Sandwiched between last week’s designated event, the Memorial Tournament, and the U.S. Open next week the PGA Tour makes its only stop in Canada for the national open.
Established in 1904, this will be the 114th edition of the Canadian Open. Despite being the national open and the 100+ year history the event was not elevated to a designated event by the PGA Tour.
The purse for the Canadian Open received a slight bump this year. Last year the field competed for $8.7 million with $1.566 million going to the eventual winner, Rory McIlroy. This year a total of 9 million is up for grabs with 1.62 going to the champion.
Notables in the Field
| Rory McIlroy | Cam Young |
| Sam Burns | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| Sahith Theegala | Tyrrell Hatton |
| Shane Lowry | Tommy Fleetwood |
| Justin Rose | Corey Conners |
In 1955 Black golf great, Charlie Sifford, led the eventual winner and hall of fame golfer, Arnold Palmer by one stroke after the first round of play. Palmer went on to win the tournament which was the first of this 62 wins on the PGA Tour. Sifford would become the first Black golfer to receive his PGA Tour card after the 1961 repeal of the PGA Tour’s Caucasion Only Clause which prohibited players of color from participating in PGA Tour events.
In addition to Palmer golf greats Tommy Armour (1927, ’30, & ’34), Walter Hagen (’31), Sam Snead (’38, ’40, & ’41), Byron Nelson (1945), Lee Trevino (1971, ’77 & ’79), and Greg Norman (1984 & ’92) have won the Canadian Open.
Hall of Fame golfer, Tiger Woods won the Canadian Open once. Woods’ 2000 win of the Bell Canadian Open was the 24th of his record 82 wins on the PGA Tour.
Previous Candian Open winner Dustin Johnson (2018) will not be in the field due to his association with LIV Golf and suspension from the PGA Tour. However with the announcement of the merger between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour, its possible that we could see defects to LIV Golf participating in PGA Tour events again.
Title sponsor RBC cut ties with Johnson and several other golfers after they departed the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.
Players to Watch
Sahith Theegala
This will be Sahith’s second trip to Canada for the Open. In his first appearance in 2022 Theegala finished in 53rd place.
In 19 events on the PGA Tour this season, Sahith has 10 top-25 finishes which include seven top-10s.
Sahith’s best finish in official events was second place at the RSM Classic in November. In an unofficial event Theegala won the QBE Shootout with partner Tom Hoge.
The most recent event Sahith entered was the PGA Championship in May where he finished tied for 40th place.
Theegala is currently ranked 23rd in the FedEx Cup and 27th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Cam Champ
This will be Cam’s second trip north of the border for the Canadian Open. His first trip in 2022 resulted in a missed cut.
In 17 events on the PGA Tour this season Champ has two top-25 finishes which were also his top-10s. Cam finished in solo eighth place at the ZOZO Championship back in October, and in a tie for eighth at the Mexico Open at Vidanta at the end of April.
The last event Cam entered was the Charles Schwab Challenge at the end of May. He finished in a tie for 63rd place.
Champ is currently ranked 135th in the FedEx Cup and 210th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Tee Times
Theegala: Thursday – 12:48 PM; Friday – 7:33 AM
Champ: Thursday – 12:59 PM; Friday – 7:44 AM
How To Watch
Thursday (6/8) & Friday (6/9): 3 – 6 PM (Golf Channel)
Saturday (6/10): 2:30 – 5:30 (Golf Channel); 5:30 – 7:30 (CBS)
Sunday (6/11): 1:30 – 2:30 (Golf Channel); 2:30 – 6:30 (CBS)