Monday Cut Line: Changes make the difference for Vegas

Bob Weeks

TSN Senior Reporter

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Coming into the RBC Canadian Open, Jhonattan Vegas was on a roll, but it wasn’t a good one. The defending champion had missed five straight cuts and seven in his last eight starts.

Yet when he walked onto the property at Glen Abbey, two things were different: He was filled with positive thoughts, thanks to support from fans, and he had some different clubs in his bag. And sometimes, that can make all the difference.

Vegas knocked off Charley Hoffman in a one-hole playoff on Sunday to become just the sixth golfer to repeat as Canadian Open champion.

“Just being the defending champion was something really positive,” Vegas said after getting his hands on the trophy for another year.

“Having the fans really support me through the whole week, seeing the enthusiasm when I got here, everyone was like: ‘You know what, you're going to repeat again and you're going to win for us.’ The positive energy really helped me to play good golf.”

A year ago, Vegas fired a final-round 64. This year, he was one stroke more but as with 2016, it was his putter that worked much of the magic. Vegas drained 142 feet worth of putts on Sunday, a ridiculous amount even with the smooth putting surfaces at the Abbey. (His putter is a Scotty Cameron GSS prototype.)

And his fine iron play was helped by returning to a set of clubs that had worked for him earlier in the year, before the cuts started piling up.

“I was able to make a great change in my Mizuno irons, to the clubs that I started the year with,” Vegas said, “and I was able to really start feeling the ball go to the target and the distances and everything the right way. When you see that, confidence starts building up.”

For the record, Vegas went back to his MP-4 irons after using the MP-18s over the last few months. He said that he wasn’t comfortable with the lie angles of the MP-18s and that was the main reason for the change.

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The late Dan Halldorson was once asked how it felt to be the low Canadian in the RBC Canadian Open.

“Isn’t that like being the tallest midget?” he replied, in a remark that gets revived every year around this time.

That’s a bit how the Canadians in the field this year felt too. Golf Canada resurrected the Rivermead Cup a few years ago, a trophy awarded to the low Canadian in the tournament. This year’s winner was Mackenzie Hughes who finished at 10 under and in a tie for 32nd spot.

While he was appreciative, he wasn’t exactly overjoyed at being presented with the hardware.

“Consolation prize, I would say,” Hughes stated at the honour. “I wasn't really thinking about it today.”

Another player was a bit stronger with his comments, saying that it’s a bit embarrassing to have the award, as if to say the Canadians aren’t good enough for the main competition.

At least Golf Canada was wise enough this year not to make the winner hang around until the closing ceremonies to present the trophy. It was handed out quickly behind the 18th green shortly after Graham DeLaet, the other Canadian to make the cut, finished his round.

One idea for the future that seemed to get positive responses was to make the award a charity competition among the Canadians. The low Canuck would receive a cheque that he could then present to the charity of his choice.

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The missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open was costly for David Hearn.

The Brantford, Ont., product has, by his own admission, had a mediocre year and is just keeping his head above the cutoff line for retaining his playing privileges for next year.

Hearn came into the Open ranked 115th but fell five spots after missing the cut by a single shot at Glen Abbey. The top 125 finishes keep their cards and play in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

“I’m pretty disappointed right now,” Hearn said. “It’s just been one of those years. I’ve been on the edge all year and I’m just waiting for that sign to get over the hump. I was hoping it would be this week, but maybe next week.”

Hearn has been making some changes to his swing this year and has seen some bright spots but not yet in a consistent fashion. He’s in the field for the Barracuda Championship, in Reno, Nev.

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The caddie carousel continues with reports leaking out on Monday that Rory McIlroy has parted ways with his longtime looper JP Fitzgerald. Together, the duo won four majors and reached No. 1 in the world rankings.

Just a week ago, at the Open Championship, McIlroy credited Fitzgerald for giving him a verbal kick after a poor start that turned things around for the Northern Irishman.

But McIlroy has also had a lacklustre season, largely due to injury, but may be looking for a change to spark a return to form.