Al Riddell was going to go have a quiet Sunday afternoon coffee with his family when his dad asked if he had heard that Mike (Fluff) Cowan, C.T. Pan’s caddie, had slipped during the fourth round of the RBC Canadian Open and that a fan had started carrying his bag for him.

Riddell put his own caddie gear back on and headed back to Hamilton Golf and Country Club to see if Pan, an old friend of his from the Mackenzie Tour, needed some help.

“I don’t live too far. I’m from here. I live 15 minutes away. So we just got changed, got ready,” said Riddell. “I just went over to see him and if he was OK, if he needed someone and I jumped in for the back nine.”

Riddell usually caddies for Paul Barjon, who missed the cut on Friday, and so he was available to be the last of Pan’s four caddies in the final round of the Canadian Open. Pan shot a respectable 1-under 69 in the rain.

Cowan, Pan’s regular caddie, went down in the middle of the third hole. Paul Emerson, a fan watching the tournament, stepped inside the ropes to carry Pan’s clubs through the fourth hole.

The Taiwanese golfer birdied No. 3 but bogeyed No. 4.

Mike Campbell, who works in caddie services at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, took over for holes five through nine. That pairing grabbed birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.

Riddell and Pan’s wife Michelle — who has caddied for him before — were waiting to spell Campbell at the 10th hole. Pan ultimately chose Riddell for the final nine holes of the round.

“I just brought my yardage book and if he needed info, I had info,” said Riddell. “And if he didn’t, he just wanted me to be quiet which most people do. I just was quiet. So it worked out.”

Pan eagled the par 4 No. 12 hole, but also bogeyed Nos. 11 and 16.

The 76-year-old Cowan was not seriously injured after the fall.

Mackenzie Hughes is having fun, he really is. He’s just trying to stay focused as he chases the RBC Canadian Open title.

Shouts of “atta boy Mac!,” “Let’s go Canada!” and “We got you, Mac!” rang across Hamilton Golf and Country Club on Saturday as Hughes shot a 3-under 67 to sit in a tie for second with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and American Ben Griffin. All three are trying to catch Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, who shot a 4-under 66 to build a four-shot lead heading into the final round of Canada’s men’s golf championship.

“I never get cheered for like this really ever, because when I’m playing in the U.S., I’m pretty much a nobody,” said Hughes, who is from Dundas, Ont., just eight kilometres away from the course. “Being here at home you feel like they’re really pulling you across the line.

“I made a putt on 10 and it was just like, it was like chills. The putt went in, the crowd went nuts, and just some of those moments and things I felt I’ll remember for a long time.”

If Hughes can catch MacIntyre in the final round it will be the first time in 110 years that Canadians have won the men’s national golf championship in back-to-back years.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., ended a 69-year drought at the home open at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf and Country Club in 2023.

As long a wait as it was for a Canadian to win the national title — Pat Fletcher was the last to do it in 1954 — it has been even longer since Canadians won it in consecutive years. Albert Murray (1913) and Karl Keffer (1914) were the last homegrown back-to-back champs.

Hughes has said all week that he’s trying to shelve any pressure to keep the title in Canada and just stay present when he’s on the course, even as the crowd is very vocally in his corner.

“For me, it’s about not trying too hard, not forcing things,” he said. “For the most part I would say I did a pretty good job. 

“There were a few things I would like to do over again, but, yeah, for the most part playing near the lead in your National Open I felt like I did a pretty good job handling everything and kept myself within distance for tomorrow.”

At the hockey-themed No. 13 hole, dubbed The Rink because of the hockey boards surrounding the tee box, Hughes did allow himself to get personal. For a second time at the tournament he pulled on the hockey jersey of family friend Bill Bath, who died April 23.

“I just feel like he was a huge part of my life and my journey to this point,” said Hughes of Bath, who caddied for him in 2019 when the Canadian Open was last in Hamilton. “We walked these hills the last time I was here and it’s just nice to kind of keep him out there with me, if you will. 

“I know we’re in the midst of a lot of chaos and competitiveness on that Rink hole and it’s actually a super hard shot with like a 6-iron or 5-iron, but there are bigger things than golf and he was a really close friend of mine and I’m thinking about him a lot.”

MacIntyre was 1 over on the day through 13 holes, allowing Hughes to briefly take the lead, but he reeled off three consecutive birdies and eagled No. 17 to pull way ahead of the field.

“I didn’t have it great at the start, but I feel like whenever I dropped a shot I bounced back with maybe two good shots into the green, and I would pick up a shot back,” said MacIntyre. “It never got away from me.

“A bit of luck, a bit of myself staying in the moment, staying calm. I got my reward with the putter in the end.”

Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy remained an obvious fan favourite on Saturday. Roars could be heard every time he made a birdie putt as he fired a 5-under round to bounce back from a disappointing 2-over struggle on Friday. That lifted him into a four-way tie for 11th at 7-under overall.

“I feel like an honorary Canadian at this point and the support I get here is amazing,” said McIlroy, who won his first Canadian Open on the same course in 2019. “I keep saying it, but just a pleasure to play in an atmosphere like that.

“The crowds are so good, they’re so supportive, so enthusiastic, looking forward to one more day of it.”

Corey Conners (67) of Listowel, Ont., was in that group with McIlroy. Taylor Pendrith (66) of Richmond Hill, Ont., was a shot back in a five-way tie for 15th. 

Hughes, Conners, and Pendrith were all on Kent State University’s men’s golf team together.

When Ben Silverman was announced in the 13th tee box at the RBC Canadian Open, the fans at the feature Rink hole knew just what to do: rise and sing “O Canada,” in its entirety.

The ovation was the highlight of Silverman’s day, as the golfer from Thornhill, Ont., one of eight Canadians left in the men’s national championship, shot an even-par 70 on Saturday to sit in a tie for 49th at 1-under overall.

“I didn’t expect that,” said Silverman of the patriotic serenade. “I kind of was getting pumped up for it. It’s just a fun environment. It’s cool to be around.”

Silverman had five birdies in Saturday’s third round at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, but also had three bogeys and a double bogey on the par-4 No. 3 hole to finish his day no better or worse than the previous day. He liked how he’s played through the first three rounds of the Canadian Open, however.

“No major adjustments,” said Silverman on how he’ll prepare for Sunday’s final round. “Just keep doing what I’m doing and hope that all balls stay in the fairway and then I can have a better chance to score.”

Silverman is ranked 112th on the FedEx Cup standings with 229 points this season, having made 10 cuts at 16 events with four top 25s. The Canadian Open is his third consecutive made cut and given his position on its leaderboard it’s projected that he’ll hold his position on the PGA Tour rankings.

“Making cuts just cements the fact that I’m playing well, which I know I am,” said Silverman after coming off the course. “But honestly, the way the FedEx Cup points work unless you’re finishing top 20 at full field events like this, you’re not building enough points to make playoffs. 

“So it’s bittersweet at the same time because T-40 essentially doesn’t mean much. You need to climb up to top 20, top 10 and contend for wins.”

Taylor Pendrith (66) of Richmond Hill, Ont., fired a 4-under 66 on Saturday afternoon to move 15 spots up the leaderboard and into a tie for 15th. He did it all with a new caddie as Mitch Theoret, who usually carries his bag for him, was in a wedding party on Saturday. 

Instead, “Dynamite” Dean Emerson, who usually caddies for Patton Kizzire, stepped up.

“Dynamite Dean! He was great,” said Pendrith. “We had a fun time out there. Kept it pretty light. 

“He kept me hydrated, made sure I was eating my bars, and gave me some good numbers, so, yeah, he was awesome.”

Anaheim Ducks centre Ryan Strome was also in contention to carry Pendrith’s clubs for him.

“We joked about it,” laughed Pendrith. “I didn’t know how serious he was, because he was supposed to be at the same wedding that Mitch is in. 

“He said he would do it if I needed him, but he’s realizes that it’s my job and I should probably take a professional caddie, so it’s all good.”

Mackenzie Hughes (67) of nearby Dundas, Ont., was the low Canadian after three rounds, sitting in a tie for second at 10 under, four shots back of leader Robert MacIntyre of Scotland.

Corey Conners (67) of Listowel, Ont., was tied for 11th at 7 under and Edmonton’s Wil Bareman (72) dropped 23 spots into a tie for 36th at 2 under. 

Adam Svensson (69) of Surrey, B.C., was tied with Silverman at 1 under. 

Myles Creighton (71) of Digby, N.S., was tied for 58th at even-par 70 and David Hearn (72) of Brantford, Ont., was tied for 64th at 2 over.

Mackenzie Hughes first competed in the Canadian Open at the Hamilton Golf & Country Club when he was a bright-eyed 21-year-old.  Today, 12 years later, the 33-year-old from Dundas, Ontario is a seasoned veteran and has two PGA TOUR victories to his name – and is contention to potentially add one more victory to his resume on Canadian soil.

While some things have changed, the thing that remains the same is the support Hughes receives when he returns home – and his eager desire to play his A game in front of the appreciative and energetic Canadian golf fans.

“I remember doing it at 21 years old and being pretty wide eyed and maybe caught off guard by how big the moment was,” said Hughes, who won the Canadian Men’s Amateur both in 2011 and 2012.

He speaks about watching Canada’s National Open as a young kid in 2003 and 2006 and wanting to get close to the players to get photos and autographs. Today, he’s the one being asked for photos and autographs.

Hughes says the Canadian players competing at the tournament have to multi task with other commitments besides golf during tournament week – but he personally wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I try to relish the fact that I’ll have some extra cheers out there and a lot of friends and family (in the crowd),” said Hughes during his pre-tournament presser.

This year, there are a record number of Canadians competing at the RBC Canadian Open. In total, there are 28 Canadians competing including defending champion, Nick Taylor, and two of Hughes’ former Kent State University teammates, Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.

“Amongst the Canadians we talk about this a little bit just in the fact that when we come back for this one week a year you kind of feel like a little bit of a star. You go next week and it feels different – even though it’s a big tournament next week as well,” said Hughes, a long-time member of the Canadian National Team.

“Coming here feels different. The support and the way the fans are behind us is really cool. It’s probably one of the most fun tournaments to kind of get in contention for just because of how much support we have,” he continued.

Hughes acknowledges the significance of Nick Taylor’s dramatic playoff victory last year and strives to achieve his own version of greatness.

“While we’re not answering the question of who will be the first Canadian to win since Pat Fletcher, but I still think that when we come here, we’re all pretty eager to do well close to home,” said Hughes.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well every single week but coming here I really enjoy playing well in front of the home crowd.”

Hughes has certainly brought his A game for the hometown crowd and enjoyed a stellar second round, firing a six under 64. 

“When I started the day obviously, I’m just trying to get myself in position for the weekend. Then I kind of got off to a start where I felt like I kind of had some good juices going early,” he said.

As a teammate of Hughes from the Canadian National Team program and during their collegiate days at Kent State University, Corey Conners knows what Hughes is capable of doing when he’s playing his best golf.

“It’s fun to watch. I’m a little bit jealous sometimes how well he rolls it,” said Conners with a smile.

“(Mackenzie) can get on a good roll, and the greens here are rolling beautifully.  No surprise he’s rolling a bunch of putts in,” he added about his good friend and former teammate.

At seven under par, Hughes has positioned himself as the top Canadian in the field heading into the weekend.

“I had a few minutes to process the round and kind of the whole day and while the finish was disappointing, I look at the whole body of work. Starting today if you told me I was going to shoot 64, I would have taken it,” noted the Dundas, Ont., native during his post round presser. “It gets me into contention for the weekend and that’s all I can ask for.”

It’s been six long months since David Hearn played in a PGA Tour event. It’s been even longer since the 44-year-old Canadian made a cut.

But he will tee it up in the third round of the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday.

Hearn was the low Canadian on Thursday after a 3-under 67 round but then he laboured to a 3-over score on Friday to make the even-par cut and return to the third round of a PGA Tour event. 

“It certainly wasn’t what I was looking for but with as much time as I’ve had off from tournament golf, I certainly was fighting through a few things today,” said Hearn before he knew for sure he’d make the cut. “I certainly hope that I’m around for two more days. I’d like two more cracks at it.”

Hearn last played in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in November 2023 but missed the cut. He didn’t see the weekend at the five other PGA Tour events he played in that season, either.

“A little bit scrappy today, even yesterday. But I feel like it’s closer than it has been,” said Hearn, who is considered a veteran member of the PGA Tour having made more than 150 cuts over the course of his career. “There’s no reason I can’t go and compete and try to get on some of these events. 

“There’s been a lot of changes to the PGA Tour in the last year or two and it’s affected guys in my category a lot. Hopefully I can get a few more starts and try to do something.”

Hearn was granted an exemption to play in the Canadian Open, the national men’s golf championship, on May 22. It’s his 20th appearance in the tournament and he has now made the cut in half of those.

“It means so much for me to play in our national championship, to do it here at Hamilton so close to home,” said Hearn. “I had my wife and my kids follow me around, my parents, all my family. 

“It was a pretty special week and I get two more days to have a chance to make a few more birdies.”

Mackenzie Hughes (64) of Dundas, Ont., is the low Canadian after two rounds, sitting in a tie for fourth at 7 under. Corey Conners (67) of Listowel, Ont., and Edmonton’s Wil Bateman (66) were tied for 13th at 4 under.

“I knew I was right there,” said Hughes. “I did a great job for most of the day. The finish wasn’t what I planned for, but I’m happy with the result.”

Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., complicated his life by scoring back-to-back 69s to enter a tie for 30th at 2 under. 

His caddie Mitchell Theoret is in a wedding party this weekend and won’t be able to carry his bag on Saturday. Anaheim Ducks centre Ryan Strome was supposed to sub in for Theoret but he’s attending the same wedding and with Pendrith’s later tee time in the third round he’s also not available, leaving Theoret to find a second substitute.

“I didn’t really play great today, I hit a couple squirrelly shots, but short game was good and I had a couple of wedges to a couple feet late in the round so that it’s always helpful,” said Pendrith before heading to the driving range. “I’ve got to straighten it out a little bit for the weekend but I’m excited.”

Ben Silverman (71) of Thornhill, Ont., and Myles Creighton (68) of Digby, N.S., were tied for 42nd at 1 under. Adam Svensson (68) of Surrey, B.C., finished Friday tied with Hearn at even par and made the cut.

A modern-era record of 28 Canadians were in the field at this week’s home open, with 20 missing the cut.

“It’s a testament to Golf Canada and what they’ve done to help grow the game,” said Pendrith. “All the hard work that they’ve put into the amateur programs, young pro squad, and there’s some other guys who didn’t go through that program who are playing great.”

Reigning Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the biggest name to miss the cut. He ended a 69-year drought for Canadians at the national championship last year at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf and Country Club.

Canadian golf Hall of Famer Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Hamilton’s Michael Blair, Jared du Toit of Kimberley, B.C., Toronto’s Richard T. Lee, Cam Kellett of London, Ont., Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., Etienne Papineau of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., Kevin Stinson of Mission, B.C., Vancouver’s Jake Lane, Max Sear of Stouffville, Ont., Vancouver’s Stuart Macdonald and Marc-Olivier Plasse of Mercier, Que., all missed the cut.

Amateurs Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont., and Jakob Chicoyne of Calgary also had their tournaments end on Friday.

It’s falling on the shoulders of Mackenzie Hughes and seven other Canadians to keep the RBC Canadian Open title north of the border.

Reigning champion Nick Taylor missed the cut on Friday, leaving Hughes as Canada’s best chance to chase down co-leaders Ryan Fox of New Zealand and Robert MacIntyre of Scotland. Hughes said it was important to not let the pressure of winning force him to try too hard on Saturday and Sunday.

“I need to be even more aware of that come the weekend, because as you get closer to the end and as you see the finish line, it gets harder and harder to control those thoughts and to stay in the present,” said Hughes, who grew up in Dundas, Ont., less than 10 kilometres from Hamilton Golf and Country Club.

“I’ll have a big focus on just going out there and having some fun and enjoying the whole moment.”

MacIntyre had a 4-under 66 morning to move to the top of the leaderboard but then Fox fired a 6-under 64 in the afternoon to tie the Scot at 10-under overall and share a two-shot lead over Joel Dahmen (65) of the United States.

Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C., struggled through a 1-over 71 round to miss the even-par cut by three shots. He ended a 69-year drought for Canadians at their national men’s golf championship last year after a thrilling four-hole playoff victory over England’s Tommy Fleetwood at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf and Country Club.

Although Hughes had five birdies and two eagles on Friday, he had three bogeys including two back-to-back to close out his round for a 6-under 64 day.

“I’ve had a few minutes to process the round and the whole day, and while the finish was disappointing, I look at the whole body of work,” said Hughes, who moved 28 spots up the leaderboard to sit in a tie for fourth at 7 under. “Starting today if you told me I was going to shoot 64, I would have taken it.

“So it gets me into contention for the weekend and that’s all I can ask for.”

Fox said he was able to reel in MacIntyre, who at one point had a three-stroke lead, because “almost everything” was clicking for him on Friday.

“I drove it great, I hit may irons really good, and had a few more putts drop today,” said Fox. “It could have been really silly, but I still had a lot of good putts.

“If you would have given me 64 to start the day I certainly would have taken it.”

MacIntyre did not have a bogey through 36 holes, with his father Dougie serving as his caddie for the first time on the PGA Tour.

“We’re just kind of learning on the run — well, he is, he’s learning on the run and I’m kind of trying to stay as calm as I can,” said MacIntyre. “When I do miss a shot, I’m not trying to get too annoyed.

“We’re just trying to have as much fun as we can.”

Hughes was tied with first-round leader David Skinns (71) of England and American Andrew Novak (67).

A modern-era record 28 Canadians were in the field at the home open, with eight making the cut. Corey Conners (67) of Listowel, Ont., and Edmonton’s Wil Bateman (66) were tied for 13th at 4 under, the closest to Hughes.

“A little bit of a sloppy finish, but game plan’s not really going to change over the weekend,” said Conners. “Just try and get the ball in the fairway.

“I’m hitting my irons well, so if I’m in the fairway I feel like I’ll be able to get a lot of birdie looks, and rolling the putter pretty nicely.”

Canadian rock band Our Lady Peace will be performing on the grounds at Hamilton Golf and Country Club after the second round is complete.

If golf was a game of who has the biggest gallery, Nick Taylor, Taylor Pendrith, and Rory McIlroy would be the runaway leaders at the RBC Canadian Open.

England’s David Skinns had a one-shot lead after the first round of the national men’s golf championship on Thursday thanks to an 8-under 62 round in the afternoon. 

His final few holes were witnessed by a fraction of the number of fans who had shown up early in the day to follow the marquee grouping of Taylor, Pendrith, and McIlroy, even as they shot higher scores at Hamilton Golf and Country Club than Skinns or early leaders Sam Burns and Sean O’Hair, who were second after the first round at 7 under.

“Usually the morning round for me on a Thursday there’s not that many people there,” said Taylor, who is from Abbotsford, B.C. “The energy was high, which was great, gets the adrenalin going, which is fun that early in the morning, gets you focused on what you need to do. 

“Unfortunately, it didn’t go my way, but the crowds have been amazing.”

Skinns and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre climbed the leaderboard in the afternoon to reel in Burns and O’Hair, who had a three-stroke lead after the round’s first wave. MacIntyre shot a 6-under 64 to take sole possession of fourth after 18 holes.

Even as Skinns and MacIntyre fired bogey-free rounds, the gallery following them was relatively small as many fans had left following the morning start of Taylor, Pendrith and McIlroy.

Taylor and Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., are the top two Canadians on the PGA Tour, ranked 32 and 33 on the FedEx Cup standings respectively. Taylor is also very much the face of the event after he became the first Canadian to win the men’s national golf championship in nearly seven decades at last year’s tournament.

“There was definitely more people watching us than last time I played (in Hamilton) or last time I played the Canadian Open,” said Pendrith. “We had fun. Rory played, scored, really nicely. It was fun to play with Nick. 

“It was a comfortable pairing and it was fun to have the support of the home crowd and should be good tomorrow.”

McIlroy, who won the Canadian Open in 2019 the last time it was in Hamilton and again in Toronto in 2022, did the best of the marquee trio. He finished the day tied for fourth at 4-under 66. 

The Northern Irishman, fourth on the FedEx Cup rankings, said he was impressed with all the spectators who were at the 10th tee when his group teed off at 7:40 a.m.

“The Canadian fans came out to support them,” said McIlroy of Taylor and Pendrith. “One of the main reasons I love coming back here is because of that atmosphere that’s created when we’re out there to play, and playing with two Canadians today was, it was exactly what I expected.”

Pendrith had a 1-under 69 round to finish the day tied for 33rd. 

Taylor finished his day at 2-over 72, good for 96th. He took heart from the fact that he opened last year’s Canadian Open at Toronto’s Oakdale Golf and Country Club with a 3-over 75 round, made the cut, and went on to win in a thrilling four-hole playoff.

“I guess I beat last year by three, so I got that going for me,” said Taylor. “Obviously not out of it. I know that but personally, I would have liked to have got off to a better start. 

“Again, the score is out there, the greens are soft, they’re receptive, just need to be a little sharper.”

O’Hair played bogey-free golf with five birdies and an eagle and Burns had a bogey, four birdies, and two eagles as they built a three-shot lead in the morning.

“I think with all the rain we had early in the week the greens are still pretty receptive,” said Burns after coming off the course at Hamilton Golf and Country Club. “It makes a big difference on par-5s when you have a long iron or a wood coming in there to be able to stop the ball pretty quick.”

Despite drawing the big crowds, Taylor and Pendrith weren’t even the low Canadians.

Forty-four-year-old David Hearn from nearby Brantford, Ont., was the low Canadian. He was tied for 11th at 3-under 67. Fifty-four-year-old Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., was a shot behind Hearn to sit in a group tied for 20th.

“Hey, how about that? Maybe experience still has something,” said Hearn. “That’s great. I didn’t know that was the case. I saw Weirsy was off to a great start today, so that was good to see.

“Obviously Weirsy and I, that’s a great start. We’ve got three more rounds to follow it up with, so we’ll see what we can do.”

May 30, 2024 – Golf Canada and Audi Canada are proud to announce the extension of their partnership that will see the luxury automotive brand remain the Automotive Partner for Golf Canada, the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open through 2025.

As part of the renewed partnership, Audi Canada will continue to deliver premium experiences at both of Canada’s National Open Championships, the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open. In addition, Golf Canada and Audi will collaborate on the “Canadian National Audi quattro Cup”. The Audi quattro Cup is the world’s largest amateur golf tournament.

Since its founding in Germany in 1991, 38 nations have participated in the Audi quattro Cup. The tournament currently attracts about 70,000 players a year across the world. More than 2.1 million golfers have participated in Audi quattro Cup competitions during the previous 33 years, establishing the competition’s impressive global expansion.

“We are very excited to extend our partnership with Audi Canada, who have been a tremendous partner of Golf Canada with a collective vision of advancing the sport of golf in our country with precision and excellence,” said Laurence Applebaum, Chief Executive Officer, Golf Canada. “We look forward to continuing to offer golf fans unique experiences at both of our National Open Championships.”

Golf Canada and Audi Canada are committed to inclusivity and diversity and removing barriers from the game of golf, while helping to grow the women’s game in Canada. With this focus, Audi will introduce the Audi Precision Award at the 2024 CPKC Women’s Open, July 23-28 at Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary, Alberta. The Audi Precision Award will reward the tournament’s “most precise player” and a donation will be made in the winner’s name to a local charity that focuses on growing and advancing women’s golf. More details will be announced at a later date.

“Golf Canada has been a strong strategic partner supporting the growth of our business and the Audi quattro Cup, the world’s largest amateur golf tournament. We are proud to expand our partnership, working together to remove barriers for underrepresented groups. We look forward to the continued partnership and shared spirit of growth with Golf Canada,” said Joseph Ottorino, Head of Marketing, Audi Canada.

As part of the continued partnership, Audi Canada will also remain as the Presenting Partner of the Golf Canada Mobile App. The Golf Canada Mobile App continues to be the all-in-one place to track progress and connect with colleagues and friends. The Golf Canada Mobile App offers users an exceptional experience while at the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open. For more information on the Golf Canada Mobile App, please click here. To download on Apple devices click here, to download on Google Play devices, click here.

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The Audi Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium and luxury segment. The brands Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Ducati produce at 21 locations in 12 countries. Audi and its partners are present in more than 100 markets worldwide.

In 2023, the Audi Group delivered 1.9 million Audi vehicles, 13,560 Bentley vehicles, 10,112 Lamborghini vehicles, and 58,224 Ducati motorcycles to customers. In the 2023 fiscal year, Audi Group achieved a total revenue of €69.9 billion and an operating profit of €6.3 billion. Worldwide, an annual average of more than 87,000 people worked for the Audi Group in 2023, more than 53,000 of them at AUDI AG in Germany. With its attractive brands and numerous models, the group is systematically pursuing its path toward becoming a provider of sustainable, fully networked premium mobility.

In June of 2023, Nick Taylor put his name into the history books by sinking a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole at the Oakdale Golf & Country Club.  By doing so, he became the first Canadian to win Canada’s National Open since Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat back in 1954.

As the 2024 edition of the RBC Canadian Open gets underway, all eyes will be on the 36-year-old from Abbotsford, British Columbia as he sets out to defend his title on Canadian soil.

The defending champion finds himself part of a marquee trio for the opening two rounds, which includes 2019 and 2022 tournament champion, Rory McIlroy, and Taylor Pendrith – who became the most recent Canadian to win on the PGA TOUR after capturing the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at the beginning of the month.

“It’s a huge event and to see Nick win it last year was unbelievable; it was super inspiring,” said Pendrith at his pre-tournament presser. “It was amazing to see him do it and end the drought in that fashion. I still get goose bumps watching the video.”

“It’s a major for us. It’s the one time we get to be here in our home country and play in front of the home fans, so it’s a big deal for the players and the spectators and the whole country,” he added.

McIlroy says he feels right at home competing in front of the Canadian golf fans. The two-time tournament champion recalls his first victory on Canadian soil back in 2019.

“The place was buzzing. The Raptors were about to win an NBA championship. Yeah, it was my first Canadian Open and I was blown away by just the enthusiasm that the fans have and it was such a great atmosphere to to play in,” recalled McIlroy, who attended game two of the 2019 NBA finals featuring the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors.

The former world number 1 from Ireland admits that while he hasn’t been to a live hockey game, he believes the Canadian golf fans bring that hockey energy to the golf course.

“Full disclosure here, and this isn’t probably a good thing to say in Canada, but I’ve never been to a hockey game, but I would imagine that that’s sort of what it feels like. It feels like you’re playing in that sort of hockey environment, especially with the Rink hole,” said McIlroy.

“I’m very, very fortunate that I feel like I get good support most places that we go play but it’s just for whatever reason it’s just a little bit extra here in Canada.”

While Pendrith and McIlroy will receive plenty of support, the man who will be the centre of attention as play gets underway is the defending champion, who ended Canada’s 69 year drought last June.

To commemorate Taylor’s historic achievement, Golf Canada has created a limited edition Nick Taylor bobblehead which will is available for sale with proceeds going to support the First Tee program.

Taylor says he’s had the chance to replay his clutch 72-foot eagle putt over and over – but watching it never gets old.

“I’ve seen the replay enough now that I kind of have that visual almost now instead of my own perception. Yeah, I’ve seen so many angles now, it’s really cool to see different people’s reaction. I feel when my wife and I see it we find a different person to look at and see how they reacted which is pretty fun,” he noted.

Taylor says his victory last June in Canada has given him more confidence which carried over to his win at the TPC Scottsdale in early February.

“It’s taken work to be able to get in that mental state of focusing on that present moment. When I look back at the Canadian Open, I take confidence from that which only helped me when I was at Phoenix,” he said.

As the defending champion and the first Canadian to win our Canada’s National Open in 69 years, it’s understandable that all eyes will be on Taylor as play gets underway. But it is often said, pressure is a privilege, and mature and confident 36-year-old appears poised and eager to embrace the challenge.

“The biggest change I would say since last year is obviously being recognized more in context of a golf course. Now, especially at the Canadian Open – so yeah, it’s a lot of pictures and signatures,” said Taylor.

“I think our crowds are going to be pretty big the next couple of days with Rory – who always has that following, and playing with Pendy. So, I’m looking forward to that a lot.”

theScore BET to Continue as Exclusive Official Gaming Partner of Canada’s Premier Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships

TORONTO (May 29, 2024) — PENN Entertainment (“PENN” or the “Company”) announced today that it has reached an agreement with Golf Canada on a multi-year extension for theScore BET to continue as the organization’s exclusive Official Gaming Partner. The partnership includes sponsorship of Canada’s marquee national golf championships, the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open.

The agreement provides theScore BET with access to activate across Golf Canada’s high-profile events and large digital footprint. Over the last three years since the partnership commenced, theScore BET has created unique and highly engaging on-course activations across Golf Canada events, including theScore BET Skyline Seats, Hole Zero and the Greenside Lounge.

“Golf Canada has been a tremendous partner over the last three years, and we are extremely pleased to extend our relationship,” said Jason Birney, VP of Operations, PENN Interactive. “The RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open are foundational, best-in-class events that we’re proud to align theScore BET brand with. Through our sponsorship and creative on-site activations, we look forward to providing golf fans with unique and memorable experiences in the years ahead.”

“We are thrilled to have theScore BET continue as Golf Canada’s Official Gaming Partner,” said Craig Sharp, Golf Canada’s Senior Director, Partnerships. “theScore BET has consistently elevated the spectator experience at our National Open Championships and we look forward to integrating their innovative and exciting fan engagements as we continue our partnership.”

The deal provides theScore BET with access to digital marketing opportunities around both tournaments and through Golf Canada’s database. The 2024 RBC Canadian Open takes place this week at Hamilton Golf and Country Club and theScore BET will be on site with its popular Members Lounge located in The Rink at the 13th hole. The Members Lounge offers theScore BET account holders access to a reserved space with amenities and great views of the course.

The 2025 RBC Canadian Open will take place at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. and the 2025 CPKC Women’s Open will take place at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Mississauga, Ont.

About theScore BET
theScore BET, a wholly owned subsidiary of PENN Entertainment (Nasdaq: PENN), is a natively built mobile Sportsbook and Casino product available in Ontario. Available on mobile and desktop, theScore BET delivers an immersive and holistic mobile sports betting experience, including a comprehensive range of pregame and in-play bet types across all major sports leagues and events. It uniquely integrates with the company’s flagship media app, theScore, to provide a suite of cutting-edge features that seamlessly bring media and betting together in one ecosystem. theScore BET is regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and operates in Ontario pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. theScore BET is an RG Check accredited operator and is committed to making gaming safe and fun for its players.