Horses for Courses: Shane Lowry looking to continue hot streak north of the border

The RBC Canadian Open returns to Hamilton Golf and Country Club for the seventh time in history and for the first time since Rory McIlroy won by seven shots in 2019.

After a recent renovation, the updated Hamilton layout will be ready for a field of 156 professionals. Led by course architects Martin Ebert and Tom Mackenzie, the duo restored Harry Colt’s 1916 design to recapture his famous bunkering based on photographs from that era.

The 2024 edition will add 117 more yards than the 2019 tournament from the back tees, but the 7,084 yards will still rank as the third-shortest track used on TOUR this season.

The fifth edition played this century at Hamilton will welcome 2023 winner Canadian Nick Taylor and the field of 156 to determine Canada’s national champion.

Rounds in the 60s

Players listed are in the field this week; 2024 season stats.

During the 2019 edition, only one player in the top 10 posted a round above par over the four days. The top 20 saw just two players post multiple rounds of 71 or worse. The third-shortest course will provide resistance on the putting surfaces, the new runoff areas surrounding the greens, and any help from Mother Nature blowing from four different directions during the tournament. In the last two editions played at Hamilton, the cut has been 2-under (2019) and 1-under (2012). The top 10 players from 2019 all posted 10-under par or better. The top 58 of 71 players making the cut posted red figures.

The 2019 winner, Rory McIlroy (+400), posted four rounds of 67 or better, which included tying the course record (61) in his final round. Winning by seven shots, he circled 26 birdies and an eagle against only six bogeys. The Northern Irishman defended his event title at the 2022 edition, the first event after the COVID-19 shutdown, and added T9 last year.

SG: Tee to Green

Hosting for just the third time since 2012, not many in the field this week will have multiple reps at Hamilton. Any prior knowledge gained is balanced out by the new renovations for the 2024 edition. The big hitters will find more wedges on approach, but the modest players will have bigger greens to attack than the 2019 edition. The V8 Creeping Bentgrass surfaces have expanded from 5,000 feet, on average, to 6,000 feet on average. The parkland design takes players up and down through the valley. Elevation changes, side-hill lies and greens that slope from back to front will provide the ball-striking challenge. Those not dialed in will find bunkers, three inches plus of Bluegrass/Fescue rough, and closely mown areas around the greens.

One of the two runners-up in 2019, Shane Lowry (+2200), finished seven shots behind his Ryder Cup teammate. Opening with 64, he sat one off the first-round leader. Firing 66 on moving day, he sat just one off the 54-hole lead, shared by McIlroy and Matt Kuchar, before posting 67 on Sunday to share second. The Irishman did not post anything above 68 in his four rounds. Making his sixth start north of the border, he has posted three T12 or better results in his previous five starts.

SG: Putting

The new V8 Creeping Bentgrass putting surfaces will run up to 12 on the Stimpmeter, standard for PGA TOUR events. The excellent spring weather, helped by a mild winter, has accelerated the growing season and the new turf this week should be in excellent condition. The unfamiliar surfaces require a learning curve, but premium putters will acclimate quickly on the pure, new grass. This will be the fifth event in the last six with Bentgrass greens.

Taylor (+6000) returns to defend his 2023 on a track he finished T27 in 2019. The first Canadian to win the event since 1954, Taylor should have decent memories of his visit in 2019. Posting 64-65 and sitting one shot off the 36-hole lead, the 2024 WM Phoenix Open champion should be full of confidence defending at his national open. Making his 13th start, his only top-25 payday was his victory last year.

Oddsmaker’s Extras

• Tommy Fleetwood (+1600): The second choice at BetMGM Sportsbook, the Englishman finished second to Taylor in the historical playoff in 2023 at the par 72 Oakdale track. Making his debut in 2018 at Glen Abbey, the Ryder Cup star also hit the top 10 (T6) on that par 72 layout.
• Aaron Rai (+4000): The second Englishman with no track history at Hamilton, Rai is 24-under-par the last two seasons with seven of eight rounds in the 60s. Cashing T3 last year after missing the playoff by a shot, he improved on T13 from 2022. I understand these are not horses for courses, but the duo from England enjoy golf in Canada.
• Adam Hadwin (+5000): Sitting 12 under after 54 holes in 2019, the Saskatchewan native was just one behind the lead. A final round 70 resulted in a solo sixth-place finish and his third top 10 from 12 events. Missing the cut in the 2012 edition, he shot 66-74. His last three results in his national open are 6th, T35, and T12.
• Matt Kuchar (+10000): Cashing T28 in 2012, the veteran has made the weekend in seven of his last eight appearances. Returning for the 2019 edition, Kuchar shared the 54-hole lead before cashing T4, his fifth top-10 from seven tries.
• Jhonattan Vegas (+17500): Sitting at No. 3 on the all-time money list, the Venezuelan is the other two-time champion in the field this week. The 2016 and 2017 back-to-back winner at Glen Abbey, he ran T28 on debut in 2012 but did not play the 2019 edition at Hamilton.
• Brandt Snedeker (+75000): Everyone needs a long shot, right? The 2013 winner at Glen Abbey cashed T34 in 2012 and T4 in 2019. Making the cut nine times in 11 efforts, he owns six top-10 paydays.

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