👋 {{readername | Hey, golf fans}},

Some 122 years ago, the first RBC Canadian Open was staged in 1904. A lot has changed since then, but the tournament remains one of the oldest continuously running non-major events in golf. That’s why this week could be historic. We talk about that, about the importance of the U.S. Open final qualifying, Nelly’s grip change, and Daly’s wild story.

Let’s get swinging…

There are always ample chances to tame TPC Toronto faster than Rob Zombie can churn out another failed remake. Last year, Ryan Fox carded 66 or better every round on his way to a second PGA Tour victory. The Kiwi ripped a 3-wood on the 18th from 269 yards—a shot so impressive that TPC Toronto set up a plaque to commemorate the moment.

Check the brilliant tournament-winning shot here—you MIGHT want to recreate it.

Storylines: Fox returns as the reigning champion, trying to be the first PGA Tour pro to successfully defend his Canadian Open title since Rory McIlroy (2022). Lurking as potential kryptonite is Sam Burns, last season’s runner-up, who has three top-10s in the tournament. Burns is also coming off a T4 at the Memorial.

Meanwhile, Eric Cole is fifth on the Tour in Strokes Gained: Total over the last month and has finished eighth and second in his last two starts in 2026. Nick Taylor made history in 2023 as the first Canadian to win since 1954, and he’s been steady this year with four top‑25 finishes.

Wyndham Clark will hope to continue his momentum (1st, 3rd), and Brooks Koepka is waiting to sniff victory for the first time since August 2024 (LIV Greenbrier).

Course: TPC Toronto plays as a 7,389-yard par 70 that rewards the big hitters. The course saw a major overhaul in 2023, but it still has reachable par 5s and par 3s that ranked among the friendliest on Tour in 2025. With placid conditions last year, pros went low, with Fox going 18-under. TPC Toronto will challenge pros, but it’ll also reward the brave and the gutsy.

Some places become more than golf courses. They become part of the game's story. Inspired by Long Island's rich golf heritage and the timeless legacy of the U.S. Open, this collection pays tribute to the traditions that have shaped generations of golfers.

Our U.S. Open collection is a nod to that heritage.

For those who appreciate the history as much as the competition, this collection celebrates a place, a championship, and the enduring spirit of the game. Explore the collection at Essentially Golf Shop.

The concept of “Golf’s Longest Day” is as simple as it gets. You need a 0.4 index or below, a few hundred dollars, and the willingness to burn another Monday. This year, 43 spots were up for grabs for those who survived U.S. Open Final Qualifying. Think about Ontario.

After Max McGreevy birdied, the eight‑for‑three playoff boiled down to a first alternate spot between Adam Svensson and Matt Wallace. Wallace had already tapped in for par, and a par-save from Svensson would have forced another extra hole. But the PGA Tour winner made a costly blunder to rule himself out. Watch the wild incident below.

Errors like Svensson’s are one of the most compelling stories we saw this week. And rare as they might be, memorable tales are anything but. Take Nick Barrett, the UPS driver who last year was disqualified for not returning his scorecard after round one. He didn’t make it this year, either, but guess what? His friends were there clad in brown UPS shirts to support him, as you can see here.

You’ll spot familiar faces in the hunt, too. Six‑time PGA Tour winner Bill Haas showed up with his young son, Will, as the bagman. Watch the kid drag the wheeled cart bag across the course. Ben Kohles won a KFT event on Sunday and teed up for the qualifier the following day.

The slog doesn’t discriminate; the grind chews up both veterans and rising stars alike. Which is why the U.S. Open Final Qualifying remains a delightful outlier among signature events and LIV tourneys. One exhausting day of two flawless rounds can produce a Cinderella story. Wouldn’t you say so?

Last Poll Result: 70.98% of you said Scottie Scheffler deserved a spot in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports List

No one likes to rework their grip because it’s the only connection you have with the club. So, tweaking that hold can feel uncomfortable. But World No. 1 Nelly Korda had to tweak hers in the middle of the U.S. Women’s Open. Ex-PGA Tour pro Nick O'Hern explains how it helped her.

Should you do it? Nelly doesn’t recommend it, but if you are bold enough, we say go for it. Just not in the middle of a club championship. Below, we have listed three other mistakes that might hurt your game.

Pro sounds divided over PGA Tour’s decision to create a two-tiered schedule as it throws his chances of teeing off in the national open into uncertainty.

Collin Morikawa shares concerns about a months-long injury ahead of the RBC Canadian Open this week. This is his first event as a new father.

Bryson DeChambeau is reportedly looking for ways to return to the PGA Tour, claims Brandel Chamblee.

John Daly is the stuff of modern folklore. The kind of character whose tall tales slide down easily because they sound half-true and all too believable at the same time. Would you believe that a Tennessee Titans tight end once dared him to a $5,000 wager? When Daly showed up, the NLF pro was sloshed. Not wanting to exploit him, Daly proposed a safer alternative: $100 a hole.

Too bad that the NFL pro shook on it but refused to rescind the original $5,000 challenge. Guess how much money Daly walked away with in the end? Listen to the wild tale below and look closely at Daly’s face as the story progresses.

Today’s recollection comes from one of our readers, who was tending the pin for Arnold Palmer during a practice round at the 1965 Greater Jacksonville Open.

“While Palmer putted, the small towel on my shoulder fell off and wrapped around the hole. As I stared at Arnie 20 feet away, he said, “Caddy, the towel.” Not realizing he was talking to me, I assumed he wanted his caddy to bring him a towel. So after a few more seconds of non-action, Arnie strode over to me, bent over to pick up the towel wrapped around the hole, put it on my shoulder, patted it down so it would stay there, and walked back to his putt. Needless to say, the crowd laughed, and I wanted to shrink into the hole with the ball.”

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