PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – The PGA TOUR today announced its 2022-23 FedExCup Season schedule of 47 tournaments, featuring 44 Regular Season events and three FedExCup Playoffs events, culminating with the crowning of the 2023 FedExCup champion at the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, August 21-27.

As announced on June 22, qualification criteria for the FedExCup Playoffs have been revised starting in 2023, with just 70 players earning a start in the first Playoffs event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, followed by 50 players advancing to the BMW Championship, with the TOUR Championship field remaining at 30 players.

Next season’s schedule includes record prize money and eight invitationals spread throughout with players competing for elevated purses ranging from $15 to $25 million. The bonus pools totaling $145 million include $75 million for the FedExCup, $20 million for the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 and $50 million for the Player Impact Program.

“We’ve heard from our fans and the overwhelming sentiment was that they wanted more consequences for both the FedExCup Regular Season and the Playoffs, and to further strengthen events that traditionally feature top players competing head-to-head,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “We feel strongly we’ve accomplished all of these objectives and more, creating a cadence of compelling drama for every tournament throughout the season. Each week has its own identity and purpose, and we’re set up for an exciting 2022-23 campaign as we transition into a calendar season in 2024 that will include a number of new and innovative competitive aspects in the fall.”

The 70 players who qualify for the first Playoffs event will be fully exempt for the following season as the TOUR transitions to a calendar-year season beginning in 2024 with the core portion of the FedExCup contested from January to August. Following the core FedExCup season, official PGA TOUR events will be conducted in the fall, where all players with status for the 2022-23 FedExCup Season will be eligible to compete. Those outside of the top-70 will compete for FedExCup points in a compelling, consequential final stretch to secure status for 2024.

Following the fall events, the TOUR will introduce a series of international events that include the top-50 players from the final FedExCup Points list, the top performers in the fall and additional eligibility as part of a limited-field, no-cut format. Further details on the fall events and the global series are expected to be announced later this year.

Highlights for the 2022-23 PGA TOUR Season:

RBC serves as title sponsor for two events, the RBC Heritage (April 10-16), held the week after the Masters Tournament, and the RBC Canadian Open (June 5-11), to be played for the first time at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto, the week prior to the U.S. Open (June 12-18) in Los Angeles.

• After a successful debut as a co-sanctioned event, the Genesis Scottish Open (July 10-16) will be featured on both the PGA TOUR and the DP World Tour schedule ahead of The Open Championship (July 17-23) at Royal Liverpool. Additionally, the PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship (July 10-16) and Barracuda Championship (July 17-23) will offer access to DP World Tour members for the second straight year.

• The 2022-23 season will once again kick off with the Fortinet Championship (September 12-18) in Napa, California, one of nine official FedExCup events to be played across the fall.
• Following the Fortinet Championship will be the 14^th playing of the Presidents Cup (September 19-25) at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. The three Global partners of the Presidents Cup are Citi, Cognizant and Rolex.
• Announced earlier this summer, THE CJ CUP has relocated from Korea to Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, and has been renamed THE CJ CUP in South Carolina (October 17-23).
• Also, with the cancellation of the WGC-HSBC Champions, the Butterfield Bermuda Championship (October 24-30) has a standalone date with full FedExCup points awarded.
• Additional 2022 dates include the Sanderson Farms Championship (September 26-October 2), Shriners Children’s Open (October 3-9), ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP (October 10-16) in Japan, World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba (October 31-November 6), Cadence Bank Houston Open (November 7-13) and The RSM Classic (November 14-20) to conclude the fall calendar.

• After the Sentry Tournament of Champions (January 2-8) and the Sony Open in Hawaii (January 9-15) – celebrating its 25^th year with Sony as title sponsor – launch the 2023 calendar year, the TOUR heads to California for The American Express (January 16-22) with its pro-am format in La Quinta.
• With a crowded weekend sports calendar, the Farmers Insurance Open (January 23-29) in San Diego will feature a Saturday finish (January 28) for the second consecutive year.
• The TOUR then heads up the coast to the Monterey Peninsula for the celebrity-laden AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (January 30-February 5) followed by the WM Phoenix Open (February 6-12) at TPC Scottsdale. The WM Phoenix Open will be played the same week as the NFL’s Super Bowl, which will also be contested in the Phoenix area.

• The Florida Swing includes five events, with four events in Florida and the Puerto Rico Open (February 27-March 5) which is played alongside the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. The Honda Classic (February 20-26), THE PLAYERS Championship (March 6-12) and the Valspar Championship (March 13-19) round out the Florida events.

• Now in its second season as an official event on the PGA TOUR schedule, the Mexico Open at Vidanta (April 24-30) is preceded by the two-player team format of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (April 17-23) and followed by the Wells Fargo Championship (May 1-7), which returns to North Carolina and Quail Hollow Club.

• There are five official FedExCup events in Texas throughout the 2022-23 PGA TOUR Season: the Cadence Bank Houston Open (November 7-13), played for the third consecutive year at Memorial Park Golf Course; the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play (March 20-26) in Austin played concurrently with the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic; the Valero Texas Open (March 27-April 2) in San Antonio prior to the Masters Tournament; and the AT&T Byron Nelson (May 8-14) and the Charles Schwab Challenge (May 22-28) to bookend the PGA Championship (May 15-21), which will be played at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, one of two events held in the northeast alongside the Travelers Championship (June 19-25) in Cromwell, Connecticut.

• Notable date changes include the Rocket Mortgage Classic (June 26-July 2) which moves from late July to late June, and the 3M Open (July 24-30) which will slide one week later in the calendar as the penultimate event in the FedExCup Regular Season. The TOUR’s long-running Midwest event, the John Deere Classic (July 3-9), will once again precede the Genesis Scottish Open (July 10-16).
• The 17^th edition of the FedExCup Playoffs features three events, all carried by network partner CBS in 2023.FedEx St. Jude Championship (August 7-13) at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, with a 70-player field.
  • BMW Championship (August 14-20) at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, with a 50-player field.
  • The FedEx St. Jude Championship and the BMW Championship feature significant increases in prize money, from $15 million to $20 million
  • Supported by Proud Partners Accenture, Coca-Cola and Southern Company, the TOUR Championship (August 21-27) at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta will feature the top-30 players in the FedExCup standings.
  • With only 70 players earning a spot in the first FedExCup Playoffs event, the Wyndham Championship (July 31-August 6) will take on an even more significant role in determining who qualifies for the Playoffs. The Wyndham Championship will also be the final event in the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10, where the top-10 performers earn bonus money for performance in the Regular Season.
• In addition to the two Playoffs events, six invitationals will see significant increases in purse sizes in 2023:
  • Kicking off the 2023 portion of the season, the Sentry Tournament of Champions (January 2-8) will have a purse of $15 million, up from $8.2 million in 2022. The winners-only event will lead off 2024 when the TOUR transitions into a calendar season.
  • Three player-hosted invitationals, The Genesis Invitational (February 13-19) hosted by Tiger Woods, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (February 27-March 5) and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (May 29-June 4) hosted by Jack Nicklaus will see purses increase from $12 million to $20 million.
  • With support from Proud Partners Grant Thornton, Morgan Stanley and Optum, the TOUR’s flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship (March 6-12), includes a PGA TOUR-record purse of $25 million, up from $20 million in 2022.
  • The World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play (March 20-26) will once again feature 64 of the world’s top players competing for $20 million up from $12 million.

TORONTO, Ont. – Rory McIlroy’s bid to defend his RBC Canadian Open title is complete.

McIlroy fired an eight-under par 62 in the final round of Sunday’s National Open at St. George’s Golf & Country Club to win his second consecutive RBC Canadian Open, three years and four days after he hoisted the trophy in 2019 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

“It means an awful lot. I feel like it’s getting tougher and tougher to win on the PGA TOUR,” said McIlroy. “I went out with a lead and had to shoot 8-under par to get the job done. So, the depth of talent on this TOUR is really, really impressive.”

The Northern Irishman’s win in Canada marks his first-ever successful title defence on the PGA TOUR and his 21^st tournament victory, putting him in a tie for 31^st on the all-time wins list.

“Super happy to get that 21st win [and] to defend,” said McIlroy. “To play in a final group like that with that atmosphere all day. I mean the fans here this week have just been absolutely unbelievable – like so good and so cool to play in an atmosphere like that. Boisterous, loud, but respectful.”

The 33-year-old joins J. Douglas Edger, Leo Diegel, Sam Snead, Jim Ferrier, Jim Furyk and Jhonattan Vegas as players to win back-to-back at the RBC Canadian Open. McIlroy is also the first champion since Jim Furyk in 2006-07 to win back-to-back titles at two different venues—Furyk accomplishing the feat at Hamilton Golf & Country Club (2006) and Angus Glen Golf Club (2007) while McIlroy followed up his 2019 victory at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.

McIlroy is now two-for-two north of the border and his return for 2023 at Oakdale Golf & Country Club is all but confirmed.

Justin Rose’s final round 10-under par 60 is the lowest final round score in the history of the tournament, one upping McIlroy’s 61 in the final round of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open.

Corey Conners went out with a bang, matching McIlroy’s round of eight-under par 62 and catapulting up the leaderboard for a sixth-place finish. The Listowel, Ont. native earned the Rivermead Challenge Cup as the low-Canadian professional at the RBC Canadian Open for the first time.

“There’s a great list of Canadians who have their names on that trophy, so definitely an honor to have my name added,” said Conners. “It was a great week and hopefully start there and can challenge for the title in the next few years.”

Tony Finau entered Sunday’s final round with a share of the lead, and albeit a respectable six-under 64, he could not keep pace with the eventual winner. Justin Thomas also carded a final round 64 to finish in sole position of third place.

Keith Mitchell and Wyndham Clark have qualified for the 150^th playing of The Open Championship as the leading two finishers within the top-eight who weren’t otherwise already exempt into the tournament. The Open will be played at St. Andrews, July 14-17.

View the full leaderboard here. 

Toronto (June 11, 2022) – Cloudy skies threatened rain at the RBC Canadian Open today, but the sunshine prevailed as the world’s top golfers teed it up at St. George’s Golf & Country Club.
 
FINAU, MCILROY LEAD HEADING INTO FINAL ROUND AT RBC CANADIAN OPEN
 
Tony Finau and Rory McIlroy sit atop the leaderboard at 11-under par after 54 holes at St. George’s Golf & Country Club. Finau’s eight-under par 62 was the low-score of the day and lowest round at the National Open since McIlroy’s 61 in the final round of the 2019 RBC Canadian Open. The Salt Lake City, Utah native tallied three birdies and an eagle through a four-hole (nos. 8 to 11) stretch to catapult up the leaderboard.
 
McIlroy continued his bid to successfully defend his RBC Canadian Open title with a five-under par 65 to grab a share of the lead. The 33-year-old is looking to become the first player to win a PGA TOUR event (non-major) back-to-back at two different courses since Jim Furyk, who won in 2006 at Hamilton G&CC and then defended his title at Angus Glen Golf Course (North) in 2007.
 
Justin Thomas, Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark and Alex Smalley sit at nine-under par, two shots back of the leaders, at nine-under par, entering the final round. Thomas’ seven-under par 63 matched his lowest round on the PGA TOUR this season since the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open. Burns will be vying for his second win on TOUR in in just a two-week span after winning the Charles Schwab Challenge on May 29.

Nick Taylor and Corey Conners were on the move on moving day at the RBC Canadian Open. The Canadian duo fired rounds of three-under par 67 and four-under par 66, respectively, to climb into the top-20 heading into Sunday’s final round.
 
“I’m probably not going to do much leaderboard watching, just keep my head down,” said Taylor. “I’ll see tonight what the lead is and have an idea of probably where I want to get to. But it’s such a jam-packed leaderboard and there’s a stretch of holes where you can really get after it. So, if I’m kind of hanging around through 8 then I think I have a decent chance.”
 
For the full leaderboard click here.
 
FINAL ROUND SCHEDULE
Final round tee times will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. with threesomes off the first and ninth tees. The expected finish time is 6:00 p.m., with the trophy presentation to follow. For the full list of pairing click here.
 
CANADIAN LEADERBOARD 
 

POS	NAME	SCORES	TOTAL
T15	Nick Taylor	70-68-65	-5
T19	Corey Conners	69-70-66	-4
T29	Adam Svensson	70-68-67	-3
T35	Adam Hadwin	72-68-69	-2
T41	Makenzie Hughes	71-69-68	-1
T53	Aaron Cockerill	71-69-73	+1
MC	Roger Sloan	70-72	+2
MC	Stuart Macdonald	70-72	+2
MC	Mike Weir	72-70	+2
MC	David Hearn	72-72	+4
MC	A.J. Ewart	73-72	+5
MC	Jared du Toit	71-74	+5
MC	Wess Heffernan	74-72	+6
MC	Myles Creighton	72-74	+6
MC	Max Sekulic	75-75	+10
MC	Brendan Leonard	78-72	+10
MC	Johnny Travale	76-76	+12
MC	Callum Davison	76-77	+13
MC	Albin Choi	78-77	+15

 
Click here for the full tournament leaderboard.
 
PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPTS
The following player transcripts from Friday’s press conferences at St. George’s Golf & Country Club are available online for the following:
 
Rory McIlroy
Wyndham Clark
Sam Burns
Tony Finau
Justin Thomas
Nick Taylor
Sebastian Munoz
Adam Svensson
Corey Conners
Bo Van Pelt
Mackenzie Hughes
Nick Hardy
 
RBC CANADIAN OPEN FAST FACTS

• Number of times a leader went on to win (1945-present) after 54 Holes – 51 times
• Last to defend the RBC Canadian Open title successfully –  Jhonattan Vegas, 2017
• Lowest Canadian score, 54 Holes – Adam Hadwin (65-66-67) Hamilton G&CC, Hamilton ON, 2019
• Last winner who won the RBC Canadian Open on his first try-  Rory McIlroy, 2019.
• Last player to win a PGA TOUR event (non-major) back-to-back at two different courses was Jim Furyk, who won in 2006 at Hamilton G&CC and then defended his title at Angus Glen Golf Course (North) in 2007.

 
PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THE GOLF CANADA FOUNDATION 50/50 RAFFLE IN SUPPORT OF FIRST TEE – CANADA
From Wednesday afternoon through Sunday week, Golf Canada Foundation will be selling 50/50 tickets on-site at the RBC Canadian Open & CP Women’s Open tournaments. The draw will take place Sunday evening, with the winning number announced here on the Foundation website and across social media channels. Proceeds from the raffle in support of the First Tee – Canada, the official beneficiary of the RBC Canadian Open, will benefit junior golf initiatives and help to grow the game in Ontario and across the nation. Click here for more information.
 
2022 MEDIA GUIDE AND PLAYER PERFORMANCE BOOK:
Media can also download the 2022 RBC Canadian Open Media Guide for complete stats, records and historical information. Media can also download the 2019 RBC Canadian Open Player Performance Book which details individual player statistics from 1904-2019. Tournament notes can be found on the PGA TOUR virtual media centre here.
 
BROADCAST COVERAGE:
The following are broadcast times for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open:
 
Sunday, June 12th             1:00pm – 3:00pm (GOLF) | 3:00pm – 6:00pm (CTV; TSN1; RDS; CBS)
 
MOBILE APP EXPERIENCE
Experience the RBC Canadian Open like never before by downloading the Golf Canada Mobile App on your iOS or Android device. Essential features include a live map, mobile ordering, leaderboard & pairings, tickets, breaking news and special events. Plus, use the Golf Canada Mobile App to enhance your experience while playing! Find golf courses, track your game, set up matches against friends, access GPS yardages and more. Click here to download.
 
THE OPEN QUALIFYING
The 2022 RBC Canadian Open is also part of The Open Championship Qualifying Series. The top-2 finishers at the RBC Canadian Open (not otherwise exempt) earn a spot in the field of The 150th Open Championship, July 10-17, 2022, at St Andrews in Fife, Scotland.

Ian McQueen’s extraordinary ability to  manicure a championship caliber golf course is on display, and the culmination of this achievement has not gone unnoticed.   

The St. George’s Golf and Country Club superintendent was hosting his first PGA TOUR event, and his member association was on hand to present him with a commemorative plaque. 

McQueen is an 18-year member of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association (CGSA) whose reputation for ensuring the fair and consistent management of golf courses precedes him, and this award puts a stamp on his accomplishments.

“It means a lot,” he said. “It’s been a goal of mine to be at St. George’s, and come back to Toronto where I grew up and host a national event like this.”

The year marked the 111th RBC Canadian Open, aged only behind The Open Championship and the U.S. Open among national championships, and by nature presents challenges with rooted expectations. 

Tasked with maintaining St. George’s member satisfaction, and meeting the Open’s  planning objectives, under the cloud of a pandemic, required strong leadership and the buy-in of his team. More remarkably, he ensured that St. George’s remains ranked among the top-five facilities in the country. 

“Delaying it for a couple years actually gave us a great run through spring to make sure we had everything in place (for the tournament),” he said. “It was a challenge, but something that we accepted, and I think we accomplished as a team.” 

Before arriving at St. George’s, McQueen honed his craft between public, semi-private and private golf clubs. 

His previous club, The Club at Bond Head, has a long-standing reputation that praises its stunning views, challenging holes, and well-maintained grounds. It is also known for being tournament ready by May. 

The key difference with managing St. George’s is the added support of private membership that helps him achieve the course conditions that fit his ideal vision.

“When you get to a private club like St. George’s, the support from the membership, board, and club allows you to achieve (the) goals and conditions that you want to produce on a day-to-day basis,” he said. 

The challenges involved with managing a golf course in Canada’s climate also presents an unpredictability that is near impossible to gauge, and one that McQueen has consistently managed to handle. 

“Managing turf conditions to the standard that we want takes into consideration all of the weather inputs; the uncontrollable that we can’t control makes it difficult,” he said. “I have a great staff of about 45 people, who you couldn’t do without — without them we would never get it to what it is today.”

TORONTO, Ont. – Mackenzie Hughes had a solid start at St. George’s Golf and Country Club, shooting a four-under par 66 after the opening round of action.

“It feels great. The excitement and the buzz seem to be here and I know after three years of not playing the tournament, everyone’s pretty excited about it, so we share that same feeling,” said Hughes. “I know the Canadian players I talked to are all really excited to be here. It’s a different week for us because we don’t get to feel, I don’t do press every week on PGA TOUR, so it’s kind of neat, I kind of relish the opportunity to do it and hopefully have a great week and get the fans behind me on Sunday.”

The Dundas, Ont., native, who was paired with fellow Canadians Adam Hadwin (-1) and Mike Weir (+2), is T5 alongside Rory McIlroy, Lee Hodges, Tony Finau, Patrick Rodgers and Jonas Blixt.

Leader Wyndham Clark boarded the birdie train in the early stages of his opening round at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open and rode it all the way to the top of the leaderboard.

The Denver, Colorado native experienced few speedbumps along the way, carding a seven-under par 63 to claim the outright lead after Thursday’s highly anticipated opening round at St George’s Golf & Country Club.

Clark, who started his day on the back nine, poured in five birdies on his opening nine holes and added a pair coming in, in a bogey-free first round effort – one he felt he deserved.

“I just had the putts fall,” said Clark. “That’s all I felt I’ve needed all year was just a little jump start like this where I see some putts and it’s okay, I’m doing the right things, and I’m finally getting rewarded for all the hard work.”

This is Clark’s third appearance at the RBC Canadian Open. He missed the cut in each of his previous two showings. The 28-year-old says he hopes the momentum from round one snowballs further into the week and beyond.

“I’ve been trending in the right direction, and today it all kind of came together,” said Clark. “I’m really hoping that we keep going this week with that and leading into next week at the U.S. Open and for the rest of the summer. My game feels good.”

Matthew Fitzpatrick also jumped out to a quick start at the National Open, registering a six-under par 64 for sole position of second place. Fitzpatrick was firing on all cylinders out of the gate, notching four birdies in as many holes to start his round and steadied the ship the rest of the way.

“Growing up, I’ve always been kind of more of a straighter player and solid putter,” said the Englishman. “To me round here, it’s just about giving myself plenty of chances to get shots off the fairway to give myself chances for birdie. Today I did that well.”

Doug Ghim and Harold Varner III rounded out the top-three with a pair of five-under par performances at St George’s.

“If you’re hitting it in the fairways and you’re attacking the greens, you can post a low one. But if you’re just a yard off, you’re scrambling for par very quickly,” said Ghim. “I put the ball in play for most of the day and hit a lot of greens. Felt pretty dialed on the greens too, so that always helps.”

“Obviously every week you go on the PGA TOUR, you want to play well, but playing well in front of the home fans and your friends and family, it’s hard to describe how good that feels. So when you’re out there and you’re making birdies and having a good round, it just feels that much better,” said Hughes.

Second round tee times are scheduled to begin at 6:40 a.m. For the full list of Friday’s pairings, click here.

See below for an all-Canadian leaderboard.

POS	NAME	SCORES	TOTAL
T5	Mackenzie Hughes	66	-4
T25	Adam Hadwin	69	-1
T44	Nick Taylor	70	E
T44	Roger Sloan	70	E
T44	Aaron Cockerill	70	E
T44	Stuart Macdonald	70	E
T61	Corey Conners	71	+1
T61	Jared Du Toit	71	+1
T79	Mike Weir	72	+2
T79	Myles Creighton	72	+2
T79	David Hearn	72	+2
T79	Adam Svensson	72	+2
T106	A.J. Ewart (a)	73	+3
T116	Wes Hefferman	74	+4
T124	Max Sekulic	75	+5
T135	Callum Davison	76	+6
T135	Johnny Travale (a)	76	+6
T146	Brendan Leonard	78	+8
T146	Albin Choi	78	+8

TORONTO – The RBC Canadian Open tees off at St. George’s Golf and Country Club on Thursday morning. It’s the first time the men’s national golf championship has been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are five thing to know about the tournament:

REPPING THE MAPLE LEAF

There are 20 Canadians in the field, more than any other PGA Tour event, increasing the likelihood of a Canadian winning the national championship for the first time since Pat Fletcher did it in 1954. Canadian golf fans will want to pay attention at 7:02 a.m. local time when an all-Canadian trio featuring Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., tee off together.

SMALL FOOTPRINT

At 165 acres St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto’s west end is one of the smallest courses on the PGA Tour this season. Returning champion Rory McIlroy noted on Wednesday how tight the grandstands were to some of the fairways, meaning spectators will be right in on the action.

ROUGH STUFF

The U.S. Open is renowned for its long rough and, as the event preceding the third major of the men’s golf season, the Canadian Open is following suit. Several players remarked on the deep rough at St. George’s on Wednesday, including McIlroy, who won the American national championship in 2011.

BEST CANADIAN IN EUROPE

Aaron Cockerill has consistently been the best Canadian on the European-based DP World Tour. Cockerill, from Stony Mountain, Man., is currently ranked 42nd on the circuit that takes in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Despite his international success, it will be the 30-year-old’s first appearance at a Canadian Open as a professional.

SUMMER’S OPEN

The Canadian Open is being positioned by the PGA Tour, Golf Canada, and their partners as the unofficial opening of summer. Part of that is creating a festival atmosphere. Concerts headlined by rapper Flo Rida and pop group Maroon 5 will be held on Friday and Saturday night at nearby Richview Collegiate Institute. The Rink, a hockey-themed feature hole, will return with arena boards surrounding the tee box and goalie helmets marking the tee.

Rory’s Lucky Loonie

Defending RBC Canadian Open Champion Rory McIlroy doesn’t need luck on his side when it comes to his golf game. The Northern-Ireland native has notched five top 10 finishes this season – including a second-place finish at The Masters – bringing his total PGA TOUR career victories to 20. However, some would argue that a little extra luck never hurts.

During the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, McIlroy tried on a Canuck superstition when marking his ball for the week – the lucky loonie. Shooting 22-under-par 258 in 2019 (the lowest 72-hole score ever carded at the event), it’s a superstition he’s keeping as he chases back-to-back RBC Canadian Open titles for the 111^th playing of the historic tournament.

“I turned up to the locker and there was already one in my locker,” said McIlroy. “And then one of my pro-am partners give me one this morning on the first green as well. So I’m loaded with loonies this week. Yeah, so, yes, I will use it, for sure.”

The lucky loonie tradition became famous during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City when the one-dollar coin was embedded into centre ice by a Canadian maintenance crew to bring luck to the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. After both squads claimed gold medals, the tradition became a sensation for Canadian sports pursuits across the country and has been going strong ever since.  

 It comes as no surprise that McIlroy, a self-professed fan of history, would partake in the now-iconic tradition.

“One of the great things about our game is you can in some way compare yourself to historical figures. Figures that I’ve never met before, but I look at a trophy that my name’s on and Walter Hagan’s name is on there or Gene Sarazen or Byron Nelson or Ben Hogan or Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer or whoever it is,” said McIlroy.  “And I think that’s one of the coolest things about our sport that not a lot of other sports can sort of tap into. As a golf historian and traditionalist, I like that stuff. I like sitting down with the Claret Jug at home and looking at the names on the trophy. Like that is so cool. And you look at the Canadian Open trophy and you look at the names that are on that. You’re putting your name in history by winning these national championships.”

Rory will seek to defend his title as the first round of the tournament commences tomorrow.

Corey’s Canadian Coffee

Corey Conners needed a taste of home, and he got it – literally. There’s nothing that yells ‘Canada’ quite like Tim Horton’s and there are few people on TOUR who know that better than the Listowel, Ont. native. The Canadian honoured his citizenship with a visit to the renown coffee shop as soon as his plane touched down in Toronto and, suddenly, he was home again.

“That reminds me I’m home. I think that’s the first stop every time I get back to Canada. Don’t know what it is about it, but that makes me feel like I’m at home,” Conners said.

His order: one cream, one sugar. “Don’t mind an apple fritter [either],” he added.

Mac’s Caddie Shack

Before Mackenzie Hughes played in the RBC Canadian Open Championship Pro-Am, he caddied in it – or at least tried to. Mike Weir served as the ultimate distraction for the 13-year-old Hughes who he walked alongside down the fairways of Glen Abbey Golf Course at the 2004 Pro-Am event. Unfortunately for Hughes, the fairway wasn’t where he needed to be.

“I just did a horrendous job caddying that day because I was so intrigued by just being close to Mike and trying to ask him a question here and there,” said Hughes. “Then my player would be over here in the rough and I’m like, ‘Oh, sorry,’ just nowhere near him.”

Luckily for Hughes, his playing skills make up for his lackluster caddying.  

Full press release transcripts here.

TORONTO, Ont. – Patrick Flavin beat the rush hour traffic but Braden Thornberry, Brad Adamonis and Jeff Kang got caught in the thick of things at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier on Monday. Thankfully for them, the highway to St George’s Golf and Country Club opened up quickly.

Thornberry, Adamonis and Kang survived a 4-for-3 playoff at Oakdale Golf & Country Club to secure three of the final four spots at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, June 6-12, at St George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Ont.

The trio of Americans, who registered rounds of two-under par 69 in regulation, made their pars on the second playoff hole to settle a four-way tie. Piercen Hunt did not make it through.

Flavin carded a three-under par 68 earlier in the day to dodge the madness and punch his ticket to the National Open Championship.

The Chicago, Illinois native was one-over after the front nine but turned things around down the stretch to fire the low round of the day.

“You’re never as far out of it as you think,” he said. “There’s been a couple shockers this year where it’s not as low as you think, especially with this course being so hard. I figured anything under par was going to be a really good score, so three-under when I finished, I felt really good about.”

Flavin is no stranger to Monday qualifiers. The 18-hole stroke play tournament in Toronto, Ont. marks his fourth entry into a tournament via the final qualifier this season, and his sixth total PGA TOUR event in 2022.

“When you Monday in it’s kind of a little bit of a whirlwind because there’s so much to get done, but I think I’ve developed a good formula for what is going to allow me to play well and have a lot of energy on the weekend,” said the 26-year-old.

Adamonis found the greenside bunker on the second playoff hole but for him, that was just as good as hitting the green.

“Long ago, I had a bunker in my yard and I’m like, ‘I’ve hit these a million times, this is an easy shot,’” Adamonis told himself. “I felt comfortable, I didn’t even think about it, and I hit a good shot,” added the 49-year-old journeyman.

The RBC Canadian Open will be Adamonis’ first start on TOUR since the 2021 Valspar Championship.

Thornberry was rolling at Oakdale, sitting at four-under par thru 14 holes but bogeys on No. 16 and 17 forced him down into a T2 position and into the thick of things on the leaderboard but the former Ole Miss Rebel was able to collect himself and prevail.

“I think I had the best round going through 14 holes […] I feel like I was playing really good but kind of didn’t play well coming in, so it was nice to still get through and not have that cost me at all,” said Thornberry.

Thornberry’s first trip to Canada has already been memorable and the Germantown, Tennessee native will look to add to the memories when he tees it up on Thursday.

Flavin, Thornberry, Adamonis and Kang complete the starting field of 156 that will compete for the $8.7 million purse at St George’s Golf and Country Club. Click here for the full list of competitors.

Click here for full results of the RBC Canadian Open Final Qualifier.

For tickets to the 2022 RBC Canadian Open click here.

MILTON, Ont. – Jonas Blixt has always struggled with overthinking on the golf course.

But the Swede cleared his mind on Monday for two rounds to finish atop the leaderboard in a U.S Open qualifying tournament at RattleSnake Point Golf Club. Blixt was tied for the lead after the day’s opening round and finished the day alone at No. 1 with an overall score of 10 under.

“Today I was just going to go out there and not think too much technically, and just play,” said Blixt with several players still out on the course. “I had some gnarly shots, but I saved myself and made some putts and things are going a lot better with my game.

“It was nice to see that today no matter what happens.”

Blixt is playing this season on a major medical extension. He’d missed several weeks of the PGA Tour season before competing in Monday’s qualifier and found playing 36 holes in a single day tiring.

Fortunately for him, the forecast called for heavy rain on Tuesday, giving him a ready excuse to miss practising at St. George’s Golf and Country Club to prepare for this week’s RBC Canadian Open.

“I’m going to be in my bed for a long time,” said Blixt with a laugh.

England’s Callum Tarren and Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira tied for second a shot back of Blixt to earn the other two U.S. Open berths.

It’s only the second time a U.S. Open qualifier has been held in Canada, with RattleSnake Point also hosting the event in 2019.

Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., had to settle for one of two alternate spots after he bogeyed No. 18. Derek Bard of the U.S. took the other alternate spot for the third major of the men’s golf season, tying du Toit at 7 under.

Du Toit earned the first alternate position ahead of Bard after a three-hole playoff in the driving rain. That put du Toit in a solid position to still play in the U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., June 16-19.

“Oh it was not fun, especially bogeying my last hole to cause all that. It was kind of a punishment for bogeying the last hole,” said du Toit of the playoff. “I’m very fortunate that bogey didn’t really cost me and I was able to give myself some good looks in the playoff and then convert with a birdie.”

Three players withdrew from the qualifier on Monday morning, reducing the field to just 22 players despite having three berths at the prestigious U.S. Open on the line. There were eight other qualifiers happening across the U.S. on Monday, with the field in Canada the smallest.

“When I heard there was 27 players I thought there’d be only one spot and then to hear three I was like ‘holy moly!” said Tarren, who was originally scheduled to play in the qualifier at The Club at Admiral’s Cove in Jupiter, Fla., on Monday.

“But my caddy was like, ‘you may as well play in Canada because we’re playing the Canadian Open this week.’ So I changed it and it’s paid off.”

There were nine Canadians playing at RattleSnake Point. Toronto’s Riley Goss tied for sixth at 6 under and Michael Gligic of nearby Burlington, Ont., tied for 12th at 4 under.

Du Toit said that having a U.S. Open qualifier on the Monday before the Canadian Open and only a short drive away is helpful for growing the sport in Canada.

“It’s a great fit in the schedule with the Canadian Open being here,” he said. “The strength of field is great, which a lot of guys really liked.”

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and amateur Owen Mullen of Truro, N.S., who were paired together, tied for 15th at 3 under.

Branson Ferrier of Barrie, Ont., was 18th at 2 under, Brendan Leonard of Cambridge, Ont., was 19th at 1 under. David Li Sheman of Aurora, Ont., and Hamilton’s Michael Blair tied for 20th at even par.

Golf Canada and RBC are pleased to announce the final field vying for the US$8.7 million purse at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in partnership with nearby Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. 

After a wait of 1,093 days and two years of cancellation due to the global pandemic, 2019 champion and world no. 7 Rory McIlroy returns to Canada looking to defend his title against a stellar field of PGA TOUR stars led by world no. 1 and 2022 Master champion Scottie Scheffler, world no. 3 and 2022 The Players champion Cam Smith, world no. 4 and 2022 PGA champion Justin Thomas and world no. 9 Sam Burns, a 3-time PGA TOUR winner in 2022.

Other notable additions to the field for the 111th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship include world no. 15 Matthew Fitzpatrick, world no. 16 Tony Finau, world no. 23 Tyrell Hatton and big-hitter Cameron Champ along with past Major winners, Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Jason Dufner and Danny Willet. 

Team RBC will be represented at St. George’s by a collection of international and Canadian talents including world no. 38 Harold Varner III and 2013 RBC Canadian Open champion Brandt Snedeker along with world no. 34 Corey Conners and fellow Canadian PGA TOUR players Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, Roger Sloan, Michael Gligic, Adam Svensson, and Taylor Pendrith.

The field for the celebrated return of the 2022 RBC Canadian Open includes five of the top-10 players in the world (Scheffler, Smith, Thomas, McIlroy, and Burns) and the top-four players on the current FedEx Cup ranking. Seven major championship winners (accounting for 11 titles) will compete along with eight 2021-22 PGA TOUR in-year winners, six past champions of the RBC Canadian Open, and 21 Canadians. 

“We are extremely pleased with the field of world-class competitors that make their way to Canada to join us in the celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open and challenge for the 111^th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Bryan Crawford. “Led by our defending champion Rory McIlroy, this year’s championship features a strong mix of stars from all around the world and the deepest field of Canadian talent ever to challenge for our National Men’s Open title. Along with great golf, fans will be treated to an incredible festival environment with terrific on-site activities including the Recipe Unlimited Fareway food and beverage experience and the RBCxMusic Concert series featuring Flo Rida (June 10) and Maroon 5 (June 11). It is the return that Canadian golf fans deserve as we get set to kick off summer.” 

In total, 156 players will compete for the US$8.7 million purse next week in Toronto when the RBC Canadian Open returns to the storied Stanley Thompson design for the sixth time and first since 2010. 

Due to current Government of Canada travel restrictions extending beyond June 1, Team RBC ambassadors Webb Simpson and Matt Kuchar are not able to participate in the championship and have officially withdrawn from the 2022 RBC Canadian Open. Golf Canada and RBC look forward welcoming Simpson and Kuchar back to Canada for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf & Country Club.

Click here for a full field list for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open.

PGA TOUR Season Winners…

A total of eight in-year PGA TOUR winners accounting for 14 PGA TOUR titles in 2021-22 will compete at St. George’s led by 4-time winner Scottie Scheffler, 3-time winner Sam Burns, and 2-time winner Cam Smith. Other in-year PGA TOUR winners in the field include Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Luke List, JJ Spaun, and Chad Ramey. 

Past Champions…

Six past RBC Canadian Open champions will compete at St. George’s including Chez Reavie (2008), Sean O’Hair (2011), Scott Piercy (2012) Brandt Snedeker (2013), Jhonattan Vegas (2016-17) and defending champion Rory McIlroy (2019). 

Twenty-one Canadians to compete for their National Men’s Open Title…

Current PGA TOUR players Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, Adam Svensson, Michael Gligic, Taylor Pendrith and Roger Sloan will lead a talented roster of 21 Canadians competing in the RBC Canadian Open. The 2022 event welcomes home a legend as 8-time PGA TOUR and Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Mike Weir will make his 29^th start in the RBC Canadian Open. Other Canadians competing on exemption include David Hearn, Aaron Cockerill, Stuart MacDonald, Albin Choi, Myles Creighton, Jared du Toit, Brendan Leonard, Wes Heffernan, Callum Davison, and Max Sekulic along with Team Canada amateurs AJ Ewart and Johnny Travale. 

Final Tournament Exemptions to be Named…

The final four exemptions into the field for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open will be handed out at the Monday Qualifier on Monday June 6, to be played at Oakdale Golf and Country in Toronto, host site of the 2023 and 2026 RBC Canadian Open. 

Click here for the full current list of competitors competing in the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, June 6-12 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in partnership with nearby Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. 

Tickets for the 2022 RBC Canadian Open are available here.