Collin Morikawa makes sense as a popular bet for RBC Heritage

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TORONTO, Ont. – At the RBC Canadian Open media day in May, tournament organizers said their only wish for the event’s first playing since 2019 was for Mother Nature to cooperate. They got that – Sunday’s predicted storms blew through with minimal impact – and lots more. RELATED: What’s in McIlroy’s bag? Propelled by rabid fan support throughout the week, Rory McIlroy successfully defended his 2019 title with a final-round, 8-under 62 at St. George’s G&CC and 19-under total. He topped Tony Finau by two shots and Justin Thomas, who was in the final trio with Finau and McIlroy, by four. “It feels really good,” said McIlroy. “For the Canadian Open, a national championship, to have a week like it’s had, three of the best players in the world going at it down the stretch, trying to win in front of those crowds and that atmosphere … it doesn’t get much better than that.” The victory marked McIlroy’s 21st TOUR title and his first successful title defense. In the process, he became the first TOUR pro to defend his title at two different courses (Jim Furyk was the last, winning the RBC Canadian Open in 2006 and 2007). In 2019, McIlroy carded a final-round 61 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, and he was trending towards another low finisher right out of the gate on Sunday. He shot a 5-under 29 for his first nine holes, and he then made birdie on Nos 10-12. The two-time FedExCup champion said his fast start was key to finding the winner’s circle this week. He birdied the first hole of the day and his approach on the par-4 fourth, he said, was the best shot he hit all day, even though he chipped in for birdie just two holes later. “After that I just went on this run, and once you see a few birdies go in early, all you’re thinking about is making more,” said McIlroy. “And I just got a little bit of momentum on my side and sort of carried that through the rest of the front nine and obviously into the start of the back nine as well.” McIlroy closed with birdies on the final two holes as well. For his 72nd-hole effort, the ropes were dropped and the Canadian faithful showed McIlroy plenty of love. “I mean the fans here this week have just been absolutely unbelievable,” said McIlroy. “Like so good and so cool to play in an atmosphere like that. Boisterous, loud, but respectful. It was really, really cool. That’s as top-notch as you’re going to get. “It was a pleasure to be a part of and I’ll look back on this week and this, especially today, with very, very fond memories.” McIlroy’s 62 tied the lowest final round by a winner on TOUR this season. And he did it with a fill-in caddie. Longtime friend Niall O’Connor took the bag with Harry Diamond, McIlroy’s usual looper, at home for the birth of his second child. O’Connor caddied for McIlroy once before, at the 2019 DP World Tour Championship, where they finished fourth. Add that to a first-place result this week and McIlroy was chuffed with his pal’s performance. “Any time that he needs to fill in for Harry, I’m feeling pretty confident about that,” said McIlroy with a smile. Given O’Connor was just a fill-in this week, it forced McIlroy to do some of the heavy lifting on his own, no pun intended, when it came to dialing in his yardages. He said he doesn’t usually pace out his yardages or write down notes in his book. McIlroy admitted he’s “gotten away” from that and relies on Diamond for most of those numbers. Turns out the change was beneficial. “(Thomas) and I were having lunch beforehand today and I was like, I had my head in my book a lot more today and was really into my shots and into my golf,” said McIlroy. “Honestly, I think that helped.” Three years go by, the world changes, but as far as the RBC Canadian Open champion, history – much to the happiness of tournament organizers and Canadian golf fans – repeated itself this week. “I think it had all the ingredients,” said McIlroy. “It had the golf course. It had the cast of players that you would want to be up there. It had the caliber of golf. And it had the atmosphere. You had everything this week to have a really top-class golf event. As I said, being a part of it, it doesn’t get much better than that.” McIlroy wasn’t the only winner this week, as Corey Conners claimed his first Rivermead Cup as low Canadian. He finished at 12 under and was sixth – his third top-10 finish of the season. “Obviously there’s another trophy that we’re all out here playing for, so hopefully someday can get my name on that one as well,” said Conners, “but it feels really special.”

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – History could be on Tiger Woods’ side this week. The last time the PGA Championship was played in May, the winner was the same man who won the Masters a month earlier. That was Sam Snead, who won both events in 1949. You may have heard that Woods won this year’s Masters. Now he’s trying to win the year’s first two majors for just the second time in his career. He accomplished the feat in 2002, when Augusta National and Bethpage Black were the venues. Woods doesn’t need the assistance of omens, though. He’s no longer a man on the comeback trail. He’s once again one of the best players on the planet. Period. He’s been victorious in two of his last seven starts and finished no worse than sixth in the past three major championships. The question is no longer “ifâ€� but “how many?â€� This week, he can tie Snead’s record for most PGA TOUR victories (82). And the pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors is debate fodder once again. The conversation continues this week after Woods’ lengthy post-Masters layoff. Despite speculation to the contrary, Woods said he was physically able to play two weeks ago at the Wells Fargo Championship. He just needed more time to relax and relish in a victory that was once unthinkable. “I wasn’t ready yet to start the grind of practicing and preparing,â€� said Woods, who ranks 18th in the FedExCup. “I was feeling good in the gym, but I wasn’t mentally prepared to log in the hours.â€� Woods said he feels “rested and readyâ€� this week. If he is to win his 16th major this week, though, he’ll have to do it with a different game than the powerful one he used to win the 2002 U.S. Open on this brawny Long Island muni. Woods dominated with distance back then. He was the only player to finish under par on a 7,214-yard course that was the longest U.S. Open venue in history. He locked up the title by reaching the par-5 13th in two with a 2-iron from 263 yards. No one else in the field possessed that shot. Woods ranked seventh in both driving distance and driving accuracy that week. He hit 73% of the fairways on a week while the field averaged 59%. He hit 53 greens in regulation, five more than anyone else in the field. He had a 74% success rate with his irons on a week when the field barely hit more than half the greens. Back then, Woods’ biggest differentiator may have been his ability to gouge balls out of the rough and onto the green. Woods had enough speed to dig shots out of even the thickest rough while other players were pitching out. It’s why he was dominant at Firestone and Torrey Pines, two courses that perennially have the toughest fairways to hit. The name may be different, but this week’s setup is expected to be reminiscent of the previous major championships held here. Rain played a role in both U.S. Opens here, as it already has this week. Defending champion Brooks Koepka expected a winning score around even par. The rough is thick and wet. Words like and “brutishâ€� are appropriate descriptors for Bethpage Black, the only course that greets players with a warning sign. “In order to win this one, driving is going to be at the forefront,â€� Woods said. He’ll need to hit fairways to take advantage of his strongest asset. Iron play is still Woods’ forte. He leads the TOUR in greens in regulation and ranks 14th in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green. But at 43 years old and with a fused back, the speed isn’t quite the same. Related: Featured groups, tee times | Power Rankings | Tiger-Snead: Tale of the tape | Koepka’s goal: 10 majors | JT withdraws with wrist injury | Nine things to know about Bethpage | Spieth ‘under the radar’ in latest career Grand Slam bid | Tiger ‘would certainly welcome’ spot in 2020 Olympics He has to play the role of wily veteran, relying on his smarts more than his speed. That’s what he did at Augusta National, which he used to decimate with his drives. He won this year’s Masters while ranking 44th (out of 65 players) in driving distance. The pivotal moment came on No. 12, when he played the safe shot while the other contenders crumbled around him. Woods sees similarities between himself and Peyton Manning, who won a Super Bowl after neck surgery. Or a pitcher who has to rely on command after their fastball has lost a couple mph. “Just because someone doesn’t have the strength to do something, he’s going to figure out a different way,â€� Woods said. “I don’t have a fastball. (Manning) couldn’t zip the ball into the tight little windows. He had to anticipate more. He has to do more work in the film room. I had to do more work on managing my game, my body, understanding it, what I can and cannot do.â€� That’s why the driver may be his most important club this week. Hitting to Bethpage Black’s elevated greens from the rough will be a tall task for everyone, especially those who aren’t among the longest hitters. Woods, who wowed with some eye-popping swing speeds last season, is 52nd in driving distance this week (299.6 yards). “He seems to have lost a bit of ball speed this year, which I think is a conscious decision to take some pressure off his back,â€� said Padraig Harrington. “He realizes if you’re still leading greens in regulation, … he doesn’t need that ball speed.â€� Harrington was impressed with how Woods played the final holes at Augusta National. After a couple unsuccessful attempts to hit a draw off the tee, Harrington saw a man who stopped trying to play the “properâ€� shot and accrue style points. “He just played to win,â€� Harrington said. “He hit a fade off the 14th, he hit a fade off the 15th, where you’re trying for a bit of distance. He was just getting the job done and winning the tournament.â€�

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