The US Open is just a week away and a host of top names will be looking for a morale-boosting success at the Canadian Open, which starts at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto on Thursday.
It is a new venue but Rory McIlroy is set to go off as favourite as he searches for his third successive victory in the tournament.
However, there will be a host of other hopefuls, including many of his fellow Europeans, looking to make their mark before the third Major of 2023.
- Shane Lowry to win the Canadian Open
- Justin Rose to win the Canadian Open
- Eric Cole to win the Canadian Open
Lowry To Get In The Groove
Former Open champion Shane Lowry came second at the US Open at Oakmont in 2016 and the Irishman could go into battle at Los Angeles Country Club next week following victory at the Canadian Open.
Lowry missed the cut the first year he played in this tournament, but his subsequent efforts in Canada have yielded finishes of 12th, second and tenth.
His current problem is that he has been unable to fit things together for four rounds - he was 12th at the US PGA Championship after starting with a 73 while a second-round 76 left him with too much to do at Muirfield Village last week, when he was 16th at the Memorial.
Those were still decent performances, however, and this could just be the week where it all falls into place for the man from Offaly, who is a supreme tee-to-green operator.
SHANE LOWRY TO WIN THE CANADIAN OPEN
Lowry expected to be in the groove
Rose To Roll Back The Years
It is ten years since Justin Rose won his only Major when he triumphed at the US Open at Merion, and the Englishman is enjoying the sort of form that suggests he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Rose is the sort of quality ball-striker who should expect to go well at Oakdale and there have been plenty of encouraging signs recently.
He was fourth in this tournament at St Georges Golf & Country Club last year, which should leave him feeling confident despite the change of course.
Rose was ninth at the US PGA Championship and 12th subsequently in the Charles Schwab Challenge last time out, so there is recent form in the book and he has already won on the PGA Tour in 2023 following his victory at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February.
JUSTIN ROSE TO WIN THE CANADIAN OPEN
Cole Looks A Lively Outsider
Eric Cole raised some eyebrows when he reached a playoff at the Honda Classic in February in his rookie year and there are signs of better things to come.
He was fifth in the Mexican Open and illustrated that he can mix it with the best in finishing 15th at the US PGA Championship and then 24th at the Memorial Tournament last week.
Few players will be familiar with this week’s course set-up and that could be an advantage for the 34-year-old from Palm Springs.
ERIC COLE TO WIN THE CANADIAN OPEN
