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. )

OAKVILLE, ONT. (Golf Canada) – The final four spots into the 2018 RBC Canadian Open field will be determined Monday as the Final Qualifier is set to tee off at Heron Point Golf Links in Alberton, Ont.

The 75-player field is comprised of touring professionals, top amateurs and 47 regional qualifiers as part of the two-stage RBC Canadian Open qualification process.

“We look forward to welcoming these talented golfers to our Final Qualifier at Heron Point Golf Links for an opportunity to earn an exemption into the 2018 RBC Canadian Open,” said Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s Director, Rules, Competitions and Amateur Status. “The course is in great condition and will provide an excellent test for this impressive field of golfers vying for a spot into the 109^th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship.”

The Final Qualifier features 18 holes of stroke play with the low four competitors receiving an exemption directly into the 2018 RBC Canadian Open field.  If necessary, a hole-by-hole playoff will be conducted immediately following the conclusion of play.

Click here for pairings, start times and results for RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifying on Monday, July 23. Results will be available as players complete their rounds.

Monday of RBC Canadian Open week at Glen Abbey kicks off with the Canada Day Pro-Am in support of the Golf Canada Foundation. Click here for a list of Canadian golfers and other notable athletes competing in the shot-gun Pro-Am beginning at 12:15 pm.

The 2018 RBC Canadian Open will be contested at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 23-29, 2018. Ticket and corporate hospitality info is available online at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada)  —  Golf Canada and RBC are pleased to announce the final field of competitors vying for the US $6.2 million purse at the 2018 RBC Canadian Open, July 23-29 at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

World no. 1 and Team RBC member Dustin Johnson will be challenged by a stellar field of PGA TOUR stars including former Masters champion and world no.19 Sergio Garcia, two-time defending US Open champion and world no. 4 Brooks Koepka, world no.10 Tommy Fleetwood and big-hitting world no.13 Bubba Watson, a 12-time PGA TOUR winner who has won three times in 2018. 

Other notable additions to the field for the 109th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship include world no. 27 Matt Kuchar; rising star and world no.31 Tony Finau; world no. 33 Kevin Kisner; former FedEx Cup champions Billy Horschel and Bill Haas; 12-time PGA TOUR winner Steve Stricker;  six-time PGA TOUR winners Jimmy Walker, Stewart Cink and Rory Sabbatini; fan-favourites Ian Poulter, J.B. Holmes, Charley Hoffman and Martin Kaymer; and two-time defending champion Jhonattan Vegas. 

Johnson, an 18-time winner on the PGA TOUR and Kuchar, a seven-time PGA TOUR winner will lead a roster of Team RBC players to Glen Abbey that includes three-time PGA TOUR winners Ryan Palmer and Graeme McDowell, 2013 RBC Canadian Open champion and eight-time winner Brandt Snedeker; Jim Furyk, a 17-time winner and two-time RBC Canadian Open champion; along with Canadian Team RBC players Adam Hadwin, David Hearn and Nick Taylor.

“The field is nearly set and we’re ready to tee-up the 109th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship, starting next week at Glen Abbey Golf Club,” said Golf Canada Chief Championship Officer Bill Paul. “This year’s championship will feature a re-energized mix of international stars led by Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Keopka, Bubba Watson, Tony Finau and Tommy Fleetwood, plus five past champions, eight in-year PGA TOUR winners and the deepest field of Canadian talent ever to compete for our National Men’s Open title. Golf fans are sure to be treated to another world-class showcase when the stars of the PGA TOUR return to Glen Abbey.”

In total, 156 players will compete for the US$6.2 million purse next week in Oakville when Canada’s National Open Championship returns to Glen Abbey for a record 30th time.

Click here for a full field list for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open.

PGA TOUR In-Year Winners…
A total of eight in-year PGA TOUR winners (accounting for 11 PGA TOUR titles in 2018) will compete at Glen Abbey led by three-time winner Bubba Watson (Genesis Open, World Golf Championship-Dell Technologies Match Play and Travelers Championship) and two-time winner Dustin Johnson (Sentry Tournament of Champions and FedEx St. Jude Classic). Other 2018 PGA TOUR winners include Brooks Koepka (US Open), Ian Poulter (Houston Open), Ryan Armour (Sanderson Farms Championship), Austin Cook (RSM Classic), and Gary Woodland (Waste Management Phoenix Open) and Billy Horschel (Zurich Classic of New Orleans).

Past Champions…
Two-time (2016-17) defending champion Jhonattan Vegas returns to Glen Abbey looking to become the first player ever to win Canada’s National Open Championship on three consecutive occasions. Vegas is one of five past champions set to compete including Brandt Snedeker (2013), Sean O’Hair (2011) and Chez Reavie (2008) along with Jim Furyk who claimed back to back titles in 2006-07.

Sixteen Canadians to compete for National Men’s Open Title…
Leading the Canadian contingent at Glen Abbey will be Abbotsford, B.C. native and world No. 48 Adam Hadwin, who will return to Glen Abbey to play in his ninth RBC Canadian Open. Other confirmed Canadians include past PGA TOUR winners Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas Valley, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., Cory Conners of Listowel, Ont., Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., who finished third at the 2015 RBC Canadian Open. Also confirmed to compete is Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., who will tee it up in his 28th RBC Canadian Open.

Each of the 16 Canadian players in the field will look to become the first Canadian to capture the national title since Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat in 1954.

Twelve Canadians to receive Tournament Exemptions….
Web.com Tour players Adam Svensson and Roger Sloan as well as European Tour player Austin Connelly, and Golf Canada Young Pro Squad member Jared du Toit, along with a trio of National Amateur Squad members—Hugo Bernard, Joey Savoie and Chris Crisologo—are among the Canadians receiving tournament exemptions.

Svensson is tracking well to earn his PGA TOUR card, sitting eighth on the Web.com Tour money list with $187,607. The 24-year-old Surrey, B.C., talent and Team Canada graduate has four Web.com Tour top-10 finishes this season, including a win at the 2018 Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January. 

Calgary native Roger Sloan currently sit no. 52 on the Web.com Tour money list and will make his fourth appearance in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. He has two top-10 finishes on the Web.com Tour this season.  

Austin Connelly, a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, is a former member of Canada’s National Amateur Team. He made international headlines at last year’s Open Championship, where he finished with a share of 14th. He has three top-20 finishes on the European Tour this season, including a tie for 11th at the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open. 

In 2016, Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., took a thrilling run at the RBC Canadian Open, taking a share of the 54-hole lead into the final round before eventually finishing tied for ninth. A member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Squad, du Toit is ranked 21st on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit including four top-10 finishes. 

Tournament exemptions were also given to Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Hugo Bernard of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., and Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C.

As well, 50-year old Winnipeg native Todd Fanning earned his place in the RBC Canadian Open by claiming victory in the 2017 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship. Fanning, a former pro who returned to amateur golf, will be making his fifth appearance in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. 

PGA of Canada professional Marc-Etienne Bussières of Gatineau, Que., earned his way into the 2018 RBC Canadian Open by claiming the no. 1 position on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC.

Other confirmed tournament exemptions to notable international competitors including American Zach Bauchou, winner of the 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship; Nyasha Mauchaza of Zimbabwe who topped the 144-player at the Ontario Regional Qualifer at Blue Springs Golf Club in Acton, Ont. to earn automatic exemption; and recent amateur standout turned professional Norman Xiong of Canyon Lake, Calif., the 2018 recipient of the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award as the top player in NCAA Division I golf and Haskin Award as the most outstanding collegiate golfer.

Final Tournament Exemptions to be Named…
Following the Osprey Valley Open which concludes on Sunday July 22, the top-three players on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada Order of Merit will earn exemptions to compete in the 2018 RBC Canadian Open.

The final four exemptions into the field for the 2018 RBC Canadian Open will be handed out at the Monday Final Qualifier on July 23, to be played at Heron Point Golf Links near Ancaster, Ont.

Click here for the full current list of competitors competing in the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club from July 23-29.

Tickets for all tournament rounds of the RBC Canadian Open are still available for purchase at www.rbccanadianopen.com. As well, kids 17-and-under get FREE admission all week long.

Glen Abbey Golf Club hosts the RBC Canadian Open for the 30th – and possibly final – time next week. Here are five of the top moments at the club, which first hosted Canada’s lone PGA tournament back in 1977.

2000 – Tiger’s towering drive

The biggest moment of them all from the biggest golfer of the last 25 years. Woods hit a towering six-iron more than 200 yards from a bunker, over water, on 18 to win by a shot over Grant Waite. It was his ninth win of the year and his only Canadian Open triumph. He joined Lee Trevino as the only two golfers to capture the Triple Crown, winning the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the Canadian Open in the same year.

2004 – So near for Weir

Canadian golfer Mike Weir lost the 2004 Canadian Open in a playoff to Vijay Singh after knocking his approach in the water on 18. The native of Bright’s Grove, Ont., came into the tournament as one of the biggest athletes in the country after his Masters victory in 2003 – the first, and only, time a Canadian male golfer has won a major.

1984 – Valet service

Greg Norman’s win in 1984 was made more memorable by his unique path to victory. In the final round, Norman hit an approach over the 17th green and it came to rest under a parked car. A volunteer moved the car and Norman caught a break. He’d go on to win by two shots over Jack Nicklaus.

1985 – Don’t be a stranger

Strange won his eighth PGA Tour event at the 1985 Canadian Open. He was paired with Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman for the final round and told The Canadian Press it was “one of the thrills” of his life and added the Canadian fans “adopted” him after that win. Nicklaus would never win the Canadian Open, but would finish runner-up seven times.

1977 – Grand debut

Lee Trevino won the first event at Glen Abbey when he bested Englishman Peter Oosterhuis by four shots. It was Trevino’s second Canadian Open (he also won in 1971), and was the first golfer in history to win the Triple Crown.

For over four decades, Glen Abbey Golf Club has been synonymous with the RBC Canadian Open. When the lone Canadian stop on the PGA Tour gets underway next week, it will mark the 30th time the venerable course in suburban Toronto has hosted the event.

It might also be the last. Glen Abbey’s owner, ClubLink Corp., announced plans to redevelop the site last year and the future of the venerable course – the first ever solo design project by the legendary Jack Niklaus – is in doubt.

The idea of the distinctive course in Oakville, Ont., with a parkland-style upper portion and an infamous 11th hole that leads into a steep drop into a valley, being bulldozed over for condos and offices does not sit well with some of Glen Abbey’s past champions.

“It’s a terrible idea,” said Chez Reavie, who won the 2008 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey. “All the people spent all that money to live on a golf course and they should still be on a golf course. It’s sad when you see pretty golf courses like that get torn up.”

ClubLink plans to build more than 3,200 residential units on the site along with office space and commercial/retail space. Officials from the Town of Oakville, which is fighting the development proposal, and ClubLink were in Toronto Superior Court this week arguing the property’s future.

Built in the late 1970s, Glen Abbey first hosted the Canadian Open in 1977. Golf legend Lee Trevino, who won that tournament, said he’s never been an advocate for plowing up a golf course to develop real estate, but understands its a business decision.

“There are dozens of golf courses that go under, but that would be a shame. It’s a great spot,” he said.

Nick Price, who won two RBC Canadian Opens at Glen Abbey, said he can see both sides of the development argument.

“Obviously as real estate becomes more valuable, and there is a need for people and housing, it’s hard to hang on to a golf course,” says Price. “But it would be very sad to see it go.”

With the future of Glen Abbey up in the air, Golf Canada and tournament sponsor RBC have decided to take event on a rotation of clubs in the Greater Toronto Area.

“From our standpoint, not knowing what that future was (of Glen Abbey) we had to re-tool and look at moving the Open around,” says Bill Paul, Golf Canada’s Chief Championship Officer.

Jane Clohecy, commissioner of community development for the Town of Oakville, said Glen Abbey is a cultural heritage landscape and that ClubLink’s proposal doesn’t fit in with the town’s growth management policy.

Clohecy says Oakville has identified six primary areas where it wants to grow. Glen Abbey’s location isn’t on the town’s radar.

“From a growth management perspective and a cultural heritage perspective, we didn’t see it as an appropriate place to redevelop,” she said.

The tournament will be played at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in 2019 and 2023. Paul said Glen Abbey will always be “part of the mix” in to deciding where to host the Canadian Open so long as the course remains intact.

But an official from Mississaugua Golf and Country Club told The Canadian Press the club has had discussions with Golf Canada about potentially hosting an upcoming Canadian Open, and a member of St. George’s Golf and Country Club said discussions have taken place there as well.

“For 2020 and 2021 we’ve had really developed discussions with a number of phenomenal golf courses,” Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum said in a recent press conference. “Hopefully in the short term we’ll have some announcements in that regard.”

While the Greater Toronto Area appears set for the next five years to host the Canadian Open, British Columbia has a PGA Tour winner in Adam Hadwin, whose best result at the tournament came at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club outside Vancouver in 2011.

Calgary also hosts an annual event on the senior PGA Tour Champions circuit, the Shaw Charity Classic, which has been named the top tournament on that Tour (for professional golfers aged 50-plus) three out of the last four years.

Hadwin says he would like to see the tournament moved around, but understands why it remains in the GTA.

“Any sort of national open – British Open, U.S. Open – they move it around the country and around some of the best courses the area has to offer,” Hadwin says. “I understand it from a tournament standpoint. I get why they do it. It’s the largest population to draw from and one (RBC) knows that’s supported well.”

Starting in 2019 the tournament will also have a new date, moving from early June after more than a decade following the British Open in late July.