Golf Canada and RBC announced today the final field of competitors set to challenge for the $5.6 million (US) RBC Canadian Open, July 22-28 at Glen Abbey Golf Club.
Defending champion Scott Piercy will be challenged by a world class field of PGA TOUR stars that includes World No. 6 Matt Kuchar, World No. 7 Graeme McDowell, 2012 FedEx Cup champion and World No. 8 Brandt Snedeker, World No. 9 Luke Donald, World No. 13 Ernie Els, World No. 14 Charl Schwartzel, World No. 16 Bubba Watson, World No. 23 Hunter Mahan, World No. 24 Dustin Johnson and two-time Canadian Open champion and World No. 32 Jim Furyk.
Past Champions:
Piercy, who captured the crown in 2012 at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, tops a list of nine past RBC Canadian Open champions set to compete for the national title including former Glen Abbey winners Nathan Green (2009), Chez Reavie (2008), Vijay Singh (2004) and Billy Andrade (1998). Other past champions set to compete include Sean O’Hair (2011), Jim Furyk (2006 & 2007), John Rollins, (2002) and Scott Verplank (2001).
In-year Winners:
The field will also include 10 in-season PGA TOUR winners including Matt Kucher (WGC Accenture Match Play Championship & The Memorial Tournament present by Nationwide Insurance), Brandt Snedeker (AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am), Dustin Johnson (Hyundai Tournament of Champions), Graeme McDowell (RBC Heritage), Sang-Moon Bae (HP Byron Nelson Championship), Billy Horschel, (Zurich Classic of New Orleans), Derek Ernst (Wells Fargo Championship), Brian Gay (Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation), John Merrick (Northern Trust Open), Boo Weekley (Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial) and Scott Brown (Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com)
In all, 156 players will compete for the $5.6 million USD purse starting today in Oakville when Canada’s National Open Championship returns to Glen Abbey for a record 26th time.
The RBC Canadian Open will once again feature a strong international contingent as 15 countries will be represented including the United States, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Argentina, South Korea, Venezuela, South Africa, Japan, Fiji, Sweden, Australia, England, Colombia and Canada.
Canadian Content grows to 15
As part of the field announcement, Golf Canada and RBC also confirmed that two members of Canada’s National Amateur Team – Corey Conners, 21, of Listowel, Ont. and Adam Svensson, 19, of Surrey, B.C. have been extended tournament exemptions to compete in their first ever RBC Canadian Open.
Conners is currently Canada’s highest ranked male amateur on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (#39). A standout at Kent State University, Conners recently finished in a tie for third at the 2013 Monroe Invitational and advanced through to the Round of 16 at the 2013 Men’s North and South Amateur Championship.
“The field is set and we’re ready to kick off the 104th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship,” said Bill Paul, Tournament Director of the RBC Canadian Open
Svensson is a freshman at Barry University who was awarded the Phil Mickelson Award presented annually to the most outstanding Division II men’s golfer. His collegiate season included eight top-10 finishes in nine tournament starts. The 2012 Canadian Junior Boys champion also finished tied for fourth at the 2013 Sahalee Players Championship and runner up at the B.C. Men’s Amateur.
With the addition of Conners and Svensson, a 15-player Canadian contingent (to date) will compete at Glen Abbey looking to become the first Canadian since Pat Fletcher in 1954 to win Canada’s National Open title.
Leading the charge are PGA TOUR players Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., Stephen Ames of Calgary and Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont. Other Canadians set to compete include Kevin Carrigan of Victoria, winner of the 2012 Canadian Mid-Amateur Championship; recently crowned 2013 PGA Championship of Canada winner Bryn Parry of Vancouver; and Brian Hadley of Sarnia, Ont. who earned an exemption after winning the Ontario Regional Qualifier. Rounding out the list of Canadians will be five recently announced exemptions including Web.com Tour players Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C. and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C. as well as up and coming Team Canada graduates Eugene Wong of Vancouver, Albin Choi of Toronto, and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont.
“The field is set and we’re ready to kick off the 104th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship,” said Bill Paul, Tournament Director of the RBC Canadian Open. “The golf course is in tremendous shape and ready to challenge the world’s best golfers for a record 26th time. Our team of more than 1,700 volunteers is ready and there is no doubt that Canadian golf fans will be treated to a terrific showcase at Glen Abbey Golf Club.”
The final four exemptions into the field for the 2013 RBC Canadian Open will be handed out at the Monday Final Qualifier on Monday, July 22 at Heron Point Golf Links near Hamilton, Ont.