Canadian Open tips – Copybet
Canadian Open Golf: McIlroy aims to warm up in style for US Open – Copybet
Next week’s third Major of the year, the US Open, is looming large and while most of golf’s leading lights will be putting their feet up before hostilities commence at Oakmont, Rory McIlroy will hope for a strong warm-up at this week’s Canadian Open.
The Northern Irishman joined five others as a winner of all four Majors when he triumphed at the Masters in April, but world number one Scottie Scheffler has stolen his thunder recently with three victories in his last four tournaments.
Scheffler is skipping this event at TPC Toronto, where Corey Conners will lead a strong home contingent, while Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre defends the trophy he won at Hamilton Golf & Country Club 12 months ago.
Tip 1: Scheffler’s recent exploits have put a bit of pressure on McIlroy, but this is one of his favourite tournaments of the year and his recent performances suggest he can go close once again.
This is the first occasion that TPC Toronto has hosted Canada’s most prestigious tournament, but McIlroy, who is looking for his fourth PGA Tour victory of the year, has always flourished with form figures of 1-1-9-4 over the last four years.
McIlroy will have been disappointed to have finished 47th in the PGA Championship, particularly as it was at Quail Hollow where he has previously enjoyed success, but this is a good opportunity for him to make a statement.
Tip 2: Nick Taylor became the first home-grown player since 1954 to win the Canadian Open two years ago, and Taylor Pendrith, who hails from nearby Richmond Hill and knows TPC Toronto well, could make a bold bid for glory.
Besides the geographical pointers, he has been in good recent form as he followed up his fifth-placed finish at the PGA Championship with a 12th at last week’s memorial Tournament. Pendrith broke his duck on the PGA Tour at last year’s CJ Cup and this looks a good chance to land what he acknowledges as one of his favourite stops on the circuit.
Tip 3: Germany’s Matti Schmid looks to have a strong outside claim for glory after strong performances in some of the lower grade PGA Tour gatherings.
He missed the cut at Muirfield Village last weekend, but before then he was ninth at the Corales Puntacana and seventh at the Myrtle beach Classic before finishing runner-up to Ben Griffin at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Pendrith’s confidence should not be an issue and it is easy to dismiss two previous Canadian missed cuts as they took place on different courses.
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Ian is a sports journalist of over 30 years, having worked for a number of local and national newspapers.