Twenty years after Mike Weir’s triumph at the Masters, Canada is currently witnessing the impact that success had with more Canadians than ever before participating at a high level on the PGA TOUR.
The top Canadian players, including Weir himself, have yet to win the RBC Canadian Open, though. Pat Fletcher, who did it in 1954, was the final Canadian to triumph at the national Open.
But after 18 holes, Corey Conners appears to be on the verge of ending the protracted dry spell.
Conners opened play at Oakdale Golf and Country Club with a 5-under 67, and after the first round, he shares the lead with Aaron Rai, Justin Lower, and Chesson Hadley.
Weir led the RBC Canadian Open after the opening round in 2008, and David Hearn held the 54-hole lead in 2015 as the last Canadian to have the championship’s lead after any round.
Conners, who placed sixth at the RBC Canadian Open last year, was unable to talk to the media following his round because he had a pressing personal matter to attend to.
His caddie, Danny Sahl, claimed that Conners’ success was a result of his overall strength and, in particular, his off-the-tee discipline. Since the start of last year’s RBC Canadian Open, Conners has played 51 holes without making a bogey.
After the first round, Conners was first in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and fourth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. PGA Championship host Oak Hill Country Club, where Conners competed in Sunday’s penultimate pairing, is easily comparable to Oakdale, according to Sahl.
He carried the same mindset with him from (Oak Hill), and he is aware that’s what it will take to play well. Just get it in the fairway, and we played a few holes aggressively. He keeps things very simple and is aware of his surroundings.
Weir also led the first round of the 2004 RBC Canadian Open before falling to Vijay Singh in a playoff. He came agonizingly close to winning the tournament. He is the best person to ask about what it will take to keep the pedal to the metal for the next three days.
We’re still so early in the game, and I believe (Conners is) wise enough to know that. He just wants to keep doing what he’s doing, I’m sure of that. He appeared to be playing Corey Conners golf when I was watching some TV this morning. I observed good play and nice ball striking, which is a winning combination in this place.
It’s quite challenging right off the tee. He’ll be fine if he can maintain driving well because if you miss the fairways you’re in trouble.
Conners is one of three Canadians who have triumphed on the PGA TOUR this year, the others being Adam Svensson and Mackenzie Hughes.
Hughes finished Thursday’s back nine with four birdies to finish at 3 under. After the first round, Taylor Pendrith and Roger Sloan also brought the score to 3 under.
Weir shot an even-par 72 in his 30th start in the RBC Canadian Open.
With golf in Canada continuing to gain popularity, Hughes, who attended Kent State University alongside Pendrith and Conners, said it would be enormous to have a Canadian with a chance to win on Sunday.
There are a couple of us up there, kind of close together, and hopefully one of us can make it through to Sunday.
