Internationally acclaimed entertainers, food and drink… and an upscale line-up for exciting golf. This has been the recipe for success for the leaders of the Canadian Open since summer 2019. The June issue will be no different. Along with Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick and company on the aisles, the group Black Eyed Peas and Alanis Morissette will take to the boards during National Championship week.
The selection of activities put together by Golf Canada and PGA Tour bigwigs suggests the event is one of the circuit’s famous “prestige tournaments”.
And yet, the Canadian Open does not belong to this new era of professional golf, in which tournaments are multiplying and offering a staggering $20 million in prize money to the cream of the profession.
For two months now we have known that the Canadian National Championship, long supported by RBC Bank, will not be stamped on the 2024 calendar with the “Prestige Tournaments” bucket. Golf Canada’s great boss Laurence Applebaum is at peace with the decision, which is not part of his event’s DNA, as he explained in an interview with the Journal during the PGA Tour Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach.
At the level of the greatest
But nothing is stopping him from orchestrating one that could earn him the title of Tournament of the Year after missing out on the honor twice rather than once in 2019 and 2022.
“I looked at all the other prestigious events. You are phenomenal. That’s the level every event organizer wants to be able to rely on, said Laurence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada.
But we, what sets us apart is our lineup and all the elements that make us a national championship, he added. It’s important for our Canadian players to be able to compete in their championship. In June there will be about twenty more.
“Our tournament continues to grow. We offer an experience on all fronts. We just don’t have the official name of a prestigious event.”
McIlroy and others
In addition to two-time defending champion Rory McIlroy, organizers on Monday announced the presence of Britain’s Matt Fitzpatrick from June 8-11 at the nearly century-old Oakdale Golf Club.
The winner of the most recent Heritage Classic in mid-April and defending champion of the US Open will be supported by his compatriot Tommy Fleetwood and the Irishman Shane Lowry, among others. More big guns from the PGA Tour could be added in the coming weeks. Justin Thomas fought hard against McIlroy last year.
Sam Burns and Cameron Young have been called up to replace Dustin Johnson, who left his position with the RBC team when he defected to LIV Golf last year, and will also land in the Toronto area in a month’s time.
A strong contingent of Maple Leaf representatives, led by Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes, will also be present in Oakdale.
McIlroy could add another chapter to the long and rich history of the third oldest tournament in the world. No participant has signed three wins in a row. But Lee Trevino, Tommy Armor and Sam Snead have all spent their careers on Canadian soil. However, the award goes to Leo Deigel as the most decorated with his four coronations.
“If you look at the names engraved on the trophy, you can see the rich history of the tournament and the sport in the country,” Fitzpatrick said. It’s exciting to try to be a part of this story.”
Two running shows
The top music group Black Eyed Peas will take the stage in the evening after the second round. The next day is Canadian singer Alanis Morissette’s turn.
Since the 2019 edition in Hamilton, these concerts have each attracted around 20,000 people.