Field Level Media’s Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.
PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: the Memorial Tournament (Viktor Hovland)
THIS WEEK: RBC Canadian Open, Toronto, June 8-11
Course: Oakdale Golf & Country Club (Par 72, 7,264 yards)
Purse: $9M (Winner: $1.62M)
Defending Champion: Rory McIlroy
FedEx Cup leader: Jon Rahm
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 2:30-5:30 p.m. (GC), 5:30-7:30 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (GC), 2:30-6:30 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming on ESPN+: Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday, 9:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; 8:15 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Twitter: @RBCCanadianOpen
NOTES: McIlroy is the two-time defending champion, having also won the event in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic led to it being canceled from 2020-21. He can become the first player to win an event three consecutive times since Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009-11). … The event was established in 1904, making it the second-oldest non-major on the PGA Tour behind the BMW Championship (1899). … Oakdale will be the host venue for the first time. … The last Canadian to win the event was Pat Fletcher in 1954, before it was recognized as an official PGA Tour tournament. … Former Texas Tech star and two-time Ben Hogan Award winner Ludvig Aberg will make his first start since earning his tour card via the PGA Tour University. … Reigning U.S. Amateur champion Sam Bennett is in the field on a sponsor’s exemption after finishing 63rd in his professional debut last week. He is one of 30 players in the field who will also compete in next week’s U.S. Open. … Michael Block, the club professional who tied for 15th at the PGA Championship, is also playing on a sponsor’s exemption this week.
BEST BETS: McIlroy (+450) is the top-ranked player in the field at No. 3. … Tyrrell Hatton (+1100) has five consecutive top-20 finishes, including a pair of top-5s. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1400) is the only other top-10 player in the field. He will defend his U.S. Open title next week and finished T10 in last year’s RBC Canadian Open. … Sam Burns (+1400), who is an RBC ambassador, finished T4 in his tournament debut last year. … Cameron Young (+1500) is still seeking his first PGA Tour victory. … Corey Conners (+1600) is the top-ranked Canadian in the field at No. 29 and finished sixth last year. He won the Valero Texas Open earlier this year but is coming off a missed cut at the Memorial.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: U.S. Open, The Los Angeles Country Club, June 15-18
LPGA Tour
LAST TOURNAMENT: Mizuho Americas Open (Rose Zhang)
THIS WEEK: ShopRite LPGA Classic, Galloway, N.J., June 9-11
Course: Seaview, Bay Course (Par 71, 6,197 yards)
Purse: $1.75M ($262,500)
Defending Champion: Brooke Henderson
Race to the CME Globe leader: Lydia Ko
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday, 12-2 p.m. ET; Saturday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m. (All times Golf Channel)
Streaming: Friday, 12-3 p.m. ET; Saturday, 4:30-7:30 p.m.; 2-5 p.m. (All times golfchannel.com, NBCSports.com, NBCSports App and Peacock)
Twitter: @ShopRiteLPGAClassic
NOTES: This is a 54-hole stroke play event. … The 144-player field will be cut to the top 65 and ties after 36 holes. … Zhang is not in this week’s field as she takes final exams at Stanford and prepares to move on June 13. … The 54-hole scoring record of 196 is shared by Annika Sorenstam (1998, 2005) and Anna Nordqvist (2016)
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Meijer LPGA Classic, Belmont, Mich., June 15-18
Champions Tour
LAST TOURNAMENT: Principal Charity Classic (Stephen Ames)
THIS WEEK: American Family Insurance Championship, Madison, Wis., June 9-11
Course: University Ridge GC (Par 72, 7,083 yards)
Purse: $2.4M
Defending Champion: Thongchai Jaidee
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Steve Stricker
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday, 7-9 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday, 2:30-5 p.m. (All times Golf Channel)
Twitter: @AmFamChamp
NOTES: Ames has three victories this year and is second in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. … Bernhard Langer, who is tied with Hale Irwin with 45 all-time victories on the Champions Tour, is not in this field.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, Endicott, N.Y., June 23-25
LIV Golf League
LAST TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf D.C. (Individual: Harold Varner III; Team: Torque GC)
THIS WEEK: OFF.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Valderrama, Andalucia, Spain, Jun 30-July 2
–Field Level Media