The 2023 RBC Canadian Open will tee off Thursday at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club just outside Toronto. The four-day PGA Tour event will welcome some of the world’s top golfers to the great white north — highlighted by the likes of Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood.
Of course, plenty of Canadians, including Corey Conners, Adam Svensson and Mackenzie Hughes — all three of whom have won already this season — will compete in the country’s open championship as well, and should have plenty of backers at Ontario betting sites.
To preview the big event, OntarioBets.com is looking at five storylines to follow this weekend at the Canadian Open.
1. Can Rory Three-peat?
After winning the past two Canadian Opens, Rory McIlroy is the betting favorite for this week’s event. Capturing a victory at the same event three times in a row is a feat only nine PGA players have accomplished since World War II. Amazingly, Tiger Woods did it six different times between 1999 and 2007.
However, the pride of Northern Ireland has been in a mini-slump since The Masters — at least by his incredibly high standards. McIlroy is +600 at DraftKings Sportsbook Ontario as of Wednesday morning.
This might present an attractive betting opportunity for those looking to back the next rung of golfers on the board. Englishmen Tyrell Hatton (+1100 at DraftKings) has been in excellent form throughout the year but still hasn’t nabbed a win yet this season. Meanwhile, recent winners Sam Burns and Matt Fitzpatrick both have +1400 odds.
2. How Will Canadians Fare?
No Canadian has won their nation’s open championship since 1954. However, there are 16 golfers in this week’s field eager to end that drought.
Among this cohort, the most accomplished PGA players are the aforementioned Conners, who has +2200 odds to win at Caesars Ontario sportsbook. Svensson (+6000 at Caesars), Hughes (+6500) and Adam Hadwin (+3500) are contenders as well.
But lesser known is Aaron Cockerill (+27500), who has been playing in Europe this season. Cockerill has finished in the Top 25 of his previous three events on the DP World Tour.
3. How Will Oakdale Play?
The Canadian Open is one of only two non-major events that is played at a different course each year. This makes handicapping golfers at Oakdale a unique challenge.
At 7,264 yards the course will play as a par 72. It is a relatively short track lacking significant water hazards or bunkering, so observers at Ontario sports betting apps might expect to see the winning score creep below 20-under.
One thing tournament organizers have done to ratchet up the difficulty is grow the rough to be tall and thick. This will give an added boost to players who most frequently find the fairway off the tee. As with other shorter courses on tour, golfers with good wedge play who can convert birdie opportunities on the green should also do well here.
4. Ludvig Aberg Joins Tour
Bettors will have an intriguing new name to consider this week in Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who has +6000 odds to win at NorthStar Bets sportsbook Ontario. Aberg has been the No. 1 ranked amateur golfer for months, and will make his highly anticipated pro debut this week in Canada.
The Texas Tech standout just won his second straight Ben Hogan Award, which is presented annually to the best college golfer in the USA. The only other two-time winner is this year’s Masters champion, Jon Rahm.
5. PGA and LIV Merge But Does That End Feud?
Exactly one year after the LIV Invitational Series hosted its inaugural tournament, talk of the rival golf tour will once again surround this year’s Canadian Open.
In a shocking about-face from PGA Tour president Jay Monahan, it was announced Tuesday that the PGA, DP World Tour and PIF (the Saudi-backed funding body behind LIV golf) will join forces to create a “new commercial entity” set to become the centrepiece of men’s golf across the globe.
As the de-facto poster child for the PGA in its fight against LIV, McIlroy’s win at the Canadian Open last year was seen as a major victory for the legacy tour. After sticking his neck out for the PGA 12 months ago, the four-time major winner must feel a little slighted. Will it hurt Rory’s game, or light a fire under him?
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