Jhonattan Vegas won the 2017 RBC Canadian Open to defend his 2016 title by defeating Charley Hoffman in a playoff to claim his third career PGA TOUR victory.

The Venezuelan made a birdie on the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th, to become the seventh RBC Canadian Open winner to successfully defend his title.

Douglas Edgar (1919-20), Leo Diegel (1924-25, 1928-29), Sam Snead (1940-1941), Jim Ferrier (1950-1951), and Jim Furyk (2006-07) have all accomplished the feat.

“Obviously repeating is a big thing for the confidence,” said Vegas. “Obviously I want to win more and bigger tournaments, and this is a great step forward.”

Vegas recorded his lowest round of the championship, firing a 7-under-par 65 in Sunday’s final round with just one bogey on the par-3 15th.

Coming into the week, Vegas had missed five consecutive cuts.

“Obviously after coming after five missed cuts is never positive,” said Vegas. But I’ve been playing good golf the whole year; that I just had to stay cool and hopefully things will turn around, and I’m glad they did.”

Hoffman, from Ranch Santa Fe, Calif., was the 54-hole leader at 17 under par. He carded a 4-under-par 68 in Sunday’s final round.

This is the fifth time Hoffman has failed to convert a 54-hole lead into a victory.

“Yeah, it’s always tough after you don’t close the deal after having the lead but obviously got some big tournaments coming up,” said Hoffman. “The playoffs, a major championship, and obviously got some good momentum going into those.”

Hoffman’s previous best finish at the RBC Canadian Open was a T4 at St. Georges Golf and Country Club in 2010.

Englishman Ian Poulter charged up the leaderboard Sunday, carding an 8-under-par 64 to finish third at 20 under par in his first RBC Canadian Open appearance.

After a tumultuous start to his season in which he nearly lost his PGA TOUR card, Poulter now has two top-5 finishes in 2017.

“I’ve done everything I needed to do today. I played very solid. I gave myself lots of opportunities,” said Poulter after his round. “I’ve had a nice summer in Europe with the family and kids. Life’s all good.”

It took an extra hole to determine the winner.

Highlights from Sunday’s exciting final round coverage of the @RBCCanadianOpen. pic.twitter.com/DDFCicgxjl

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 31, 2017

Gary Woodland of Topeka, Kans., finished fourth at 19 under par – his fifth top-10 of the season and best-ever finish at the RBC Canadian Open.

Dundas, Ont., native Mackenzie Hughes won the Rivermead Trophy as the low Canadian, finishing in a tie for 32nd at 10 under par in his first RBC Canadian Open as a professional.

Hughes finished strong with a 4-under-par 68 on Sunday to climb 23 spots after struggling with a 2 over par 74 in the third round.

“The week as a whole was a lot of fun,” said Hughes. “So many people out supporting me from Dundas and all over Canada. I could feel that support all the way around. All the Canadian fans
listening, thank you for the support.”

Graham DeLaet from Weyburn, Sask., finished T48 at 8 under par, closing with a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson tried to make a charge after starting the day five shots back of Hoffman at 12 under par. The Jupiter, Fla., resident finished with a 5-under-par 67, ending tied for eighth.

“The golf game is moving in the right direction,” said Johnson. “I felt like I played really good every day this week. I hit really good putts. They just weren’t going in the hole.”

Click here to view the full leaderboard for the 2017 RBC Canadian Open.

Charley Hoffman of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., is the 54-hole leader at the RBC Canadian Open after carding a 7-under-par 65 in Saturday’s third round at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Hoffman recorded eight birdies and just one bogey on the day, building a one-shot lead over fellow American Kevin Chappell.

“You know the birdies are out there,” said Hoffman. “A perfect day here to make some birdies and have some fun in front of the fans.”

A four-time winner on the PGA TOUR, Hoffman’s last victory came at the 2016 Valero Texas Open.

Starting the day in a tie for fourth, Chappell, from in Fresno, Calif., posted a 6-under-par 66 in round three to enter the final grouping with Hoffman.

“We are good friends. Our caddies are staying together,” said Chappell. “We’ll have some laughs and it will be a comfortable pairing, that’s for sure.”

Chappell has three top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR this season, including a win at the Valero Texas Open. He came to Glen Abbey ranked 32nd in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Robert Garrigus, from Scottsdale Ariz., tied the Glen Abbey course record with a 10-under-par 62 in the morning wave, moving him to 15 under par for the tournament—a 43 spot climb up the leaderboard into a tie for third place with Gary Woodland.

It’s a great confidence builder,” said Garrigus. “I know it’s hard to follow up a good round with a really good one but I’ve done it before, so hopefully I can do it again.”

Woodland, from Topeka, Kans., had seven birdies on Saturday but carded a 4-under-par 68 due to a double-bogey on the par-4 third. He is searching for his third career PGA TOUR victory.

Defending champion Jhonattan Vegas is part of a group of six players tied for fifth at 14 under par. Vegas carded a 5-under-par 67 in round three and knows he’ll have to go low again tomorrow to defend his title.

“You have to stay super aggressive. There’s nothing else you have to be thinking of,” said Vegas. “There’s a lot of birdies out here. We have to find a way to make a few more birdies than everyone tomorrow and see what happens.”

World. No. 1 Dustin Johnson was 5-under-par on the front nine Saturday but a double-bogey on No. 11 derailed his round, and he posted a 4-under-par 68 in round three to finish at 12 under par.

Johnson is seeking his PGA TOUR leading fourth win of 2017.

After 54 holes, Graham DeLaet is the top Canadian at 7 under par in a share of 41st place.

The Weyburn, Sask., native made the turn at 1 under par and went on to post a 1-over-par 73.

“I turned it under par which is solid play without making any putts and I just hit four bad tee shots in a row on 11, 12, 13, 14,” said DeLaet. “All of as sudden I’m a couple over par and 50th place or whatever it was.”

Mackenzie Hughes – the other Canadian playing the weekend at Glen Abbey – posted a 2-over-par 74 in round three to sit T55.

Tee times for the final round can be found here.

Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., has been selected to host the RBC Canadian Open in 2018, as announced today by Golf Canada and RBC.

Renowned as the longtime home of Canada’s National Men’s Open Golf Championship, the return to Glen Abbey in 2018 will mark the 30^th time the venue has played host to the stars of the PGA TOUR. The 2018 championship will run July 23-29 on the PGA TOUR schedule.

“Together with our partners at RBC, we are excited to announce the RBC Canadian Open will be contested at Glen Abbey Golf Club again in 2018,” said Laurence Applebaum, chief executive officer of Golf Canada. “Glen Abbey has proven to be one of the world’s premier stadium courses for spectators and fan engagement. With our 2018 venue secured, we will continue to work towards finding a permanent home that serves our needs for Canada’s National Open Championship well into the future.”

In 2016, RBC announced it was continuing its investment in golf by signing a six-year extension as title sponsor of both the RBC Canadian Open and RBC Heritage. The new agreements take effect in 2018 and run through 2023.

“RBC is proud to partner with Golf Canada to ensure the RBC Canadian Open remains a best-in-class event for golf fans across Canada,” said Mary DePaoli, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for RBC. “Glen Abbey is a premiere location to showcase our National Open Championship and host the world’s top golfers, including our Team RBC players.”

Glen Abbey Golf Club hosted 22 Canadian Opens between 1977 and 2000 and after a brief hiatus the tournament returned in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Golf Canada’s head office as well as the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum are located on the grounds of Glen Abbey Golf Club.

“ClubLink is proud to again partner with Golf Canada as host of the RBC Canadian Open – the crown jewel of Canadian golf,” said ClubLink chief executive officer Rai Sahi. “We continue to be a committed and vested partner in Canadian golf and we look forward to working closely with Golf Canada and RBC to grow golf in Canada and work on opportunities for a permanent home for the RBC Canadian Open.”

Designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, a seven-time runner-up at the event, Glen Abbey is playing host to this year’s championship from July 24-30. The 2017 RBC Canadian Open is once again raising funds in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada – along with the Golf Canada Foundation in support of junior golf initiatives.

Fort Worth, Tex., product Martin Flores fired a 66 for the second consecutive day at Glen Abbey Golf Club to move to 12-under-par and take the 36-hole lead at the RBC Canadian Open.

Flores was bogey-free on Friday with four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 second hole to build a one-shot advantage over Matt Every, Gary Woodland and Brandon Hagy, who are 11 under.

“I was really pleased with my day,” said Flores. “Starting on the back, I sprinkled in some birdies and was able to capitalize on 16 and 18 – two par 5s.”

The 35-year-old is looking for his first career PGA TOUR victory this weekend.

Second-round interview with 36-hole leader Martin Flores #RBCCO pic.twitter.com/jVxRekzpcu

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) July 29, 2017

Every—one of five players who shared the opening-round lead at 7 under par—posted a 4-under-par 68 in the second round to climb to 11 under par.

A two-time PGA TOUR winner, the Daytona Beach, Fla., native is happy to be in contention heading into the weekend.

“I definitely feel like I’ve made big strides the last few months, because it sucks to suck,” said Every. “I’m playing well right now. It’s not like a surprise to me. But I feel good with where I’m at.”

Hagy, a Santa Monica, Calif., native, had seven birdies on Friday to put himself in position to chase his first career PGA TOUR win this weekend.

The lowest score of the day belonged to Woodland. Hailing from Topeka, Kans., Woodland fired a 9-under-par 63, matching his career low round on the PGA TOUR—one shot away from tying the course record.

“Today I drove it well. Obviously, the ball-striking was good and I saw some putts go in,” said Woodland. “That adds up to a pretty good number.”

Graham DeLaet and Mackenzie Hughes were the lone Canadians to survive the 36 hole cut at Glen Abbey. The pair sit at 8 under par and hold a share of 14th.

DeLaet carded a 4-under-par 68 for the second consecutive day.

“I know the crowds will probably be big tomorrow and fun, and I need to try to embrace that,” said DeLaet. “I’m within striking distance, so another solid round tomorrow or something really low, I think I’m going to need two really good ones or like one really special one to get the win.”

The Weyburn, Sask., native had his best RBC Canadian Open finish in 2014, where he tied for 7th.

“I’m in the mix, and I’m excited about it.” – Graham DeLaet after carding a 68 to get to 8-under at the #RBCCO. pic.twitter.com/J7IPVudosy

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) July 28, 2017

Already a winner in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR, Hughes started the day in a tie for 17th at 5 under par. The Dundas, Ont., native poured in seven birdies in round two, but added four bogeys to card a 3-under-par 69.

“You’re going to have those kind of rounds. I did well to manage it,” said Hughes. “It was kind of tricky out there. The winds were kind of swirling and a little bit gusty at times. So, 3 under was a good score.”

Three-time major champion Vijay Singh made a move up the leaderboard on Friday. The Fijian carded a 4-under par 66 to move into a tie for fifth two shots back of Flores at 10-under par.

Singh, 54, passed on playing in the Senior Open Championship this weekend to return to the site of his 2004 victory over Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and Brights Grove, Ont., native Mike Weir.

“I know the golf course. The people are very friendly and they know golf,” said Singh. “I’ve played here so many times. Very, very familiar with it.”

Defending champion Jhonattan Vegas is part of a group of four players at 9 under par. The Venezuelan doesn’t plan on changing his game plan on the weekend as he tries to repeat.

“I was playing with Dustin (Johnson) today, which was a good thing because we were both firing at everything,” said Vegas. “You have to stay aggressive out here, because these guys are making a lot of birdies.”

Tee times for the third round can be found here.

CANADIANS AT THE 2017 RBC CANADIAN OPEN

• T14 Graham DeLaet – Weyburn – 68-68 -8
• T14 Mackenzie Hughes – Dundas – 67-69 -8

— DID NOT ADVANCE —

• Nick Taylor – Abbotsford – 69-72 -3
• David Hearn – Brantford 69-72 -3
• Bryn Parry – Vancouver 70-71 -3
• Drew Nesbitt – Shanty Bay – 72-69 -3
• Hugo Bernard (a) – Mont-Saint-Hilaire – 71-70 -3
• Austin James (a) – Bath – 71-72 -1
• Adam Hadwin – Abbotsford – 75-69 E
• Mike Weir – Brights Grove – 72-73 +1
• Daniel Kim – Toronto – 73-72 +1
• Riley Wheeldon – Comox – 74-72 +2
• Matt Hill – Brights Grove – 71-76 +3
• Brad Fritsch – Manotick – 72-75 +3
• Jared du Toit – Kimberley – 71-79 +6
• Ryan Williams – Surrey – 78-77 +11
• Garrett Rank – Elmira – 74-81 +11

(a) denotes amateur

There’s tons of pressure on Mackenzie Hughes. Playing near his hometown, in his national championship, with dozens of family and friends in the gallery watching. But the PGA Tour rookie is trying to treat the RBC Canadian Open like any other tournament.

That methodical approach paid off as Hughes, from nearby Dundas, Ont., was the low Canadian on Thursday firing a 5-under 67 to enter a 16-way tie for 17th. The 26-year-old Hughes was happy to be just two shots behind the five co-leaders Hudson Swafford, Brandon Hagy, Kevin Chappell, Matt Every and Ollie Schniederjans.

“You can’t win it on Thursday but you can lose it on Thursday,” said Hughes after signing his scorecard. “I put myself in a pretty good spot. I know the scores are up there today and someone might shoot 7, 8 under, but it’s a four-round tournament and I’m off to a great start.”

That eases some of the tension that Hughes and the 16 other Canadians competing at the event feel every year at the PGA’s annual event north of the border.

“There’s a little bit of pressure. I’d be lying if I said it was a normal week. It’s not,” said Hughes, who estimated he had between 20 and 30 friends and family at Glen Abbey Golf Course for the first round. “You see a lot of familiar faces in the gallery, people calling your name. On the PGA Tour, I don’t get noticed for my appearance usually.”

Graham DeLaet, a seven-year PGA Tour veteran from Weyburn, Sask., said that he felt the pressure too, getting nervous before teeing off in the afternoon group.

“I had butterflies in my stomach,” said DeLaet, who eagled on No. 18 just before the sun set for a 4-under 68. “I’m not used to having so many people around No. 1 as I’m teeing off on a Thursday.”

Part of the pressure comes from Canada’s decades-long drought at its own national championship. The last Canadian to win the event was Pat Fletcher at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf Club in 1954 and today’s crop of players are asked about bringing the title home on a nearly daily basis at the Canadian Open.

“We’re aware of it but it gets talked about it enough,” said Hughes. “At the end of the day, we prepare 30 weeks a year trying to win tournaments, and this is another one I’ll be trying to win. To have this be in Canada, and obviously it would be very special, but you just can’t try too hard to win your national open, because it’s not going to happen if you try that hard.”

Amateurs Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint Hillaire, Que., and Austin James of Bath, Ont., were at 1 under while Jared Du Toit of Kimberely, B.C., Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch, and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., finished their rounds at even-par 72.

Toronto’s Daniel Kim was 1-over 73 and Riley Wheeldon of Comox, B.C., was 2 over.

Matt Hill of Sarnia, Ont., amateur Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., Drew Nesbitt of Shanty Bay, Ont., and Vancouver’s Ryan Williams had their days cut short due to darkness. They’ll finish their first rounds on Friday.

Hudson Swafford, Kevin Chappell, Matt Every, Ollie Schniederjans, and Brandon Hagy carded matching rounds of 65 to lead the way at 7 under par in the rain-shortened first round of the RBC Canadian Open.

Play was halted at 3:45 p.m. due to dangerous weather and resumed at 5:40 p.m. after a 1 hour and 55-minute delay. Twenty-one golfers were unable to finish their first round when play was officially suspended for the day due to darkness at 8:48 p.m.

Swafford, from Tallahassee, Fla., parred his first hole of the day before pouring in five consecutive birdies to kickstart his round.

“I hit a lot of quality shots and gave myself a lot of looks,” said Swafford. “That’s all I was trying to do, keep giving myself looks and rolled the putter beautifully.”

He added three more birdies and just one bogey to put him himself in a good position to chase his second PGA TOUR win of the season following a victory at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January.

Chappell averages 299.9 yards per drive off the tee and took advantage of the three par-5s at Glen Abbey playing them in 4-under-par.

“I hit it really well. Got the ball in play on the par 5s, so I was able to attack those,” said Chappell.

The Fresno, Calif., native has three top-10s on the PGA TOUR this year including a win at the Valero Texas Open and a T7 at The Masters.

Hagy, a native of Santa Monica, Calif., had eight birdies and only one bogey to record his career-low round on the PGA TOUR (in relation to par). Every of Daytona Beach, Fla., had a clean card in his opening round recording seven birdies without dropping a single stroke.

Like Every, Schniederjans was bogey free. The Dallas, Tex., product chipped in for eagle on hole No. 13 and another on hole No. 18 to go along with three birdies. The former No. 1 ranked amateur in the world has four top-10s on the PGA TOUR this year.

“I took advantage of the par-5s and just played real consistently well off the tee. I was in good positions all day. Just a solid round,” said Schniederjans.

Eleven players are one stroke back at 6-under-par including two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. The Baghdad, Fla., product had six birdies and zero blemishes on his card recording his first bogey-free round since the second round of the 2016 BMW Championship.

“Today it’s a little softer but you know, light rough, firm greens, but light rough and I feel like I can play as long as I can make a couple putts and that’s what I did,” commented Watson.

Dundas, Ont, native Mackenzie Hughes is the leading Canadian sitting T17 after a 5-under-par 67. Teeing off on hole No. 10 Hughes went out in a pedestrian 1-under-par 36 before heating up on his second nine – carding four birdies in his first five holes to finish at 5 under par.

“It was pretty rock solid, lots of fairways and gave myself some really good looks. The birdie putts I made were relatively close, inside ten feet, 12 feet” said Hughes. “Those are nice days when you can be aggressive from that 15-foot range. It was a fun day.”

Graham DeLaet from Weyburn, Sask., is T33 at 4-under-par. Nick Taylor, (Abbotsford B.C.) is T53 alongside Brantford’s David Hearn at 3-under-par (69).

Team Canada Amateur Squad teammates Jared du Toit (Kimberley B.C.), Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) and Austin James (Bath, Ont.) carded matching rounds of 71 for a share of 87th.

CANADIANS AT THE 2017 RBC CANADIAN OPEN

• T17 Mackenzie Hughes – Dundas – 67 -5
• T33 Graham DeLaet – Weyburn – 68 -4
• T53 Nick Taylor – Abbotsford – 69 -3
• T53 David Hearn – Brantford 69 -3
• T70 Bryn Perry – Vancouver 70 -2
• T87 Jared du Toit – Kimberley – 71 -1
• T87 Hugo Bernard (a) – Mont-Saint-Hilaire – 71 -1
• T87 Austin James (a) – Bath – 71 -1
• T106 Mike Weir – Brights Grove – 71 E
• T106 Brad Fritsch – Manotick – 72 E
• T106 Matt Hill – Brights Grove –E (17)
• T121 Daniel Kim – Toronto – 73 +1
• T121 Garrett Rank – Elmira – +1 (16)
• T121 Drew Nesbitt – Shanty Bay +1 (16)
• T138 Riley Wheeldon – Comox – 74 +2
• T146 Adam Hadwin – Abbotsford – 75 +3
• 156 Ryan Williams – Surrey – +7 (17)

Round one will resume on Friday at 8:20 a.m.

For the full leaderboard click here.

Hudson Swafford birdied on No. 18 to take a share of the clubhouse lead with a 7-under 65 on Thursday in the first round of the RBC Canadian Open.

Swafford two-putted on the par-5 18th to separate himself from a crowded top of the leaderboard on a rainy day that softened the fairways and greens of the normally firm Glen Abbey Golf Club.

“It’s gettable. It’s about as gettable as I’ve seen this golf course but it’s in great shape,” said Swafford. “The greens are perfect. So you can make some putts. I was just trying to give myself as many chances as possible; if the ball was 30 feet or two feet.

“That was the main concern today, just get it on the greens. Felt great with the putter. Really rolled it beautifully.”

Brandon Hagy was also 7 under, ahead of a five-way tie for second at 6 under. Tyrone Van Aswegen, James Hahn, Smylie Kaufman, K.J. Choi and Bubba Watson all shot 66.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was the low Canadian from the morning group, firing a 5-under 67 to enter a seven-way tie for eighth.

“If you hit it in the fairway, you can be aggressive,” said Hughes. “The few fairways I missed, I was just trying to make par and you have to be a little bit defensive.

“All in all it was a great day. Probably could be a bit better but I made a couple nice par putts, too. Overall, happy with my start.”

Amateurs Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint Hillaire, Que., and Austin James of Bath, Ont., were at 1 under while Jared Du Toit of Kimberely, B.C. Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., finished their rounds at even-par 72. Toronto’s Daniel Kim was 1-over 73.

There are a total of 17 Canadians competing in the national championship.

ZTE announced today a three-year extension as official smartphone of the RBC Canadian Open, through the end of 2019. This year’s RBC Canadian Open takes place at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario, from July 24-30, 2017.

This partnership is another milestone in ZTE’s ongoing commitment to invest in Canada, and is part of a larger movement to grow the company’s presence on the world stage.

“The RBC Canadian Open is a major part of ZTE’s global sports partnership strategy, and provides us with broader reach in Canada and in regions around the world,” said Lixin Cheng, CEO of ZTE Mobile Devices and Chairman of ZTE North America. “Brand building relies on long-term and consistent investment, and we are thrilled to continue to showcase ZTE’s brand and devices at such a world-class event.”

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with a strong global brand like ZTE,” said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada. “I’d like to thank them for their commitment to Canadian golf and for enhancing the championship experience at Canada’s National Open Championship.”

Partnering with local sports teams, organizations and players is a strategic initiative of ZTE’s around the globe to help build awareness and affinity towards the brand.  With partnerships now in Canada, the United States, Germany, Australia, Mexico and other regions, ZTE can engage more fans with the ZTE brand in key markets around the world.

To engage with fans at the RBC Canadian Open, ZTE has the Grand X View tent, a large, covered structure set between the 6th green and 7th tee, to demonstrate its latest products including the new ZTE Connected Car Solution. There are also charging stations for spectators and daily giveaways. New this year, ZTE is offering fans the opportunity to get up close with the professional golfers through a custom-designed Player Walkway. This walkway will give fans a unique vantage point of the players walking past, along with a Selfie Mirror set up in front of the walkway. Finally, fans can also check out the ZTE Experience Tour truck, a hands-on mobile showcase of ZTE’s amazing technologies.

The 108th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship gets underway Thursday with 156 of the world’s best golfers, including 17 Canadians and world No. 1 Dustin Johnson set to compete for the 2017 RBC Canadian Open trophy and their share of the $6 million (US) purse.

Johnson leads the PGA TOUR in wins this year with three, and was the runner-up at the RBC Canadian Open in 2013 and 2016.

“I’ve played well here the last couple years, and you know, I’m looking forward to it this year,” said Johnson. “I enjoy playing this golf course.”

Johnson went on to talk highly of the host city, and the support he receives from the Canadian fan base.

“The fans have been great since the first time I came,” said Johnson. “When I’m out there on the course, I’ve always got a lot of fans and they are always supporting me a lot.”

When asked about the condition of Glen Abbey, 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.

“It’s in perfect condition. You can’t find anything wrong with it,” added Johnson. “The greens are perfect. The fairways are perfect.”

The first round of the RBC Canadian Open starts at 7:10 a.m. with players teeing off on the first and 10th tees.

Click here to view the pairings for the first round on Thursday July 27, and the second round on Friday July 28.

Click here to view images from Wednesday’s Championship Pro-Am.

When Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor begin the opening round of the RBC Canadian Open on Thursday afternoon, it’s going to feel more like a trip down memory lane than a national championship on the PGA Tour.

They’re paired up in the first round of a tournament for the first time since their teenage years when they sometimes played together at Ledgeview Golf and Country Club. Just six months apart in age, Hadwin and Taylor grew up together in Abbotsford, B.C., and have become two of Canada’s top professional golfers.

“It might feel like just a casual round, a round around Ledgeview for us as a 15- and 16-year-old,” said Hadwin on Wednesday after playing in a pro-am at Glen Abbey Golf Course. “We’ll just hopefully go out and have some fun. Maybe have a few side bets or two. But don’t tell anybody that.”

Taylor laughed when he heard about the side bets. “Yeah, I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

Taylor won his first PGA title at the Sanderson Farms Championship in 2014. Even though Hadwin’s the older of the two, it took him a few more years to earn his first victory on the Tour, winning the Valspar Championship in March. He also shot a 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January.

“We definitely have a comfort level playing with each other,” said Taylor. “I don’t think that will be a huge deal playing together, it’s playing together at the Canadian Open that will make it a little more fun, a little more memorable.”

Hadwin and Taylor are two of 17 Canadians competing in the tournament at Glen Abbey this weekend. No Canadian has won the national championship since amateur Pat Fletcher did it at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf Club in 1954.

It’s a drought that all the Canadians are well aware of.

“We’re all trying our best. Yes, we know that Pat Fletcher was the last one to win,” said Hadwin with a smile. “We know that. So we’re all trying our best to be moving forward. If one of us wins then it’s only been a couple years since a Canadian’s won.”

Hadwin is the highest rated Canadian on the PGA Tour right now, ranked 13th in the FedExCup standings. Coming just four days after the Open at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, it will be a depleted field on Thursday with only No. 2 Dustin Johnson above Hadwin in the standings.

Johnson feels that going from the United Kingdom to Canada isn’t that hard because the jet lag that comes from travelling westward isn’t as taxing on his sleep schedule. He’s looking forward to playing at Glen Abbey, where he tied for second last year.

“It’s in perfect condition,” said Johnson of the course. “You can’t find anything wrong with it. The greens are perfect. The fairways are perfect.

“If I drive it straight, I’m going to have a good week.”

Other Canadians in the field are Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., who will also be paired together on Thursday, as well as Ottawa’s Brad Fristch, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., Jared Du Toit, of Kimberley, B.C., Matt Hill of Sarnia, Ont., Vancouver’s Ryan Williams, Riley Wheeldon of Comox, B.C., Bryn Parry of North Vancouver, B.C., Drew Nesbitt of Shanty Bay, Ont., and Toronto’s Daniel Kim.

Three Canadian amateurs will also be playing: Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., Hugo Bernard of Mont-Saint Hillaire, Que., and Austin James of Bath, Ont.

Last season Du Toit took the tournament by storm as an amateur, sitting second heading into the final round of play before dropping into a tie for ninth. He’s since completed his senior year at Arizona State University and turned professional.

“I don’t like setting numerical expectations,” said the 22-year-old Du Toit. “I’m just going to go out, try and play great golf and if it’s a great finish than that’s awesome and if not, that’s OK too. I’m not too worried.”

As a uniquely Canadian touch, the tee of the par-3 No. 7 hole has been surrounded by hockey boards with a hockey net, pucks and hockey sticks kept on one of the forward tees so players can stop to take slapshots before making their way around a large pond to the green.

“I hope they leave it during the tournament so we can keep taking shots,” said Hadwin. “You hit one in the water and you can kind of relax and take up slapshots or something or cross-check the caddie into the boards or something.”