Confidence Factor: Fantasy golf tips for the RBC Canadian Open

For the third time in three weeks the PGA TOUR is in a different country as Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario, Canada hosts the RBC Canadian Open. This will be the final time the event is played following The Open Championship as the TOUR’s new schedule begins next year. The RBC Canadian Open will be moving to the week before the U.S. Open. The TOUR’s third-oldest event will also be contested on a new venue in the new schedule as Hamilton Golf and Country Club will host for the first time since 2012. The good news for gamers is this will be the fourth year running in the Toronto suburbs at Glen Abbey. The field of 156 includes back-to-back defending champion Jhonattan Vegas as he looks to become the first player since Steve Stricker (John Deere Classic 2009-11) to win an event in three consecutive years. With only three non-major, non-WGC TOUR events left, 500 FedExCup points for first place will come in quite handy. The field is strong, with 11 of the world’s top 50 players in action, including No. 1 Dustin Johnson. The 2015 battle north of the border returned to Ontario after Tim Clark won the 2014 event at Royal Montreal. No Canadian has won this event since Pat Fletcher in 1954 and native son David Hearn led by two after 54 holes at 15-under-par in the return to Glen Abbey. The weight of a nation was on his shoulders and it didn’t help that Jason Day and Bubba Watson were in the rear-view mirror. Hearn held the 54-hole lead for the first time in his career and had a major champion and a soon-to-be major champion breathing heavily down his neck. Day posted the clubhouse lead at 17-under after a 68 and was the champ after Watson couldn’t convert eagle on the final hole to tie. Hearn’s podium finish in solo third was the best by a Canadian since Mike Weir lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh in 2004. Adam Hadwin made it two Canadians in the top 10 with his T7 finish. Tony Finau closed with a 65 while Brooks Koepka, T4 to start Sunday, blew up with a 74 as both were T18. Ollie Schniederjans, who didn’t have status at the time, led the field with 26 birdies while first, second and third on the final leaderboard finished T2 in this department. The 2016 summer was brutally hot outside Toronto and it continued the week of the RBC Canadian. The first three days saw temperatures hover in the 90s with winds gusting upward of 25 mph. Dustin Johnson opened with 66 (-6) and Brandt Snedeker held the 54-hole lead on 9-under as Mother Nature made for firm and fast conditions. She then changed her tone in the final round as the winds died and the temperatures cooled causing scoring to go WAY up. Round 1, the most difficult of the week, checked in at 73.448 while Sunday played 70.113. Jhonattan Vegas trailed by five shots on Sunday before matching the low round of the week, 64, to take home the title. His 23 birdies for the week matched Michael Thompson (T14) for the most circles. Snedeker couldn’t hold the 54-hole lead as he did in 2013, the last player to do so. Wet and stormy conditions were on the cards last year as Glen Abbey was eviscerated. A total of 106 players posted red figures in Round 1 and a record-setting 309 rounds under-par were calculated for the week. Jhonattan Vegas again worked his magic on Sunday as he entered the final round three behind Charley Hoffman. His Sunday 65 wasn’t as good as his 64 in the previous edition but it did force a playoff at 21-under and allowed him to become the first to defend since Jim Furyk (two different courses) in 2006-07. Vegas rolled in 27 birdies, tied with Gary Woodland for the most, and players that made 25 birdies or more finished first, fourth, third, T5 and P2. #Clues. Vegas didn’t even lead the field in SG: Total, as he was fourth and MC in his previous five events. After seeing a pair of Canadians in the top 10 in 2015, T48 (Hadwin) was the best professional of 2016 while Mackenzie Hughes was T32 in 2017. Amateur Jared du Toit, who is in the field this week, played in the final group with Snedeker in 2016 and finished T9. NOTE: Golfers inside the top 25-ish in each statistic on the 2017-18 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week. * – Finished inside the top 10 previously or past champion. Par-Breakers Rank  Golfer  1  *Dustin Johnson  6  Brooks Koepka 11 Tommy Fleetwood 12 Keith Mitchell 14 *Tony Finau 15 Aaron Wise 16 Brandon Harkins 17 J.J. Spaun 20 *Ricky Barnes 25 Sam Saunders 27 Tom Lovelady 28 Ryan Palmer 29 *Martin Laird 29 *Bubba Watson Sub-Par Rounds Rank  Golfer  5  Brandon Harkins  7  Chris Kirk  8  Corey Conners 10 Joel Dahmen 12 Ryan Armour 12 Jason Kokrak 17 Rory Sabbatini 19 Keith Mitchell 19 J.T. Poston 22 Brian Stuard 22 John Huh 22 Chez Reavie 22 Kevin Tway 29 Scott Brown 29 Tony Finau 29 Nick Watney 29 Ben Silverman 29 Tom Hoge Greens in Regulation Rank  Golfer  3  Sam Ryder  7  Andrew Putnam  9  *Gary Woodland 11 *Bubba Watson 12 J.J. Henry 14 J.J. Spaun 15 Keegan Bradley 19 Brett Stegmaier 23 *Tony Finau 25 Tyler Duncan 26 Corey Conners 28 Steve Stricker 29 Blayne Barber Birdie-or-Better Percentage Rank  Golfer  2  *Dustin Johnson  8  Brooks Koepka 11 *Ricky Barnes 12 Brandon Harkins 15 Tommy Fleetwood 17 Aaron Wise 18 Ryan Palmer 20 Ollie Schniederjans 26 David Lingmerth 27 *Martin Laird Glen Abbey Golf Club was one of Jack Nicklaus’ first designs and was introduced to the rotation in 1977. Hosting for the 30th time overall, Glen Abbey will play again to a Par-72 and stretch to only 7,253 yards. The parkland-style layout begins in the trees before heading back in the valley of Sixteen Mile Creek. With Par-5 chances on two of the last three holes it’s hardly a wonder why 54-hole leaders haven’t closed the deal in the last three editions. With room to swing the driver and GIR will be the key to circling the most birdies again this week. I always enjoy looking back before looking forward but even more so with an event that uses the same track. Glen Abbey has evolved over the years but the last major renovation was the rerouting after the 2008 tournament. Since 2009 it has played to Par-72 and has three Par-5 holes on the inward nine (35-37). All of the greens were using Creeping Bentgrass as of the 2016 edition and will roll upward of 11 feet for the week. The 85 bunkers and 12 water hazards are mainly for decoration as the wind will determine the difficulty this week. With dry weather most of July, the Kentucky bluegrass and rye at three inches shouldn’t pose a problem. The greens are usually in excellent shape so there’s no coincidence why birdies are poured in annually. It also doesn’t hurt there are four Par-5 holes and the course is hardly considered long by today’s standards. Tiger Woods’ 266 (-22) remains the tournament target just outside Toronto. Robert Garrigus used 10 birdies to post the lowest score at Glen Abbey in Round 3 last year. John Merrick’s 62 were on the old greens in 2013. Gamers please remember that Glen Abbey did NOT host the 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2014 events. I’ll look at the players who made the cut in these events as it suggests form at the time but will not use any stats or finishes below. As for The Open angle, it’s not a huge concern this week. These guys make their schedules well in advance and should be excited to decompress with a bunch of birdies. We know Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Brandt Snedeker will be rested more than most. I’ll also point out the Barbasol Championship had a Monday finish so that should just about square the whole deal. Heck, it might be easier to fly from Edinburgh to Toronto than Lexington, Kentucky, to Toronto! I wouldn’t read too much into it! QUICK FACTS: • Chez Reavie was the last debutant to win the event and it was at Glen Abbey in 2008. • Dustin Johnson is 28-under in his last eight rounds in Canada. • Brandt Snedeker was the last American to win this event (2013, Glen Abbey). • Another week on Bentgrass (TPC River Highlands, TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, The Old White TPC, TPC Deere Run, Keane Trace). • The cut last year was 4-under. • Vegas has made 50 birdies in his last 144 holes at Glen Abbey. Rob Bolton’s Power Rankings will give you more juice for the week so make sure you stop by. It’s also who I trust with the weather each week so pay attention!  NOTE: The groups below are comprehensive to assist in data mining. Inclusion doesn’t imply automatic endorsement in every fantasy game as all decisions are specific to your situation.  

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