KSR Golf: RBC Canadian Open

LIV Golf has taken over the golf world this week as prominent players are announcing their departure from the PGA Tour. However, there is still a tournament to be played as everyone gets a warmup end before heading to Massachusetts for the 2022 U.S. Open.

KSR Golf is returning to find some winners.

Course layout

For the first time since 2019, the PGA Tour will be heading north of the border after a pair of pandemic cancellations for the event in both 2020 and 2021. This year the event moves over to St. George’s Golf & Country Club for a Par 70 layout that stretches over 7,000 yards.

Half of the Official World Golf Ranking’s (OWGR) top-10 will be in attendance as the pros are looking for a final tune-up before getting ready for the third major championship of the season next week. Over 150 golfers will be playing this weekend with the top-65 plus ties making the cut.

St. George’s is a course that awards players with good iron play as approach shots should emerge as the No. 1 difference-maker in Canada.

Advanced stat of the week

All signs point to St. George’s being a second-shot course, and players will have to be locked in with both their irons and wedges. Therefore, strokes gained approach is the top metric this week, and one player seemingly towers over the rest over the full season.

Cameron Smith has spent a good chunk of this season ranking No. 1 in the metric and now sits at T-2 with Russell Henley. The 28-year-old has a pair of wins this year and five top-10 finishes in 12 starts. However, none of those top-10 finishes have came in his last four starts.

Some could say the Australian is due, and he’ll get a lot of attention to win as Smith sits at 10/1 to win at Draft Kings.

Luckett’s Locks

Shane Lowry ranks just outside of the top-10 in strokes gained approach, but the 35-year-old pro from Ireland at No. 25 in the OWGR and has three top-10 finishes in 12 starts. Lowry will be a popular pick at St. Andrews for The Open Championship, but we think he’ll strike before then. Lock in the 2019 Open Champion to pickup a win in Canada at 16/1.

Jhonattan Vegas ranks just inside of the top-50 of strokes gained approach, but the 37-year-old has won this event twice. With 13 of 17 made cuts, he’s consistently providing value. We’re leaning into his track record here and locking Vegas in to record his second top-10 finish (+550).

Adam Hadwin sits at No. 30 in strokes gained approach with seven top-25 finishes in 19 starts. We’re banking on that form with a top-20 play (+350).