Golf Canada and RBC will now pivot all efforts towards planning for a celebrated return of the RBC Canadian Open in 2021

TORONTO – With continued public health concerns as well as international travel and government restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the PGA TOUR, in consultation with Golf Canada and RBC, has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 RBC Canadian Open.

The event was scheduled for June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility. The cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open also includes the RBCxMusic Concert Series which was scheduled to take place June 12-13 at Richview Collegiate Institute, featuring headline performances by The Chainsmokers and Keith Urban.

“The RBC Canadian Open has always been a rallying point for Canadian golf and while we share in the crushing disappointment with our fans, players, volunteers and many event partners, our primary responsibility is the safety of our people and our communities,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “It is now our full intention to push forward together with RBC, the PGA TOUR, the City of Toronto and our host clubs with the goal to bring the 2021 RBC Canadian Open to St. George’s Golf and Country Club with Islington Golf Club as the official practice facility.”

“Our foremost consideration is the health and safety of everyone in our community, including the players, spectators, our staff and volunteers, the media and the thousands of supporters who contribute to the success of our event,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “The international travel restrictions, required quarantine measures and government mandates were critical factors that contributed to the decision to cancel our event this year. We have no doubt that the incredible momentum we’ve built together with our partners will make the 2021 RBC Canadian Open a world-class experience.”

Golf Canada and RBC would like to thank golf fans across the nation for their understanding and in particular, our  many corporate partners, ticket and hospitality purchasers, as well as the countless volunteers for their continued support through this unprecedented time.

Golf Canada, the PGA TOUR and RBC have continued to monitor the guidelines provided by federal, provincial and municipal government health authorities in order to prevent the spread of the virus within our communities. With this decision, Golf Canada and RBC will now turn their focus towards the 2021 RBC Canadian Open.

Dating back to its inception in 1904, the cancellation of the 2020 RBC Canadian Open marks only the seventh time that Canada’s National Open Championship has not been conducted, including wartime cancellations from 1915-18 as well as 1943-44. 

All corporate hospitality buyers will be contacted by their Golf Canada sales representative over the coming days to plan forward for 2021 and individual ticket purchases made via Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded within the next 30 days. The same refund policy applies for RBC clients who purchased RBCxMusic Tickets.

Today, the City of Toronto made the decision to cancel all permits and access to City services for events through June 30 due to ongoing developments with COVID-19.

We appreciate the factors that led to this decision, in particular that all city resources are being directed to support our communities during this unprecedented health crisis.  The health and safety of everyone who supports the RBC Canadian Open – and our community as a whole – will always come first, and we respect the City’s decision.

Together with the PGA TOUR, we are assessing this recent development along with other challenges posed by COVID-19 to determine the best course of action for the RBC Canadian Open.  We will make further announcements in the coming week.

TORONTO – Golf Canada has postponed three regional qualifying tournaments for the 2020 RBC Canadian Open due to the COVID-19 pandemic

The tournaments were slated to start May 14 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont., May 19 at Meadow Gardens Golf Club in Pitt Meadows, B.C., and May 21 at Club de golf Pinegrove in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.

There is no indication yet on when the postponed events may be rescheduled, but the RBC Canadian Open is still scheduled to start June 8 at St. George’s Country Club in Toronto. The CP Women’s Open is scheduled to start Aug. 31 at Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.

For more information on RBC Canadian Open qualifying, click here.

This report by The Canadian Press was published March 30, 2020.

The PGA TOUR announced on March 17 that due to the ongoing health crisis related to COVID-19, all PGA TOUR events through the week of the AT&T Byron Nelson (May 7-10) have been canceled. In addition, both The Masters (April 9–12) and PGA Championship (May 14–17) have been postponed to a future date later this year with further details to be announced.

With this news, we wanted to provide an update regarding the 2020 RBC Canadian Open, scheduled for June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club and in partnership with Islington Golf Club in Toronto.  As of today, March 19, we continue to work through all possible scenarios for the RBC Canadian Open with our hope that the event will be played as planned in June.

With that outlook, our primary and utmost concern remains the health and safety of everyone associated with the RBC Canadian Open and our community will continue to be our No. 1 priority as we navigate the ongoing health crisis.

This is a very fluid situation that requires constant review, regular communication and the utmost transparency. We are working closely with key partners, such as the PGA TOUR, RBC, the Canadian Olympic Committee and other national/international sport and entertainment properties to make informed and responsible decisions.

As we move forward, Golf Canada will continue to monitor information provided by the World Health Organization, Health Canada, Toronto Public Health and other expert government/regional health experts to follow developments and receive guidance.

Golf Canada will provide status updates on the RBC Canadian Open website, Twitter and Instagram channels, including any additional protocols put in place to ensure the health and safety of all attendees. We encourage our fans to stay informed on the developments of COVID-19 through official health sources (as noted above) and will provide further updates as new information becomes available.

RBCxMusic Concert Series returns to the tournament for a second year following a 2019 sell out

TORONTO, February 27, 2020 — RBC is excited to announce the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series at the 2020 RBC Canadian Open, featuring headlining performances by Grammy Award-winning artist/producer duo, The Chainsmokers, and four-time Grammy Award winner, Keith Urban.

Building on the success of the inaugural event in 2019 with our partners at Golf Canada, which saw sold out performances from headliners Florida Georgia Line and The Glorious Sons, the RBC Canadian Open will once again offer an unforgettable experience for golf and music fans of all ages. The concerts will take place near the iconic St. George’s Golf and Country Club on the football field of Toronto’s Richview Collegiate Institute and will feature performances on both the Friday and Saturday evenings of tournament week – June 12 and 13, 2020.

Canadians will have the opportunity to see The Chainsmokers live in concert at the RBC Canadian Open on June 12, 2020.

“Performing in Canada is always a good time,” says The Chainsmokers’ Alex Pall.

The Chainsmokers’ Drew Taggart adds, “Nothing says summer like golf and outdoor concerts, and we can’t wait to kick off the season with our friends up north.” 

In addition, Keith Urban will close the Concert Series with a headlining performance on June 13, 2020.

“We are thrilled to announce the return of the RBCxMusic Concert Series, with artist and producer duo The Chainsmokers and the reigning ACM Entertainer of The Year, Keith Urban,” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “Last year we set our sights on attracting new, younger fans to the sport of golf and creating a fresh, unforgettable fan experience, resulting in our most successful RBC Canadian Open to date. We can’t wait to build on that incredible momentum at this year’s tournament.”

“We are so excited that RBC will continue to integrate the RBCxMusic platform with world-class golf through their incredible support of the RBC Canadian Open,” said Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “Adding the Concert Series to the RBC Canadian Open has been an iconic enhancement to our tournament, and the perfect kick-off to summer.”

In addition to can’t-miss music performances, fans can expect exciting spectator experiences, including a dedicated food and beverage area – the Fare Way, and the return of The Rink, awarded 2018 best-in-class element by the PGA TOUR.

Exclusively for RBC clients and new for 2020, an allotment of RBCxMusic Tickets are now available for purchase on Ticketmaster. Following the purchase of every RBCxMusic Ticket, RBC clients will receive a $10 Concert Cashcode, redeemable towards a future concert ticket purchase.

RBCxMusic Tickets are only available for Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13 of the RBC Canadian Open. Tickets are available to the general public for purchase at RBCCanadianOpen.com. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are $96.05 (plus service charges). The event is General Admission / All Ages. Tickets are all-inclusive: your tournament day pass is your concert ticket.

Canada’s Nick Taylor faced increasingly windy conditions, a hard-charging Phil Mickelson, and his own struggles in the back nine to come out on top at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Taylor led by as many as five strokes heading into the back nine before bogeys on holes 11 and 12 followed by a double bogey on No. 14 seemed to give Mickleson a window on Sunday. But Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C., remained unperturbed for birdies on Nos. 15 and 17 for a 2-under 70 round and a four-stroke win over Kevin Streelman, with Mickleson fading to five shots back with three bogeys on his back nine.

Was Taylor really as steely as he seemed, though?

“On the inside? Probably not,” said Taylor with a laugh. “I did feel calm all week and today, but I definitely started feeling some nerves middle of the back nine with really difficult holes and making some bogeys.

“Phil was making bogeys alongside me so it’s not like I was making bad bogeys, it didn’t feel like. It was just playing so difficult.”

Playing as the final pairing of the day, Taylor had Mickleson and his legion of fans in lockstep with him through the storied course. A partisan crowd was clearly hoping that Mickleson would win a record sixth tournament at Pebble Beach, his home course.

Both players had a disastrous No. 14 _ Taylor double bogeyed and Mickleson bogeyed _ but Taylor recovered with his two late birdies and Mickleson didn’t shoot below par again.

“It’s disappointing certainly to have not won, but I got outplayed,” Mickelson said. “I mean, Nick played better than I did. He holed a couple of great shots. That eagle on 6, the putts he made on 4, 5 and 7 … he just really played some great golf.”

Instead, Taylor won a PGA Tour event for the second time of his career and set himself up for an exciting 2020 season.

He’ll now join Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners and Mike Weir at the Masters, the most Canadians to ever play at Augusta. He also joins Hadwin and Conners as a potential member of Canada’s Olympic team at this summer’s Tokyo Games. Canada’s two highest-ranked male players in the world golf rankings will compete in the Olympics.

Winning at Pebble Beach guarantees Taylor a full exemption for the 2021 PGA Tour season.

Taylor also made a little bit of history.

Having won the Sanderson Farms Championship in November 2014, Taylor joined Mike Weir and Stephen Ames as the only Canadians in the modern era to win twice on the top men’s tour.

He’s also the first player to lead all four rounds at Pebble Beach since Mickleson accomplished the feat in 2005.

“It’s a unique week with having three different golf courses to play on,” said Taylor. “Each day is a new challenge, totally different. I think that helped a little bit. I won the Canadian junior championship before I went to college, pretty sure I went wire-to-wire there but it doesn’t happen very often to have a great start and back it up with another good round.

“It’s very rare and makes for a tiring week. Now I know 0.1 per cent of what Tiger Woods does every single day, having to talk to media and stuff like that.”

Taylor and Mickleson – who finished the day 2-over 74 – weren’t the only players to struggle with the wind.

Dustin Johnson shot a 78. Matt Every, in the third-to-last group, shot 80. Jason Day closed with a 75.

The best round and best finish belonged to Jordan Spieth, who chipped in to save par on his final hole for a 67. It was the low round of the day and enabled Spieth to finish in a tie for ninth. That narrowly moves him back into the top 50 and makes him eligible for a World Golf Championship in Mexico City in two weeks.

Streelman also left with a trophy. He teamed with Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald to easily win the pro-am for the second time in three years.

Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., shot a 3-over 75 to finish tied for 55th at even par.

By: John Chidley-Hill (THE CANADIAN PRESS)

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – PGA TOUR player Gary Woodland surprised Amy Bockerstette from Special Olympics Arizona last January with the opportunity to play the 16^th hole together as part of his Waste Management Phoenix Open practice round. With a smile on her face and her can-do, “I got this” self-talk, Amy – the first collegiate golfer to compete with an intellectual disability such as Down syndrome – became an overnight sensation. Her remarkable, par-saving putt has been viewed nearly 44 million times across TOUR platforms and has been featured on the NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, the TODAY Show and countless other platforms beyond golf.

One year later, the PGA TOUR celebrated the anniversary of that memorable event by announcing that the TOUR and its tournaments have surpassed $3 billion in all-time charitable giving. The charitable total, which includes a record $204.3 million in 2019 to bring the all-time total to $3.05 billion, includes donations made by tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica and PGA TOUR Series-China.

“It’s truly a pleasure to thank our fans, sponsors, tournaments, players and volunteers for helping us generate over $3 billion for charity and positively impact millions of lives,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “As remarkable as this milestone is, what really matters are the countless stories like Amy’s that every tournament has. Together, we look forward to continuing to reach – and celebrate – millions more.”

Woodland and Amy are two of those millions, and it’s been a whirlwind for both since the two first met at TPC Scottsdale. Woodland and his wife, Gabby, have welcomed twins; he celebrated the biggest win of his career at the U.S. Open, telling Amy he “used (her) positive energy” to do so; and Amy has become an ambassador for those with Down syndrome, launching her I GOT THIS FOUNDATION topromote golf instruction and playing opportunities for people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. The two will reunite on Wednesday, January 29, at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the site of their now-famous interaction.

The PGA TOUR and its more than 100 tournaments across all Tours achieved the $3 billion mark just six years after surpassing $2 billion in 2014. The TOUR achieved the $1 billion mark in 2005. In addition, the record $204.3 million in 2019 bests the previous record of $190 million in 2018. The TOUR’s first charitable donation of $10,000 was at the 1938 Palm Beach Invitational.

Each PGA TOUR tournament provides individuals an opportunity to give back to the community in one of three ways – attending an event, volunteering, or donating money. Not-for-profit tournaments under the PGA TOUR umbrella donate their net proceeds to support local organizations, totalling more than $3 billion in donations to date. The impact these tournaments make throughout the year is possible thanks to the more than 100,000 volunteers who commit their time to ensure each event is a success.

The charity partner of the RBC Canadian Open is the Golf Canada Foundation. To learn more, visit www.golfcanadafoundation.com

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR today announced the 16-member Player Advisory Council (PAC) for 2020. The PAC advises and consults with the PGA TOUR Policy Board (Board of Directors) and Commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting the TOUR.

2020 Player Advisory Council

Ryan Armour
Paul Casey
David Hearn
Harry Higgs
Charley Hoffman
Billy Horschel
Zach Johnson
Russell Knox
Anirban Lahiri
Peter Malnati
Rory McIlroy
Ryan Palmer
Jon Rahm
Kevin Streelman 
Justin Thomas
Harold Varner III

Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati and Justin Thomas have been selected by the Player Directors to run for PAC Chairman via election which ends February 7. The leading vote-getter will replace Johnson Wagner as a Player Director on the PGA TOUR Policy Board, serving a three-year term (2021-23).

TORONTO – (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada, in partnership with title sponsor RBC, are pleased to announce that select tickets for the 2020 RBC Canadian Open are now available.

The RBC Canadian Open will be held June 8-14 at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto with nearby Islington Golf Club hosting the tournament’s official practice facility. Defending champion Rory McIlroy will lead the stars of the PGA TOUR back to Toronto as St. George’s prepares to host for the first time since 2010.With a new premier spot on the PGA TOUR schedule in early June, the RBC Canadian Open is a summer festival marking the unofficial start of Canada’s golf season. The week-long celebration, which sold out certain days in 2019, offers more than just world class golf… it has something for everybody. The RBC Canadian Open delivers affordable and fun entertainment, with excitement both on the fairway and beyond.

Early ticket offerings available include:

GENERAL ADMISSION – WEEKLY BADGES & ANYDAY TICKETS

Take advantage of miles of front row seating! General admission tickets provide access to the golf course—get an up-close look at your favourite PGA TOUR stars, enjoy fan activations throughout the golf course and experience the thrill of major professional golf.

A fully transferable general admission Weekly Badge costs $180 and an Anyday Ticket (valid any day of tournament week) costs $80.

1904 CLUB PRESENTED BY RBC ISHARES

The 1904 Club presented by RBC iShares delivers an elevated fan experience in the heart of the golf course. Located between the 1^st and 10^th greens, this premium destination is the perfect home base to sit, relax and map out your experience following the stars of the PGA TOUR! Enjoy relief and shelter from the elements, take in the broadcast on TV and treat yourself to upgraded food, beverages and hospitality.

A 1904 Club presented by RBC iShares Weekly Badge (valid Thursday to Sunday) costs $300.

VISIT WWW.RBCANADIANOPEN.COM/TICKETS to purchase select 

2020 RBC Canadian Open tickets

Additional ticket options will be available for purchase beginning December 12, 2019 at 10:00 am ET.

Join us to witness world-class PGA TOUR golf,  activities for all ages including ‘The Rink’, local food and patio experiences and more. Get your tickets today and be a part of one of Canada’s premier sporting events – www.rbccanadianopen.com/tickets.

* Youth 13-17 years of age receive a 15% discount, while juniors aged 12-and-under gain FREE grounds admission all week long.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – The PGA TOUR today announced an expanded 2019-20 Season schedule of 49 FedExCup tournaments, featuring a dramatically changed opening segment and several late-season adjustments to accommodate the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The schedule reflects a net increase of three tournaments over the current season. Eleven of the 46 Regular Season events will be conducted in the opening portion of the schedule between September-November. This segment includes two new tournaments in The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan and the Bermuda Championship, plus the return of A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier and the Houston Open following one-year absences due to their transition from 2018 mid-season dates.

The RBC Canadian Open will be held from June 8-14 at the historic St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ont. The return to St. George’s will mark the sixth time that the celebrated Stanley Thompson classic course has played host to Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship, most recently in 2010. Islington Golf Club, also a Stanley Thompson design, will proudly play host to the tournament practice facility for both years of the event’s return to the city of Toronto, as it did in 2010.

Later in the season, the TOUR will have an open week during the men’s Olympic competition (week of July 27-August 2) before resuming with the Wyndham Championship and three FedExCup Playoffs events. Several changes also have been made leading up to the Olympics, most notably: the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit moving one month earlier to late May; and the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and Barracuda Championship shifting from late July to the first week of the month, exchanging dates with the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota.

“After a very successful first year with our new schedule, we are thrilled to expand the number of events to 49 while maintaining a great flow from start-to-finish, allowing our fans to better engage and follow the TOUR throughout the season,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “For the second year, we’re excited about kicking off the Season of Championships with THE PLAYERS in March, bookended by the FedExCup Playoffs in August, and the return of the Olympics in that window. As for the early-season portion of the schedule, our players grasp the importance of a strong start in the Race for the FedExCup and this has translated into growth and momentum for the events played in the fall.”

With the PGA TOUR season now ending in August at the TOUR Championship, the 2019-20 season will open the week of September 9-15 with A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier. The Sanderson Farms Championship follows with its first-ever standalone date (September 16-22), before the TOUR moves on to the Safeway Open, Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and Houston Open.

The TOUR then embarks on a three-tournament Asian swing, beginning October 14-20 with THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES at Jeju Island, Korea. The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP debuts at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba Prefecture October 21-27, followed by the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China, the week of October 28-November 3, which also marks the debut of the Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Club in Southampton.

Following a week off, the TOUR continues the 2019 segment at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Playa del Carmen, Mexico (November 11-17) before concluding with The RSM Classic. While that marks the end of FedExCup competition until the first week of January 2020, the 13^thPresidents Cup returns to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia the week of December 9-15. It was there that the International Team claimed its lone victory over the U.S. Team in 1998.

Once the TOUR resumes in January in Hawaii, the scheduling sequence remains unchanged from the current season until the Rocket Mortgage Classic’s move from the last week of June to May 25-31. The next four weeks remain the same before the move of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and Barracuda Championship to June-29-July 5 and the 3M Open to July 20-26, the week before the Olympic competition.

Following the Olympic Games, the Regular Season wraps up at the Wyndham Championship (August 3-9), where not only the FedExCup Playoffs field will be finalized, but the added drama of the season-long Wyndham Rewards Top 10 will be determined. Introduced this season, the $10 million competition caps the Regular Season by rewarding the 10 leaders in FedExCup points, with $2 million going to the winner.

Due to the off week for the Olympics, the FedExCup Playoffs will begin one week later and conclude the final week of August: THE NORTHERN TRUST August 10-16; BMW Championship August 17-23; and the TOUR Championship August 24-30.

The FedExCup Playoffs wrap up the Season of Championships, which begins with THE PLAYERS Championship (March 9-15) and continues through the Masters Tournament (April 6-12); PGA Championship (May 11-17); U.S. Open (June 15-21); and The Open Championship (July 13-19).

Several new or familiar venues are included during this stretch, beginning with the PGA Championship visiting TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, the U.S. Open returning to Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, and The Open Championship going to Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, England.

Additionally, THE NORTHERN TRUST will be held for the first time in the Boston market at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts, while the BMW Championship will visit Olympia Fields Country Club in suburban Chicago.