After a two-year hiatus, the PGA Tour is finally back in Canada as the RBC Canadian Open will serve as the precursor for next week's U.S. Open. While players may have The Country Club in the back of their minds, they will first be tasked with dismantling St. George's Golf & Country Club.
This venue has not been seen in the public eye in over a decade when the big Swede, Carl Pettersson, claimed the title in 2010. Since then, the Canadian Open has been hosted at numerous sites such as Angus Glen Golf Club, Glen Abbey Golf Course and, most recently, Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
A lopsided field will make its way up to the Great White North with players like Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and Cameron Smith headlining the action. Between the four of them, they currently possess the three biggest crowns on the PGA Tour schedule as well as the reigning Canadian Open title from 2019. Each of them are likely to play a factor over the weekend at St. George's G&CC as well as next week in the U.S. Open.
Before we get there, let's first take a closer look at this week's 2022 Canadian Open with odds provided via Caesars Sportsbook.
Event Information
Event: RBC Canadian Open | June 9-12
Location: St. George's G&CC -- Toronto, Ontario Canada
Par: 70 | Yardage: 7,014 | Purse: $8,700,000
Rick Gehman, Kyle Porter, Jonathan Coachman and Mark Immelman preview the 2022 RBC Canadian Open. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
2022 RBC Canadian Open field, odds
- Scottie Scheffler (8-1): The world No. 1 returns to action for the first time following his playoff loss at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He was likely kicking himself a little for letting that one slip through his fingers but will have forgotten about it quickly. Scheffler is the rightful betting favorite both this week and next, and would be a surprise omission from the leaderboard over the weekend.
- Justin Thomas (9-1)
- Rory McIlroy (9-1): I guess McIlroy is technically the defending champion after his Canadian Open victory in 2019. He finished with a scorching 61 that week and arrives in stellar form with his last four finishes reading: T18-8-5-2. It is almost inexplicable that he is without a win in 2022, but there always seems to be one round where the wheels fall off. If he avoids that, McIlroy will be right there.
- Cameron Smith (12-1)
- Sam Burns (14-1): Now a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, Burns has catapulted himself into the upper echelon of golf. The LSU product will have many future battles with his good friend Scheffler, and for viewers' sake, I am hoping another one unfolds this week.
- Matt Fitzpatrick (18-1)
- Shane Lowry (18-1): He hasn't missed a cut in 2022 and has contended more times than not. With three podium finishes this year, Lowry has to be frustrated with the fact that he has remained winless in the United States for nearly seven years. While that could change this week, the Irishman may actually have a better chance to break his dry spell next week.
- Corey Conners (20-1)
- Tony Finau (25-1): The former Ryder Cup participant has struggled in 2022 but looked to find his stride in the month of May. A runner-up result at the Mexico Open was complemented by the sneakiest of top-five finishes at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He has alternated missed cuts and contention runs in the last six U.S. Opens and was a no-show at Torrey Pines last year, which means he may have something up his sleeve for The Country Club.
- Tyrrell Hatton (28-1)
2022 RBC Canadian Open picks
| Winner (18-1): If there was ever a good missed cut, it was Fitzpatrick's at the Memorial Tournament, where he was exquisite from tee to green and equally as dreadful with the putter in hand. Still, the fact remains that the Englishman has been impressive this year as he finds his name between Jon Rahm's and Will Zalatoris' in total strokes gained in 2022. He has eight top-20 finishes in 11 starts, three of which have gone for top-five efforts. With St. George's demanding accuracy off the tee and a nifty short game, Fitzpatrick should thrive and threaten for his first career victory on the PGA Tour. | |
| Contender (60-1): It is not every week that Todd can contend on the PGA Tour, as his skillset simply won't allow it given some of the longer venues. However, St. George's should be to his liking as it clocks in just north of 7,000 yards and will allow his lethal combination of accurate driving and proficient putting to shine. In his most recent outing, the former Georgia Bulldog was alongside Scheffler in the final pairing at the Charles Schwab Challenge and more than held his own, ultimately finishing in solo third. Throughout his career he has been a player to rattle off a few strong starts in a row, so I am willing to suggest he has another quality outing in him. | |
| Sleeper (65-1): Wallace has missed eight of his last 10 cuts on the PGA Tour, but a short stint across the pond saw his form return. Finishing in a tie for fifth at the Dutch Open, the Englishman then captured a top-20 result at the European Open. The 31-year-old was contending on a somewhat regular basis last season as he had strong showings at the Texas Open and Wells Fargo Championship. If his time in Europe is indicative of him being on the cusp of similar play, Wallace should be a factor at the Canadian Open. | |
Who will win the RBC Canadian Open, and which long shots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors and is up over $9,500 since the restart.
