RBC Canadian Open: Betting Picks, Tips and Overview

How the RBC Course Sets Up 

Oakdale will be the 37th different course to host the RBC Canadian Open. The property has 27 holes and will take different holes from each of the three nine-hole layouts (the Thompson, Knudson and Homenuik). 

The par-72 course layout they will use this week spans about 7,200 yards. The front will play almost 400 yards longer at 3,800 yards, while the back nine will be nearly 3,400 yards. Expect more scoring to come down on the final nine down the stretch. 

“At a high level, players are going to have to hold on with two hands on the front nine,” Alex Arychuk, the head golf professional said at Oakdale. “But then there will be a lot of birdies made down the stretch on Knudson played in its entirety.”

More than 20 Canadians in this week’s field will attempt to break the 70-year drought since a Canadian won this event. Pat Fletcher was the last to do it back in 1954 at Point Grey Golf Club. Recent Canadian PGA Tour winners who are in the field include Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Svensson. 

Who are the Favorites for the RBC Canadian Open?

Roy McIlroy

McIlroy is +450 at BetMGM Sportsbook  

It comes as no surprise to see McIlroy, the two-time defending champion, top the golf betting odds boards this week as the favorite. McIlroy is as low as +450 on BetMGM and as high as +500 on DraftKings. 

Given the weaker field that doesn’t include top players such as Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, it’s not a surprise to see McIlroy’s number this low. He was the co-third-round leader at the Memorial last week before stumbling on Sunday to a T-7 finish. 

There could be concerns here, given how much McIlroy struggled with his wedges over the weekend at the Memorial. With the average par 4 at about 412 yards, wedges should be in the players’ hands routinely throughout the week. He was just one of two players to finish in the top 10 and lose strokes on approach.

Tyrell Hatton

Hatton is +1100 at DraftKings Sportsbook

When it comes to strokes gained, the golfer who deserves to be mentioned amongst Rahm and Scheffler is Hatton. 

Scheffler (2.544) and Rahm (2.338) lead the Tour in strokes gained this season, while Hatton is third at 2.033. He’s played well in the top events this year, including a fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invite, a second at The Players Championship, T-3 at Wells Fargo and a T-5 at the Byron Nelson. 

With a weaker field, Hatton could be in line for a win. 

Our Pick: Hatton

It’s a matter of time before Hatton wins and it could come here at Oakdale where approach play is pivotal.

He ranks fourth in strokes gained approach over the last 24 rounds and has displayed solid form as of late, following up the strong finishes at Wells Fargo and Byron Nelson with a T-15 at the PGA Championship and a T-12 at the Memorial.