Sandwiched between the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield and the US Open, the RBC Canadian Open has been able to muster up a surprisingly strong field for its June 6 meet.
The Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto will welcome European big-hitters like Tyrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Tommy Fleetwood, natives Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes, and the defending champion.
Naturally, having won the last two editions and eyeing up a record-setting triple, Rory McIlroy returns as the presumed favourite in the golf odds, but perhaps it’s time for a new champion in Toronto.
A Good Field To Challenge The Champion
With the qualifiers secured on Sunday, seeing Peter Kuest, Ryan Hall, Drew Nesbitt, and David Carey claim passage to the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, the stage was set, with McIlroy standing as the clear leader of the field.
This isn’t to say that there isn’t a glut of talent coming to Oakdale, but as the consecutive champion and currently rated within the PGA’s top-three players, the Northern Irishman will undoubtedly be eyeing up silverware in Toronto.
Attempting to stop him from the Canadian contingent looks to be Corey Conners, who landed his second PGA Tour triumph at the Valero Texas Open in April this year, making it two wins in Texas in five years.
He’s not the only Canadian PGA Tour winner in 2022/23, though. Mackenzie Hughes claimed the Sanderson Farms Championship in October, Adam Svensson won the RSM Classic in November, and both Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor have ended as runner-ups this season.
McIlroy aside, heading up the European contingent looks to be Tyrell Hatton, who’s improved throughout the season and even finished second only to Scottie Scheffler at The Players Championship in December.
Alongside Hatton from across the pond and beyond, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, and Nicolai Højgaard will all fancy themselves a shot at the Canadian Open trophy if McIlroy’s off his game.
#TeamRBC shares what would it mean for a Canadian to win the RBC Canadian Open 🇨🇦🍁 pic.twitter.com/d41l1cH5yG
— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) May 31, 2023
Will McIlroy get a Canadian boost before the US Open?
Most see McIlroy as the shoo-in 2023 RBC Canadian Open champion to make history with three in a row, but his difficulties around Muirfield may indicate that he’s not as guaranteed for the top spot as some may think.
The course is loaded with fairly reachable par-5s and a bunch of par-4s that most would consider being short runs. So, if conditions are mostly favourable, the hefty rough shouldn’t play too much of an issue.
What may – for McIlroy, that is – is that the short holes put the focus on wedge play. At Muirfield, his swing evidently improved, but wedge play was a sticking point.
Whether this leaves McIlroy open to being caught at Oakdale or if the Canadian Open will help him to sharpen up for the US Open is yet to be seen, but naturally, he’ll be eyeing up the welcoming Toronto course as a place to get comfortable with his wedge play again.
Back to back 🏆 🏆 @McIlroyRory pic.twitter.com/xPwnz4UrHx
— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) June 12, 2022
Next Week, On To A Major
While a great tournament to watch in its own right, the 2023 RBC Canadian Open is certainly being looked at by McIlroy as a chance to gain some momentum before the US Open – which starts June 15 for a $17.5 million purse.
Even before the Toronto tournament, McIlroy is out as the fourth-favourite in betting markets at +1100 to win the US Open, with Brooks Koepka (+1100), Jon Rahm (+850), and Scheffler (+800) out in front.
A strong performance to land a record triple at the Canadian Open would presumably increase his standing in the odds, especially as there are question marks around Scheffler’s putting following Muirfield.
His striking was exemplary, but the American’s short game was left wanting. Still, Scheffler leads the world rankings by some margin, with Rahm and McIlroy in tow.
Scottie Scheffler uses the slope to near perfection 👏 pic.twitter.com/K9N2bVQgHe
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 2, 2023
Rory McIlroy could make history at the RBC Canadian Open this week. While that’d make for quite the occasion in Toronto, locals in attendance will have their fingers crossed for the strong Canadian contingent on the course.
*Credit for all images in this article belongs to AP Photo*
