Dialed In: Can a Canadian do it again?

Luke Bellus

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The 2023 Canadian Open will forever be remembered by two key numbers: 69 and 72. 

69: The number of years it had been since a Canadian had won our nation's Open (Pat Fletcher 1954.)  

72: The distance in feet of the putt Nick Taylor made in a playoff against Tommy Fleetwood to win the tournament. 

As someone who has been attending sporting events my entire life, Sunday at last year’s Canadian Open was one of the cooler and more unique sporting events I’ve had the opportunity to witness in person. 

Who cares that the day ended with me in the hospital, that’s a different story for a different day. 

As this year's Canadian Open arrives, the question of “Who can end the drought?” has segued into “Can a Canadian do it again?” 

It has already been a banner year for a few Canadians on the PGA Tour.

With Olympic rosters set to lock in less than a month and a Presidents Cup taking place in Montreal this September, we could be seeing a group of Canucks as inspired as ever to defend their home open. 

Join me as I shine a spotlight on a few of the bigger names this country has to offer in the men's game, and scroll down to the bottom to see the latest odds on which two Canadians will represent the country this summer in the Olympic Games. 

Nick Taylor +7000  

Official World Golf Ranking: 30 

Taylor became a Canadian icon last year when he won this event, and he’s followed it up with an interesting 2024. 

The 36-year-old added another win to his resume, the fourth of his PGA Tour career, when he beat Charley Hoffman in a playoff to win the WM Phoenix Open. 

However, the win for Taylor is just one of his two top 10s this season in 13 individual events. 

This will be the third time in Taylor’s career that he shows up to an event after winning it the year prior. 

In 2015, he tied for 20th at the Sanderson Farms Championship in the first title defence of his career. In 2021, he tied for 39th at Pebble Beach after winning the tournament in 2020. 

The celebration to break the 69-year drought was one thing, a win in 2024 to go back-to-back could take the party to a whole another level. 

Corey Conners: +2200

Official World Golf Ranking: 49 

Known as one of the better pure ball strikers in the sport, 2024 has been a very Corey Conners-type season. 

The Canadian is third in this field when you add the Strokes Gained: Off The Tee and SG: Approach. 

According to the stats, only Rory McIlroy and Keith Mitchell are hitting the ball better than Conners this year. 

But the putter just hasn’t cooperated. Conners has been worse than the field average in putting in nine of his 12 events this season, and that club is a reason why he enters this week without a top 10 yet this year. 

Conners’ ball striking keeps his floor nice and high, though. 

The 32-year-old hasn’t missed a cut in 2024, and has three top 20s on the year. But a player who is hitting it as well as Conners is always just one good putting week away from turning a mediocre start to the year into a trip back to the winner’s circle. 

Adam Hadwin: +5000

Official World Golf Ranking:55

Looking back at the 2019 Canadian Open, the last time the event was held at Hamilton Golf and Country Club it was Hadwin who came in as the low Canadian. 

His sixth-place finish in 2019 was the best result he's had in the Canadian Open since he tied for fourth in 2011 when the event was played at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club. 

It’s been more than seven years since Hadwin won on the PGA Tour for the first time, and this week, he is still seeking that second win. 

Taylor Pendrith: +5500

Official World Golf Ranking: 62 

Can anyone guess who the most recent Canadian to win on the PGA Tour is? 

That’s right, it’s Taylor Pendrith. 

The 32-year-old became a winner on the PGA Tour for the first time earlier this month by winning The CJ Cup. 

Pendrith’s 2024 is a reflection of the modern-day golfer: boom or bust. 

In 14 events this year, Pendrith has six finishes of 11th or better. He also has seven missed cuts. 

His tie for 36th earlier this year in Houston is the only time this year he hasn’t missed the cut or finished inside the top 15 of a PGA Tour Event. 

Would it be stunning to see him in contention this week? Not really. 

Would it be stunning to see him sent packing after two rounds? Not really. 

CANADIANS AT THE CANADIAN OPEN 

Here is a look at which Canadians have gained the most strokes on the field average in this event during their careers. 

OLYMPIC ROSTER DEADLINE 

The deadline to make the 2024 Canadian Olympic roster is rapidly approaching. 

For the men, the top two Canadians in the Official World Golf Rankings as of June 17 will represent the team. 

For the women, that deadline is one week later. 

As it stands, Taylor and Conners are the most likely duo at -102  to dawn the red and white in Paris this summer. 

Only six places on the OWGR list separate Conners and Hadwin, which is why it’s not surprising to see the duo of Taylor and Hadwin not far behind on the odds at +132. 

Here is a list of the full market on FanDuel: