Things Beginning to Take Shape for 2010 Canadian Open

Recently, I had the privilege of attending the annual Canadian Open media presser.  These things generally kick-start the media announcements surrounding the Canadian Open and also provide us with an opportunity to play / learn a little about the host course – this year being St George’s Country Club.  St George’s is private and fairly exclusive so outside of the RCGA’s invite it is not a track that I had even set foot on prior to yesterday.

Not unlike the Hamilton Golf & Country Club, which hosted the championship a few years ago, the selection of St George’s adds a myriad of additional logistical obstacles to an event that is already a monster undertaking when it comes to planning and details.  They have already had to solicit the help of the Islington Golf Cub where a couple of that courses holes will be transformed into an off-site driving range.  And we were told yesterday that approvals have been granted from the City of Toronto to close down Islington Avenue during the event in order to facilitate the building of bleachers in an attempt to create an amphitheater type atmosphere around 18.  The closure will also make room for infrastructure to create and host a street style festival.  Space is indeed going to be an issue on the throw-back parkland style golf course which architect Stanley Thompson has master-crafted.  The course is tight as my scorecard on this day would suggest rather emphatically.  For this reason, tickets have been restricted to 22,000 per day and the Sunday passes are apparently already near capacity.

The golf course was already in great shape.  The rough was already thick and penal for us mere mortals.  It’s about as picturesque a walk as you’re going to find in a landlocked environment.  Elevation changes happen about every other yard – seriously – I don’t remember too many flat lies.  The birds sing the whole way ’round (course is Audubon Sanctuary certified) and a couple of foxes (the canine variety) crossed the paths of our fine foursome on what really was a perfect day – my guess is that the members witness a lot these.  It is good to be spoiled, if even for a day, I suppose.

Anyway, I have posted the press release below with a list of quality players already confirmed for the 2010 event.  More players will confirm as the date draws closer.  We were also told that the list of celebrities for this year’s Mike Weir Celebrity Pro-Am will be announced shortly.  As part of the ongoing philanthropic strategy for the Canadian Open, Golf Canada and RBC also announced that the Bloorview Kids Foundation in Toronto has been selected as the Local Community Charity Beneficiary.  Bloorview Kids Foundation raises funds from the community for Bloorview Kids Rehab and is Canada’s largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital and the leader in care, research, and education for kids with disabilities and their families.

And there you have it — a chance to see many of the best golfers in the world (if you need more of just Tiger and Phil turn on the Golf Channel), help some very deserving kids, and walk one of this country’s absolute crown jewels in St George’s – all accessible via public transit.  And guess what, as an added bonus, if you actually buy a ticket and head down there in person the entire day will be in 3D and, dare I say it, even better than high definition.

The dates: July 19th – 25th.

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Official Release : Golf Canada

STELLAR FIELD OF HIGH PROFILE TALENT CONFIRM THEIR INTENTION TO COMPETE AT 2010 RBC CANADIAN OPEN

• Canadian golf fans to be treated to premier lineup of PGA TOUR stars forming one of the strongest RBC Canadian Open fields in recent history
• Emerging Superstars Sean O’Hair, Paul Casey, Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald, Camilo Villegas and Ricky Fowler To Challenge St. George’s Golf and Country Club
• Retief Goosen, Tim Clark, Y.E. Yang and Fred Couples As Well As Canadians Stephen Ames And Mike Weir Reinforce A Strong Veteran Contingent Set To Challenge For Canada’s National Open Championship
• Field to feature 10 in-year winners of the first 23 events on the PGA TOUR, representing a strong showing of this season’s hottest players competing for the 2010 Fed Ex Cup

Toronto (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, announced today that a contingent of emerging superstars and PGA TOUR notables have confirmed their intention to compete at the 2010 RBC Canadian Open, July 19-25 at the historic St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto.

Among the rising stars set to challenge for Canada’s national Open championship include three-time PGA TOUR winners Sean O’Hair, Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas; two-time PGA TOUR winners Hunter Mahan, Luke Donald, Y.E. Yang and Matt Kuchar; world no. 8 ranked Paul Casey; and rookie sensation Ricky Fowler, as well as defending RBC Canadian Open champion Nathan Green.

The field for the 101st playing of Canada’s National Open Championship will also welcome several proven PGA TOUR veterans including seven-time PGA TOUR winner Retief Goosen; 2010 THE PLAYERS Championship winner Tim Clark and Fred Couples, a 15-time PGA TOUR winner with three 2010 victories on the Champions Tour.

“We’re less than two months out from this year’s event and we’re very pleased to welcome this tremendous mix of emerging talent and notable PGA TOUR veterans to the 2010 RBC Canadian Open,” said Bill Paul, Tournament Director of the RBC Canadian Open. “We’ve continued to track our player field and the fields of other PGA TOUR events since 2007 and are pleased with our progress and relative standing to date. Thanks to the support of guys like Stephen Ames and Mike Weir out on Tour talking with their peers and a partner in RBC so focused on results and the resurgence of the event, the strength of our field has really come a long way.”

IN-YEAR WINNERS:
This year’s RBC Canadian Open will feature 10 of this season’s 23 PGA TOUR event winners to date, including Ryan Palmer (Sony Open in Hawaii), Bill Haas (Bob Hope Classic), Ben Crane (Farmers Insurance Open), Hunter Mahan (Waste Management Phoenix Open), Camilo Villegas (The Honda Classic), Derek Lamely (Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular), Cameron Beckman (Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun), Anthony Kim (Shell Houston Open), Jason Bohn (Zurich Classic of New Orleans) and Tim Clark (THE PLAYERS Championship).

OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKINGS:
The field for the 101st playing of Canada’s National Open Championship will feature 13 of top 50 players on the official World Golf Ranking including, Paul Casey (#8), Luke Donald (#9), Anthony Kim (#11), Camilo Villegas (#15), Retief Goosen (#18), Hunter Mahan (#19), Y.E. Yang (#21), Tim Clark (#22), Sean O’Hair (#25), Matt Kuchar (#32), Ben Crane (#39), Kevin Na (#46) and Michael Sim (#50).

FEDEX CUP POINTS CHASE:
To date, 15 of the current top 30 on the FedEx Cup ranking have confirmed their intention to compete at St. George’s Golf and Country Club including Anthony Kim (#4), Ben Crane (#5), Tim Clark (#6), Camilo Villegas (#10), Matt Kuchar (#11), Bill Haas (#12), Hunter Mahan (#13), Jeff Overton (#16), Jason Bohn (#18), Luke Donald (#19), Bo Van Pelt (#21), Brian Davis (#23), Paul Casey (#26), Ricky Fowler (#28) and Ryan Palmer (#30). Overall, the current field projections feature 28 of the top 50 players in the points chase.

PROVEN RESULTS – THE FIELD AT A GLANCE:

Stephen Ames
- Four (4) PGA TOUR victories (including 2006 The PLAYERS Championship)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 62 / World Golf Ranking – 71

Cameron Beckman
- Three (3) PGA TOUR victories (including 2010 Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 63 / World Golf Ranking – 160

Jason Bohn
- One (1) PGA TOUR victory (2010 Zurich Classic of New Orleans)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 18 / World Golf Ranking – 61

Paul Casey
- 10 Internationals victories including nine (9) European Tour victories
- One (1) PGA Tour victory (2009 Shell Houston Open)
- FedEx Cup Ranking – 26 / World Golf Ranking – 8

Tim Clark
- One (1) PGA TOUR victory (2010 The Players Championship)
- Four (4) international victories including three (3) European Tour victories
- FedEx Cup Rank – 6 / World Golf Ranking – 22

Fred Couples
- 15 PGA Tour victories (including 1992 Masters and 1996 The Players Championship)
- Three (3) victories in 6 starts in his rookie year on the Champions Tour

Ben Crane
- Three (3) PGA TOUR victories (including 2010 Farmers Insurance Open )
- FedEx Cup Rank – 5 / World Golf Ranking – 39

Brian Davis
- FedEx Cup Rank – 23 / World Golf Ranking – 72

Graham DeLaet
- 2010 marks rookie season on PGA TOUR after earning card at 2009 PGA TOUR Q-School
- Four (4) top-25 finishes in 14 PGA TOUR starts in 2010
- FedEx Cup Rank – 88 / World Golf Ranking – 140

Luke Donald
- Two (2) PGA TOUR victories (2002 Southern Farm Bureau Classic and 2006 Honda Classic)
- Three European Tour victories (including 2010 Madrid Masters)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 19 / World Golf Ranking – 9

Ricky Fowler
- 2010 marks rookie season on PGA TOUR after earning card at 2009 PGA TOUR Q-School
- Four (4) top-10 finishes in 14 PGA TOUR starts in 2010
- FedEx Cup Rank – 28 / World Golf Ranking – 52

Retief Goosen
- Seven (7) PGA TOUR victories (including 2001 & 2004 U.S. Open and 2005 The Tour Championship)
- 23 international victories including 11 European Tour victories
- FedEx Cup Rank – 33 / World Golf Ranking – 18

Nathan Green
- One (1) PGA TOUR victory (2009 RBC Canadian Open)
- Three (3) international victories including one (1) European Tour victory

Bill Haas
- One PGA TOUR victory (2010 Bob Hope)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 12 / World Golf Ranking – 78

Anthony Kim
- Three (3) PGA TOUR victories (including 2008 Wachovia Championship and 2010 Shell Houston Open)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 4 / World Golf Ranking – 11

Matt Kuchar
- Two (2) PGA TOUR victories (including 2009 Turning Stone Resort Championship and 2002 Honda Classic)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 11 / World Golf Ranking – 32

Derek Lamely
- One PGA TOUR victory (2010 Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 56 / World Golf Ranking – 98

Hunter Mahan
- Two (2) PGA TOUR victories (including: 2010 Waste Management Phoenix Open)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 13 / World Golf Ranking – 19

Sean O’Hair
- Three (3) PGA TOUR victories (including 2009 Quail Hollow Championship)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 51 / World Golf Ranking – 25

Jeff Overton
- FedEx Cup Rank – 16 / World Golf Ranking – 89

Ryan Palmer
- Three (3) PGA TOUR victories (including 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii )
- FedEx Cup Rank – 30 / World Golf Ranking – 126

Bo Van Pelt
- One (1) PGA TOUR victory (including 2009 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 21 / World Golf Ranking – 69

Camilo Villegas
- Three (3) PGA TOUR victories (including the 2008 BMW Championship and 2008 The Tour Championship)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 10 / World Golf Ranking – 15

Mike Weir
- Eight (8) PGA TOUR victories (including 2001 The Tour Championship & 2003 Masters)
- FedEx Cup Rank – 80 / World Golf Ranking – 62

Y.E. Yang
- Two (2) PGA TOUR victories (2009 Honda Classic and 2009 PGA Championship)
- Eight (8) international victories including two (2) European Tour victories
- FedEx Cup Rank – 34 / World Golf Ranking – 21

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Special thanks again to everyone at Golf Canada (RCGA); Joe Murphy (General Manager) and the staff of St George’s; Keith Bartlett (Superintendent at George’s); and Mike Weir for almost hitting one closer to the pin than me on #6 – right handed!

May Also be of Interest:

• Stars are Aligning for the 2010 Mike Weir Charity Classic
• Canadian Open Field Contains World Number 1
• Elmira’s Garret Rank Earns Canadian Tour Berth
• 2010 Canadian Open – There’s a Map for that
• Notebook: Canadian Open 2010