at Canada’s annual PGA TOUR stop. He was a Monday qualifier at the tournament in Montreal in 2014, and was a “nervous wreck.”

“I wasn’t even thinking about scores, I was at the time trying to come up with a mental plan to just get through the tournament,” he said. “So it’s so different now. I feel comfortable. I feel like I belong. Ready to come out here and try to win. Totally different feel.”

Among the other Canadians in the field are fellow PGA TOUR regulars Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., as well as Weir.

Silverman rocketed nearly 1,000 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking in early 2017, his victory at the Price Cutter Charity Championship last August earning him PGA TOUR status for the 2017-18 season.

Now at No. 135 on the FedExCup standings, a good week will lock up Silverman’s PGA TOUR card, which would mean a less frantic life for he and his wife Morgan.

“It allows me to plan my schedule next year, so I don’t have to travel like a crazy man, I can play maybe 22 events a year, instead of 32, which would be fantastic,” he said.

Their son, Jack Palmer, just turned one, so it’s been a whirlwind existence for the young family.

“Every week is a new week and new experience it seems,” he said. “Morgan and I had a little birthday thing for (Jack) last week, I wasn’t in New York for her family and his birthday, I’m seeing some of my family this week, so you’ve just got to adjust,” he said. “That’s why I was saying 22 weeks on the road would be great instead of 32 so we could have some time to relax, go home, because it can be kind of hectic. But you just kind of roll with it.”

Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela is the tournament’s two-time defending champion and will be looking to become the first player to win three straight titles when the event officially gets underway on Thursday, July 26.

Tickets and other information on the RBC Canadian Open can be found at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., Russell Budd of Toronto, Justin Yong Woo Kim of Hamilton and Mitch Sutton of London, Ont., have all earned entry into the 2018 RBC Canadian Open through Final Qualifying at Heron Point Golf Links in Alberton, Ont.

Gligic and Budd carded matching 4-under-par 67s to share medallist honours.

“It’ll be my first one at Glen Abbey,” said 28-year-old Gligic, who will make his third appearance at the RBC Canadian Open. “I’ve been looking forward to playing one there, so it’s nice to finally punch my ticket. I definitely feel the best I ever have going into a RBC Canadian Open. My nerves got to me in my first one and in the second one my game wasn’t that great. But now I feel like my game is in a really good spot, so hopefully I’ll play well.”

Gligic’s co-medallist Russell Budd secured a spot into his first RBC Canadian Open. The 27-year-old is currently playing on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

Seung-su Han of Las Vegas, Blake Olsen of Pensacola, Fla., and Tyler McCumber of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., were the other playoff participants who failed to qualify.

“Wow, that was pretty exciting coming down the last few holes and into the playoff,” said Sutton, who won back-to-back Canadian Junior Boy Championships in 2008 and 2009. “I’m pretty pumped up right now and looking forward to playing in my first RBC Canadian Open. I’ve played Glen Abbey a couple of times, but not in a while. I’m excited to go back.”

Seung-su Han of Las Vegas, Blake Olsen of Pensacola, Fla., and Tyler McCumber of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., were the playoff participants who failed to qualify.

Below are full qualifier results from the 2018 RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifying.

1. Michael Gligic, Kitchener, ON, *36-31-67 -4
1. Russell Budd, Toronto, ON, *35-32-67 -4
3. Justin Yong Woo Kim, Hamilton, ON, *34-34-68 -3
3. Mitchell Sutton, London, ON, *34-34-68 -3

— DID NOT QUALIFY —

3. Blake Olsen, Pensacola, Florida, *37-31-68 -3
3. Seung-su Han, Las Vegas, NV, *33-35-68 -3
3. Tyler McCumber, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, *35-33-68 -3
8. Raoul Menard, Ange-Gardien, QC, *33-36-69 -2
8. Étienne Papineau (a), St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, *34-35-69 -2
8. Riley Wheeldon, Comox, BC, *33-36-69 -2
8. Taylor Pendrith, Richmond Hill, ON, *36-33-69 -2
12. Keith Martin, Kelowna, BC, *37-33-70 -1
12. Keven Fortin-Simard, Chicoutimi, QC, *35-35-70 -1
12. Adrian Cord, Toronto, ON, *36-34-70 -1
12. Kevin Stinson, Mission BC, *37-33-70 -1
12. Devin Carrey, White Rock, BC, *36-34-70 -1
12. Jake Scott, Strongsville, OH, *37-33-70 -1
12. Sonny Michaud, Neuville, QC, *35-35-70 -1
12. Michael McGowan, Pinehurst, NC, *36-34-70 -1
12. MJ Dauffee, Kingwood, Texas, *37-33-70 -1
12. Chase Seiffert, Panama City Beach, FL, *34-36-70 -1
12. David Mathis, Wakeforest, NC, *36-34-70 -1
12. Christopher Vandette (a), Beaconsfield, QC, *34-36-70 -1
12. Domenico Geminiani, Bradenton, FL, *35-35-70 -1
12. Joseph Harrison, Boulder City, NV, *36-34-70 -1
26. Drew Nesbitt, Shanty Bay, ON, *34-37-71 E
26. David Iaderosa (a), Ottawa, ON, *36-35-71 E
26. Ken Duke, Stuart, FL, *36-35-71 E
26. Greyson Sigg, Augusta, GA, *35-36-71 E
26. Johnny Travale (a), Stoney Creek, ON, *37-34-71 E
26. Peyton Callens (a), Langton, ON, *35-36-71 E
32. Brendan Seys (a), Port Lambton, ON, *33-39-72 +1
32. Nick Kenney, Mississauga, ON, *36-36-72 +1
32. Éric Laporte, St-Liguori, QC, *36-36-72 +1
32. James Seymour, Aurora, ON, *37-35-72 +1
32. Bennett Ruby (a), Waterloo, ON, *35-37-72 +1
32. Pierre-Alexandre Bédard, Chibougamau, QC, *39-33-72 +1
38. Dom Lalonde, Châteauguay, QC, *39-34-73 +2
38. Brian Churchill-Smith, Oakville, ON, *36-37-73 +2
38. Tim Alarie, St-Jérôme, QC, *37-36-73 +2
38. Vincent Blanchette, Boucherville, QC, *42-31-73 +2
38. T.J. Vogel, Pembroke Pines, FL, *36-37-73 +2
43. Terry O’Brien, Barrie, ON, *39-35-74 +3
43. Zach Zaback, Cromwell, CT, *36-38-74 +3
43. Ben Griffin, Chapel Hill, NC, *40-34-74 +3
46. Matt Lemay (a), Waterloo, ON, *38-37-75 +4
46. Gordon Burns, Holland Landing, ON, *37-38-75 +4
46. Chris Wilson, Toronto, ON, *38-37-75 +4
46. Philip Arci (a), Vaughan, ON, *38-37-75 +4
46. Khan Lee (a), Langley, BC, *39-36-75 +4
46. Jay Delsing, St. Louis, MO, *37-38-75 +4
46. Scott Strohmeyer, Auburn, AL, *39-36-75 +4
46. Bill Walsh, Markham, ON, *40-35-75 +4
54. Jacob Presutti (a), Brampton, ON, *39-37-76 +5
54. Sebastian Szirmak, Toronto, ON, *38-38-76 +5
54. Derek Gillespie, Oshawa, ON, *38-38-76 +5
54. Matt Matheson (a), West Vancouver, BC, *37-39-76 +5
54. Ted Purdy, Phoenix, AZ, *40-36-76 +5
59. Blair Hamilton, Burlington, ON, *43-34-77 +6
59. G.W. King, Thornbury, ON, *40-37-77 +6
59. Branson Ferrier, Barrie, ON, *38-39-77 +6
59. Robert Wilkinson (a), Dundas, ON, *37-40-77 +6
59. Nigel Sinnott, Chilliwack, BC, *41-36-77 +6
59. Yanik Laforest, Mirabel, QC, *41-36-77 +6
59. Thomas Critch (a), Hamilton, ON, *43-34-77 +6
66. Greg Lewis, Dundas, ON, *41-37-78 +7
66. Freddy D’Angelo (a), Fonthill, ON, *43-35-78 +7
66. Luke Ovenden, Georgetown, ON, *40-38-78 +7
66. Griffin Jones (a), Manotick, ON, *41-37-78 +7
70. Riley Davenport, Saint Simons Island, GA, *37-43-80 +9
71. Jake Montemurro, Toronto, ON, *45-39-84 +13
72. Jake McNulty, Port Perry, ON, *44-42-86 +15

— DID NOT FINISH —

WD. Brett Cairns, Courtland, ON, *
WD. David Morland, Palm Coast, FL, *
WD. Brian Davis, Windermere, FL, *

Twenty-one Canadians to compete at 2018 RBC Canadian Open

With the addition of the four Monday qualifiers, there are now 21 Canadians scheduled to compete as part of the 2018 RBC Canadian Open. They are:

• Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.)
• Russell Budd (Toronto, Ont.)
• Marc-Etienne Bussieres (Gatineau, Que.)
• Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.)
• Austin Connelly (Church Point, N.S./ Irving, Texas)
• Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.)
• Jared du Toit (Calgary, Alta. )
• Todd Fanning (Winnipeg, Man.)
• Michael Gligic (Kitchener, Ont.)
• Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.)
• David Hearn (Brantford, Ont.)
• Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ont. )
• Justin Yong Woo Kim (Hamilton, Ont.)
• Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.)
• Ben Silverman (Thornhill, Ont.)
• Roger Sloan (Merritt, B.C.)
• Mitch Sutton (London, Ont.)
• Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.)
• Nick Taylor (Abbotsford, B.C.)
• Ryan Yip (Calgary, Alta.)
• Mike Weir (Bright’s Grove, Ont. )