- Jason Day will return to Glen Abbey GC to defend his RBC Canadian Open title. (Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
• COURSE: Glen Abbey GC, 7,253 yards, par 72. The site of Golf Canada headquarters serves as host for the 28th time, the third in a four-year run unseen since the event began to rotate venues at the start of the century. Jack Nicklaus’ first solo design opened in 1977 to serve as the home of Canadian golf, with 22 consecutive Opens at the site through 2000. 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 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 that 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: Jason Day and Dustin Johnson bring a 1-2 World Ranking punch to Glen Abbey, spearheading a roster that features five of the top 25 on this week’s chart. … David Hearn, who took a two-shot lead into last year’s final round, heads a lineup of 12 Canadians trying to win their national Open. The list also includes amateur Garrett Rank, whose day job is as an NHL referee. … Former Masters champion Mike Weir, the 2004 runner-up who briefly stepped away from the TOUR before last year’s event, is back for his 25th Canadian Open. … The lineup includes 35 players returning from The Open Championship at Royal Troon.
• 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: A three-birdie finish propelled Day to the crown, capped by a 22-footer at Glen Abbey’s 18th that left him one stroke ahead of Bubba Watson and two clear of Hearn. Day closed with a 4-under-par 68, parring his first six holes on the back nine until birdies at Nos. 16 and 17 pushed him ahead of Hearn. Day’s second victory of 2015 marked the first time with multiple wins in a season, and ignited a streak that quickly added the PGA Championship and FedExCup playoff opener. Watson birdied his last four holes for a 69 that pushed him one stroke ahead of Hearn (72), who was seeking to become the first Canadian to capture the trophy since Pat Fletcher’s 1954 triumph in British Columbia.
• STORYLINES: Though Johnson appears unlikely to be positioned for a “Triple Crown” sweep of the U.S., British and Canadian titles, he could be the first to win two in the same year since Woods swept in 2000. Before that, Nick Price won the British and Canadian in 1994. … Day, red-hot in the spring but winless since THE PLAYERS, seeks to become the Canadian Open’s second back-to-back champion since 1951. Jim Furyk successfully defended his title in 2007. … Only six weeks remain in the FedExCup regular season, as jockeying starts to heat up for one of 125 spots at The Barclays playoff opener.
• SHORT CHIPS: Five of the Open’s past six winners have done it in come-from-behind fashion. Brandt Snedeker was the exception, closing out his 54-hole lead three years ago at Glen Abbey. … Though it’s now been 62 years since a Canadian has won his national Open, Tim Clark’s 2014 victory might deserve an asterisk. His wife, Candice, is a Toronto native. … With the Olympics just three weeks hence, it’s worth noting the last Olympic champion back in 1904 was Canadian – George S. Lyon.
• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
• PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. (featured groups), 4-7 p.m. (featured holes).
• RADIO: Thursday-Friday, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).
Hard to follow last week, but we will give the Canadians a try as the PGSF tour rolls into Glenn Abbey
congratulations to last weeks winner
SeaPA
DFS holds a commanding lead for regular season winner
good luck to everyone this week
