RBC Canadian Open poised for launch, as Nick Taylor's 2023 win helped spur a national golf renaissance

When Nick Taylor's putter soared done the aerial connected the 18th spread astatine Oakdale Golf and Country Club successful Toronto, it changed the people of Canadian golf.

The opening of the decennary had been unsmooth for the athletics successful the country.

In 2020 and 2021, the pandemic led to the cancellation of the RBC Canadian Open – adjacent as, beneath the surface, information successful the athletics was soaring.

When the tourney yet returned successful 2022, it went head-to-head with the inaugural LIV Golf lawsuit successful London — a double-edged sword with accrued attraction and a notable victor successful Rory McIlroy portion the national part of the nationalist unfastened receded to the background.

One twelvemonth later, things could've taken a nosedive. Wildfire fume engulfed the Tuesday signifier round. Then, the bombshell announcement of the PGA Tour's model statement with LIV – a deal, by the way, that is inactive yet to beryllium finalized – enactment the aboriginal of the athletics arsenic we cognize it connected trial.

Now, arsenic the 2025 Canadian Open is acceptable to beryllium played from June 5-8 for the archetypal clip astatine TPC Toronto, billed by Golf Canada arsenic the Canadian location of golf, the tourney and crippled itself look to person ascended.

"I wouldn't accidental it's added unit really," said Taylor Pendrith astir Nick Taylor's win, "more information seeing Nick bash it. But, like, winning a PGA Tour lawsuit is precise difficult. Obviously winning the RBC Canadian Open is simply a imagination of each of america Canadians retired here, and to spot Nick bash it volition inactive springiness you goosebumps."

Taylor's curse-breaking triumph seemed to solidify Canada's spot successful nonrecreational golf.

You tin chalk it up to information oregon to his booming drives, but Pendrith, of Richmond Hill, Ont., conscionable authored the champion Canadian decorativeness astatine a large successful 20 years erstwhile helium tied for 5th astatine the PGA Championship connected Sunday. He broke done for his archetypal vocation triumph connected Tour past season.

Meanwhile, chap Ontarian Corey Conners played successful the second-last radical connected each play time astatine The Masters, ending up with his 4th top-10 decorativeness astatine the marquee major. He followed it up by tying for 19th astatine the PGA.

WATCH | Taylor takes Sony Open successful a playoff for 5th vocation PGA Tour win:

Taylor has arguably enjoyed the astir occurrence of immoderate Canadian antheral since his win, earning 2 much victories astatine the WM Open and Sony Open – both, of course, successful playoffs.

Yes, determination person been negatives too, arsenic play is known to produce.

Taylor's precocious highs person been met with debased lows – helium missed cuts astatine the Canadian Open and each 4 majors past year.

On the women's side, Brooke Henderson hasn't won since Taylor's breakthrough aft racking up 4 victories successful two-plus seasons prior.

Yet each successful all, Canadian play seems to person recovered its footing.

And arsenic pro play returns northbound of the border, the RBC Canadian Open is good connected its mode to re-establishing itself arsenic a premier lawsuit connected circuit – led by the accordant beingness of Masters champion McIlroy.

WATCH | Recapping Rory McIlroy's Masters victory:

"Rory is simply a feline that radical emotion to cheer for. He's human, he's talented, and the 1 happening that I would accidental we admit is helium believes precise overmuch successful this tournament," said Mary DePaoli, RBC's main selling officer.

"I judge erstwhile helium comes backmost to Canada, the reception, which was already strong, is going to beryllium adjacent bigger and stronger. … And I deliberation present with each of the show that he's had successful 2025, the radical volition amusement up to enactment him without a doubt."

The database of Canadian Open winners is esteemed, from the likes of Tommy Armour to Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer to Lee Trevino, and Tiger Woods to McIlroy.

But arsenic precocious arsenic the 2010s, the tourney itself hasn't ever been a gully for the game's best.

Recent changes connected Tour appeared to woody different assemblage stroke to the tourney erstwhile 8 different events were dubbed "signature" and lavished with $20 cardinal US purses to entice apical players. Meanwhile, the Canadian Open was moved to the week earlier the U.S. Open – a pugnacious spot connected the docket arsenic players get acceptable for the 3rd large of the year.

A thriving nationalist open

Despite that, the Canadian Open has thrived. Its occurrence is evident successful those who person departed – ex-Golf Canada COO Kevin Blue present heads Canada Soccer, and ex-tournament manager Bryan Crawford is completing his archetypal play arsenic commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League.

McIlroy's affinity for nationalist opens was demonstrated precocious with his pledge to play the off-season Australian Open, wherever apical players seldom amusement up.

This twelvemonth and next, they volition beryllium headed to TPC Toronto, which volition supply a caller trial – though possibly not a hard one.

Forgiving disconnected the tee, the northbound people appears similar it volition favour precise robust and wedge play, though we volition cognize much connected that by June 9.

"We've enactment a batch of vigor and absorption into making definite that each facet of the tourney is good thought out, from wherever fans are parking to however fans determination astir the tract to wherever the media centre is, volunteers, however they're coming successful and moving around. It's been a batch of work, but it's been truly exciting," said tourney manager Ryan Paul.

Nationalism is adjacent all-time precocious levels amid 51st-state threats from American president Donald Trump, creating the imaginable for accrued pridefulness and rowdiness connected the TPC grounds.

"Being a nationalist unfastened is thing that's precise peculiar to us. When we tin bash things and observe Canadian culture, that's important to us," Paul said.

And truthful now, retired of its doldrums and freed from the play wars, the RBC Canadian Open is poised for launch.