Get out the maple syrup because the RBC Canadian Open returns for the first time since 2019 when Rory McIlroy took home the title with a -22. McIlroy’s weekend including a 61 (-9) on Sunday to pull away from the field.
The 2022 RBC Canadian Open is being held at St. George’s Golf and Country Club for just the second time since 1968 – and the first time since 2010. Scottie Sheffler is the 8/1 favorite as the World #1 leads a field that includes five of the top 10 in the OWGR rankings.
The Canadian Open was once considered the ‘fifth major’ but this year it’s slotted the weekend prior to the U.S. Open and three weeks removed from the PGA Championship. Couple that sandwich scheduling, as well as the LIV Golf Invitational, also debuting this weekend (where Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Phil Mickelson are all playing) and this could be an interesting weekend for bettors.
St. George’s Golf and Country Club Playing Styles
St. George’s was established in 1929 so one thing to note is that it is a shorter, more technical course. Comparisons have been made to Harbour Town, Sedgefield, Copperhead, and other sub 7,200 yard courses.
In 2010 St. George’s played at just 7,046 yards and Carl Pettersson went from just making the cut on the number to winning the tournament with a -14. He fired off a third round 60 that was a narrowly missed putt away from a 59. Dean Wilson finished second and Luke Donald third that year.
Pettersson’s 2010 profile had him as an extremely accurate and a great putter, with below average driving distance. Those are going to be the key metrics to focus on in 2022, with Ryan Armour (+20000) being the most accurate driver in this field and Tyrell Hatton (+2500) leading the way in strokes gained putting.
RBC Canadian Open Odds
Past Winners
While you can look at past winners as a way to project who will fare this weekend, it’s really about course type in this instance. That being said, McIlroy (+900) would surely love to go back-to-back even if there’s a three year gap there.
Jhonnattan Vegas (+5000) won this event in both 2016 and 2017 and has top 50 driving accuracy and top 25 shots gained putting in all of the PGA. Brandt Snedeker (+20000) was the 2013 winner but is in a pretty good rut right now.
Chez Reavie won here way back in 2008, but he still has the #4 driving accuracy in the PGA and has been in the top 15 in two of his last four tourneys.
The Natives
This is the Canadian national championship but Pat Fletcher way back in 1954 is the last local to take home the crown. Corey Conners (+2000) has the best odds to break that streak in 2022, but Adam Hadwin (+4000) is coming off an ace in the Memorial and finished sixth in this event in 2019.
Both Conners and Mackenzie Hughes (+6600) are playing in their backyards, less than two hours from their hometowns to Toronto. Conners is from Listowel and Hughes hails from Hamilton.
