RBC Canadian Open Best Bets
Davis Riley (+35000) achieved a significant milestone in his career last weekend, securing his second victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Meanwhile, I continued my “consistent” performance by selecting a third consecutive second-place finisher.
All jokes aside, I wanted to take a moment to say rest in peace, Grayson Murray. If you’re going through anything, please pick up the phone and talk to someone. You are important, and you matter. If you feel alone or you’re having dark and suicidal thoughts, please call 988 (Suicide Prevention Hotline).
For the RBC Canadian Open, the PGA Tour heads north of the border to Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ontario, Canada. The last time the PGA Tour was at Hamilton was in 2019 when Rory McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open by seven strokes.
The course will be slightly different, and with so few stops at this course, there is limited data for this event. We know that the par-70 course has been lengthened to 7,084 yards. There is not a ton of water to avoid, and length off the tee should help the golfers avoid a few of the new fairway bunkers that were added in 2019.
Key Metrics for Success:
· Driving Accuracy
· Driving Distance
· Strokes Gained: Approach
· SG: Tee to Green
· Scrambling
· Par: 3 Scoring
· SG: Putting
RBC Canadian Open Best Bets:
Sahith Theegala to Win +2000 | Top 20 +130
I’m not entirely sure how I am going to build my card. I want some action on McIlroy, but at +400, his price is too short for me to entertain. One thing is sure: I will have action on Theegala this week.
Theegala has all the tools to compete with McIlroy and win this week. At Hamilton, I am looking for golfers who are either deadly accurate or crazy long off the tee. With an average driving distance of 304 yards over the last 36 rounds, he’s the 10th longest in the field.
The putter for Theegala seems to be heating up. He gained +4.5 strokes on the putting surface at the RBC Heritage and another 6.5 at the PGA Championship. His ball striking has also been phenomenal, gaining in eight of his nine last rounds. With a win on the season and multiple top-five finishes, Theegala could be poised for a big week in Canada.
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Alex Noren to Win +2500 0.5un | Top 20 +138
Denny Carter and I give a pretty good breakdown of Alex Noren on Going for the Green this week. Noren has been a favorite of the show and a guy I have bet on multiple times in the past few months.
A large part of the faith in Noren comes from the consistency he brings week in and week out. Since the Phoenix Open in February, he’s finished inside the top 25 in all eight events he played. Even at Valhalla, where the length could’ve been an issue, he still finished T12 and gained all around the course.
This week, his excellent driving accuracy should give him an advantage should the rough be long. He probably won’t win, but you’d have to imagine that he has a fair chance with his current play.
Taylor Pendrith to Win +6500 0.25un | Top 20 +220
It’s only fitting that my card has at least on Canadian golfer on it. In all honesty, Taylor Pendrith was a selection regardless of his nationality. Pendrith is playing some amazing golf right now. Not only did he pick up a win in the CJ CUP Byron Nelson, but he’s had four top-10 finishes in his last five starts. He’s been striking the ball well, greatly complimenting his phenomenal putting. A top 20 pays the bills for us, and a win is a bonus!