PGA Tour RBC Canadian Open leaderboard http://www.pgatour.com/competition/2017/rbc-canadian-open/leaderboard.html
This year's slogan is, "This is our Open", appropriate perhaps for the event following last week's Open at Royal Birkdale. On one of our Fairway's shows I remember former Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons responding to my question about their slot in the schedule following the Open by saying. " Well ,we consider our event as the Open, Bryan"
For we Canadians this is our national championship and although our last champion was Pat Fletcher way back in 1954, we view it differently than the rest of the world.
I have been at every one at the Abbey as a volunteer or a broadcaster since crabby Curtis Strange won in 1985 and the winners have been a real mixed bag.
Past champions
http://rbccanadianopen.com/past-champions/
Stars like Tiger (2000) with "the shot", Greg Norman (1984, 1992) Nick Price (1991, 1994) and others like Vijay Singh when he broke our hearts beating Mike Weir in that 2004 playoff, Jim Furyk back to back at Hamilton then Angus Glen north, Jason Day during his summer of 2015, and of course going way back to the glory days of Lee Trevino (1971,77, 79) and further to where it all started for Arnie at Weston in,1955
However it has also had it's fair share of lesser lights who will always hold their victory here as a career highlight. Remember guys like Ken Green (1985) with his little 36 inch putter, Wayne where is he now Levi (1990), Dudley Hart beating David Duval in 1996, Billy Andrade beating a guy called Bob Friend in 1998, John Rollins at Angus Glen in 2002, Chez Reavie (2008), Nathan Green (2009).
As this weekend gets under way the trend continues. Most of you have never heard of the leader, 35 year old grinder form Texas, Martin Flores who has shot 66 66 at Glen Abbey Golf for a -12 total and a 1 shot lead as he looks for his first career PGA TOUR victory.
Matt Every, Gary Woodland and Brandon Hagy are at -11, Woodland, the best known of that bunch had the round of the day -9 63.
However super star, and world #1 Dustin Johnson with father in law Wayne Gretzky in tow is lurking in a group at -8
As for the Canadian contingent two remain standing of the 17 who qualified or were invited. Graham DeLaet 68 68, and Mackenzie Hughes 67 69, are with DJ at -8. David Hearn and Nick Taylor missed the cut which fell at -4 by a shot.
Vijay Singh now 54 passed on the Senior Open to play here, shot 66 T5 -10 as he looks to beat Sam Snead's oldest player to win title, and defending champion Jhonattan Vegas is at -9
So let's see how it all plays out in what will be a gorgeous sunny weekend at the Abbey this weekend. There are 27 players within 4 shots, so it should be tight.
Bryan Angus
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