The USA PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open will take place at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Hamilton, Ontario on the 6th of June to the 9th of June 2019.
The Canadian Open is one of the events which has experienced the most upheaval in the new scheduling environment. It used to struggle with attracting players in the week immediately following the Open Championship.
Now the sponsors need to convince players that a trip north of the border will serve them well ahead of next week’s US Open. And with four megastar names in contention this week one has to say RBC have partially succeeded: though there is a slightly top-heavy look to the line-up this week, with many of the top guys eschewing this week in Canada.
US PGA Tour 2019 | RBC Canadian Open
Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Hamilton, Ontario
Thursday 6 June – Sunday 9 June 2019
This is actually the third oldest national golf open, enjoying its 110th edition this week. It began life way back in 1904 and was once considered the unofficial fifth Major in men’s golf. After spending five years in Glen Abbey the event returns to Hamilton Golf and Country Club for the sixth time. The classic Harry Colt design is a hilly parkland design that was once heavily tree-lined. A massive tree removal campaign has resulted in a more exposed layout. It’s certainly a throwback at under 7,000 yards, lending encouragement to players sometimes alienated by modern behemoths. The rough is particularly punitive while the small poa annua greens will require a subtle touch.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson enters this event as the favourite following his runner-up finish at Bethpage Black. Brooks Koepka is always a tough one to side with given his near-pathological obsession with the Major Championships. Rory McIlroy will be desperate for some form ahead of Pebble Beach following a missed cut at the Memorial. Justin Thomas completes the heavy hitters’ list while Matt Kuchar looks to rebound from once again more controversy at Muirfield.
Past Winners
2018: Dustin Johnson (-23)
2017: Jhonattan Vegas (-21)*playoff
2016: Jhonattan Vegas (-12)
2015: Jason Day (-17)
2014: Tim Clark (-17)
Recent Winners at Hamilton
2012: Scott Piercy (-17)
2006: Jim Furyk (-14)
2006: Bob Tway (-8)*playoff
Outright Betting (To Win)
Dustin Johnson (6/1)
Brooks Koepka (13/2)
Rory McIlroy (10/1)
Justin Thomas (16/1)
Matt Kuchar (20/1)
Value Bets
Bubba Watson
To Win (45/1), To Place (19/2)
Bubba Watson’s year hasn’t quite lived up to the heights of a 2018 revival that saw him elevated back to Ryder Cup status. But there are historical considerations here. Watson has six PGA Tour victories on poa annua greens. He also has three victories at River Highlands, a course that is often seen as a strong corollary to Hamilton. Watson was absent when Scott Piercy won in 2012 but managed a 14th place finish way back in 2006. This affinity with the course is particularly crucial for Bubba, a player who tends to thrive on the creature comforts of familiarity. His form also seems to be trending well outside of that missed cut at Bethpage, with a 4th at the Valspar and a 12th at Augusta.
Jason Dufner
To Win (50/1), To Place (11/1)
The former Ryder Cup star and PGA Championship winner has enjoyed a torrid few years, battling off-course demons as well as huge dips in form. And his 2019 season started in much the same fashion. But a recent revival of fortunes makes him an attractive bet in this pre-Major event. He led the Wells Fargo Championship at the halfway stage prior to a weekend slump that saw him end in a tie for 4th. He also briefly flirted with contention at Memorial before finally recording yet another top 10 finish. He currently sits at 21st in Greens in Regulation and will once again be a factor should that notoriously fickle putter find some traction.
The Man to Beat
Brandt Snedeker
To Win (40/1), To Place (17/2)
A former champion in this event, Brandt Snedeker should thrive in these conditions. He is a poa annua specialist, as evidenced by his excellent record around Sedgefield. He finished 34th here in 2012 on his only visit. That comprised of a final round 66 and gives Snedeker some valuable experience around Hamilton. He currently sits 2nd on tour in shots gained around the green- a stat that could prove decisive around these tricky contraptions. He finished inside the top20 in each of his last two starts, including an unlikely showing at the monstrosity that is Bethpage Black.
