RBC Canadian Open

Two more places in The 150th Open will be up for grabs this week when a stellar field contests the RBC Canadian Open at St George’s Golf & Country Club.

Part of The Open Qualifying Series, which gives golfers around the world opportunities to earn their places at the landmark Championship at St Andrews from 10-17 July, the Canadian Open was first played in 1904.

The prestigious event has been staged annually ever since, except during World War I, World War II and cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it the third oldest continually running tournament on the PGA TOUR, after The Open and the U.S. Open.

Seventeen players in this year’s field, including defending champion Rory McIlroy, have already booked their spots in The 150th Open, but two places are available to the top two finishers not already exempt finishing in the top eight and ties.

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Players in the field for the RBC Canadian Open who are already exempt for The 150th Open at St Andrews

Dean Burmester, Sam Burns, Corey Conners, Tony Finau, Matt Fitzpatrick, Dylan Frittelli, Tyrrell Hatton, Mackenzie Hughes, Chris Kirk, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Smith, Justin Thomas, Harold Varner III, Danny Willett.

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Those competing for spots in The Open this week include a host of former Canadian Open champions.

Jhonattan Vegas is seeking a third victory at the event having triumphed in 2016 and 2017, while Brandt Snedeker, Scott Piercy, Sean O’Hair and Chez Reavie also tee it up as previous winners of the Canadian Open.

Home favourite Adam Hadwin will be looking to join compatriot Conners in sealing a spot at St Andrews. Hadwin booked his place at The 148th Open at Royal Portrush courtesy of a sixth-place finish at his home Open in 2019, when Graeme McDowell also qualified.

The likes of Jason Dufner, Luke List, Sebastian Munoz and Cameron Champ are among the other notable names who could qualify for The Open this week.

Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters Champion, is also in the field and will make his 29th appearance in the Canadian Open, the third-most in the event’s illustrious history.

When McIlroy stormed to a seven-shot victory at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in 2019, he added his name to a long list of players to have won both The Open and the Canadian Open.

Others to have achieved the feat include Tommy Armour, Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Bobby Locke, Arnold Palmer, Kel Nagle, Bob Charles, Tom Weiskopf, Mark Calcavecchia, Greg Norman, Nick Price and Mark O’Meara.

Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods, meanwhile, share a special place in the history books. They are the only men to have won the Canadian Open, U.S. Open and The Open in the same year, doing so in 1971 and 2000 respectively. Woods famously completed his hat-trick in emphatic fashion at St Andrews, sealing the final leg of a career Grand Slam.

The Canadian Open is the seventh event in The Open Qualifying Series for 2022, with further events coming thick and fast in the lead-up to The 150th Open.

Places at St Andrews will also be on offer at the following events.

June 23-26: Kolon Korea Open (2 places available)

June 28: Final Qualifying (12 places available)

June 30-July 3: Horizon Irish Open (3 places available)

June 30-July 3: John Deere Classic (3 places available)

July 7-10: Genesis Scottish Open (3 places available)

July 7-10: Barbasol Championship (1 place available)