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- Hunter Mahan hopes to pick up where he left off in 2013. (Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
• COURSE: Glen Abbey GC, 7,273 yards, par 72. Opened in 1977, Jack Nicklaus’ first solo design serves as home of the Royal Canadian Golf Association, staging 22 consecutive Open editions before the RCGA began to rotate venues again. This will be the 27th Open held at Glen Abbey, which also houses the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. The back nine features the “Valley Holes”, starting with a tee shot at No.11 to a fairway some 60 feet below, then following Sixteen Mile Creek for three holes before eventually climbing out at No.16. The 18th hole is where Tiger Woods struck one of his greatest shots, a daring 6-iron from a fairway bunker over a lake to 12 feet for a clinching birdie in 2000.
• FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
• CHARITY: Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada, which operates 14 homes in Canada and offers families of seriously ill or injured children a place to live while their child receives treatment. Over the years, Canada’s national open has raised more than $45 million for charity.
• FIELD WATCH: Jim Furyk, twice a Canadian Open champion, is joined by Bubba Watson and Jason Day to headline a roster that features five of the top 15 in this week’s world rankings. … Nick Taylor, whose win in Mississippi made him the PGA TOUR’s first Canadian victor since 2007, and David Hearn head a contingent of 13 native sons in the field. The lineup also includes amateur Garrett Rank, whose day job is as an NHL referee. … A notable absence will be former Masters champ Mike Weir, who announced Friday he’s taking time off from the TOUR. … The lineup includes 27 players returning from the British Open at St. Andrews.
• 72-HOLE RECORD: 263, Johnny Palmer (1952 at St. Charles CC), Scott Piercy (2012 at Hamilton G&CC), Tim Clark (2014 at Royal Montreal GC). Glen Abbey record: 266, Tiger Woods (2000).
• 18-HOLE RECORD: 60, Carl Pettersson (3rd round, 2010 at St. George’s G&CC). Glen Abbey record: 62, Leonard Thompson (2nd round, 1981), Andy Bean (4th round, 1983), Greg Norman (3rd round, 1986), John Merrick (2nd round, 2013).
• LAST YEAR: Tim Clark birdied five of his last eight holes for a one-shot triumph at Royal Montreal, ending a four-year win drought while prolonging Jim Furyk’s. Clark’s 5-under-par 65 was enough to overcome a three-shot gap to start the day. A birdie at the par-4 11th started the South African’s finishing flourish, moving in front with a birdie at No.16 following a short rain delay. Another birdie followed at No.17, and Furyk could only match Clark’s par at No.18 in his hopes to force a playoff. Furyk dropped to 0-for-7 with a 54-hole lead since last winning at the 2010 TOUR Championship. Clark, meantime, celebrated his second PGA TOUR win and first since THE PLAYERS in 2010.
• STORYLINES: Clark, forced to cancel British Open plans because of visa glitches, instead will focus on trying to become the Canadian Open’s second back-to-back champion since 1951. Furyk successfully defended his title in 2007. … Hunter Mahan, who walked away from the 36-hole lead two years ago at Glen Abbey to attend the birth of his first child, returns in hopes of taking care of unfinished business. He has just three top-10 finishes this season. … Only five weeks remain in the FedExCup regular season, as jockeying starts to heat up for one of 125 spots at The Barclays playoff opener.
Congratulations to last weeks winner..NoleLizards
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