Power Rankings: RBC Canadian Open

The last two PGA TOUR events were decided in a playoff. After Russell Henley won the Charles Schwab Challenge, J.T. Poston emerged victorious at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. Now, do you remember the last time that three consecutive tournaments needed a playoff to determine their champions? Here’s a hint: The RBC Canadian Open eventually changed its logo permanently as a result.

Indeed, it was three years ago when Nick Taylor rocked his homeland with a 72-foot birdie conversion to prevail in a playoff. It not only extended the active playoff streak to three at the time, but it also was the first time that a Canuck won his national open in 69 years.

The mere mention of a timely history lesson doesn’t promise that the 115th edition of the tournament will deliver another playoff – although Ryan Fox emerged from one for victory last year – but Taylor, Fox and their respective victims, Tommy Fleetwood and Sam Burns, all are among the 147 entrants poised to put on another show no matter how many holes are required.

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s North Course hosts for the second time. For how it tested in its debut a year ago, what’s up for grabs and much more, continue reading beneath those projected to contend.

Suffice it to say that TPC Toronto’s introduction to the PGA TOUR was a hoot. Actually, and coincidentally, "Hoot" is the name of one of the other two 18-hole layouts on the property (Heathlands is the third), but the statement stands. The North Course hosted the first-ever playoff on the PGA TOUR during which a new hole location was cut because Fox and Burns remained knotted after their first two times through the par-5 18th in sudden death. Fox eventually prevailed with a birdie on the fourth extra hole.

Prior to it, the North Course submitted itself as one of the easiest par 70s of the 2025 season with a scoring average of 68.746. The 36-hole cut fell at 3-under 137. Fox and Burns concluded 72 holes of regulation in 18-under 262.

Billed with narrow fairways, the field still averaged 9.22 (of 14), slotting the course within the easiest quartile of 49 tracks played in 2025, while the average distance of all drives landed at half a yard shy of 300. Even with primary bluegrass rough that was reported to be as high as 6 inches, the course is welcoming off the tee. Rough is trimmed to 4 inches this year.

Even if a competitor hit a beefy 13 greens in regulation in a round last year, he was essentially average for the week, so the North Course is a green-light special also on approach. Targets are a smidge above average in size, and the bentgrass surfaces are prepped to reach 12 feet as measured by the Stimpmeter. That’s reflective of an increase of 6 inches over last year.

Not surprisingly given how many scoring opportunities were amassed and due to their unfamiliarity, the greens presented as the primary form of defense. All splits among conversion percentages for putts positioned the North Course firmly inside the top half-hardest of all measured, but even a rate stat like putts per greens hit was about average at 1.766 per golfer per round. With just over half the field back for another crack and with no significant changes to the course, those with even two rounds of experience figure to have an edge.

Some locals have been lamenting about how cool the area has been recently. Those who have will welcome a forecast high in the upper 80s for Thursday’s opening round. It won’t last, however, but ponds won’t be freezing over just yet, either. (For your hockey fix, make your way to the par-3 14th, a.k.a “The Rink.”) Temperatures will drop into the low 70s on the weekend, with threats of rain coming and going throughout. Prevailing winds from westerly directions will challenge, especially on Saturday, before circling around for a push from the north for the finale.

In addition to 500 FedExCup points and $1,764,000 (of a $9.8 million purse) reserved for the winner, the top three finishers who make the cut and are not yet exempt into The Open Championship will punch tickets for Royal Birkdale next month. And after all action around the world concludes, the U.S. Open will exempt the top 60 of the next Official World Golf Ranking.

Canadians in particular also are chasing the Rivermead Cup. It’s awarded to the native of the host country who beats all others in his cohort. Taylor is a two-time honoree. In addition to capturing the title and hearts of his fellow Canucks in 2023, his T13 last year was enough to do it again. The British Columbia native was three strokes lower than a quartet of fellow Canucks, three of whom are former recipients of the Rivermead Cup – Corey Conners, Adam Hadwin and Mackenzie Hughes.

ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE

PGATOUR.com’s Rob Bolton previews and recaps every tournament. Refer to the timing of his contributions below. He’s also active as @RobBoltonGolf on X where you can connect with him.

MONDAY: Power Rankings
TUESDAY*: Fantasy Insider; Expert Picks; Sleepers**
SUNDAY: Points and Payouts; Qualifiers

* Rob also is included in Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf that publishes on Tuesday.
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