Nick Taylor, right, reacts along with his caddie after winning the RBC Canadian Open on the fourth playoff hole against Tommy Fleetwood in 2023 in Toronto. HAMILTON, Ontario − The PGA Tour’s annual trip up north also doubles as the closest stop to Western New York. This week’s RBC Canadian Open will be contested at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, some 70 miles and a little more than an hour up the QEW from downtown Buffalo.
Rory McIlory, the No. 3-ranked player in the world, headlines the 156-player field. He will be paired in the first two rounds with a pair of Canadians – defending champion Nick Taylor and former Porter Cup winner Taylor Pendrith.
That threesome tees off at 7:40 a.m. Thursday in the first round and 12:55 p.
m. Friday in the second round. McIlroy is a two-time Canadian Open champion, winning 2022 and in 2019 – the last time Hamilton served as the host city.
“A lot of great memories from that time. The place was buzzing,” McIlory said Wednesday in his pre-tournament news conference. “It was my first Canadian Open and I was blown away by the enthusiasm that the fans have.
It was such a great atmosphere to play in. ..
. It’s good to be back at the place where I guess this love affair with Canada started.” McIlory fired a final-round 61 in 2019 to win.
He stood on the 18th tee needing a birdie to shoot 59, and had to remind himself to smile after he made bogey to shoot 61 – despite winning by seven shots. He doesn’t see a similar scorching .
