Rory McIlroy Defends Title at The RBC Canadian Open

Canadian Open Sunday was gripping.

In short, it was three of the world’s best, playing incredible golf, out-doing one another in pursuit of another Tour win. Finau fought hard, JT strung birdies together as if he was playing Xbox golf, Rory striped it as well as he ever has and had a wedge and putter to match.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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They were chased by Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark, and a surprising 60 from Justin Rose catapulted him up to the clubhouse leader position. Up until the 71^st hole, it was anyone’s game, until Justin Thomas made his first bogey in 34 holes after a poor drive up the right rough, and then a poor approach on the 72^nd  led to another bogey, taking the pressure off Rory altogether. He hit a stock Rory approach to the 71^st, leaving two feet for birdie, and then just for fun, did the same on the 72^nd. Finau then shot 64 with a birdie on the last, claiming solo 2nd. Nine years earlier, Finau was driving around North America in a rental van, trying to make it as a young professional. After Tony’s putt dropped, Rory smiled at him, then buried his own.

Rory is adored by the Canadian fans, a loyal Raptors fan at the basketball, as well as providing them with back-to-back stellar performances at their national Open. Rory was recoiling the driver, topping out at 190mph ball speed on Sunday, making golf look easy as he so often does. He is my pick for the Open next month at St Andrews.  Interestingly, he won the week before his major win at Valhalla, so he is accustomed to winning a Tour event before a major win. As the players themselves said, the Canadian Open ‘ felt like a major’.  As he strode bouncy-chested up to the 18^th green, the chants of ‘Rory’ drowned out the F1-style LIV celebrations from England on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was a showdown between great competitors, with slight mentions from commentators Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo towards the PGA Tour and against LIV Series; along the lines of ‘this is why they play out here every week’. The Jay Monahan interview on Sunday was a weird part of the broadcast on Sunday, with some strange clips where he looked fairly uncomfortable.

I think the win meant more after he has been so outspoken with regards to playing on the PGA Tour. McIlroy and Justin Thomas have become de facto frontmen for the PGA Tour, not afraid to explain why they have stayed and why they are disappointed with those who chose to go. In the same way, Justin Thomas’ win at the USPGA was a point in the PGA Tour’s camp, Rory’s dominance here highlighted the chasm between the standard of the LIV Series compared to the PGA pros in full flight.

Cover Image Via Twitter