PGA Tour: Golf analyst calls out PGA Tour for snubbing Canadian Open from Signature Events

Golf anaylsts Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner shared their thoughts on the RBC Canadian Open not being a Signature Event on the PGA Tour on their latest YouTube video. The conversation was prompted by a fan query.

In the final part of their video, the duo fielded questions from their fans. One of them was:

"Why is the Canadian Open not a Signature Event if the Tour wants to grow the game internationally?" (43:26 - 43:31)

For context, Signature Events on the PGA Tour are eight limited-field tournaments with increased cash prizes and FedEx Cup points. The top golfers on the Tour compete in these events.

Hoggard and Lavner found the fan's question about the Canadian Open not being a Signature Event relevant. The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) sponsors the said tournament, as well as the RBC Heritage that is tradtionally hosted in South Carolina. Interestingly, the latter is a Signature Event on the PGA Tour.

Rex Hoggard mentioned that it didn't make sense for RBC to have a Signature Event in the US. So he believed that the Canadian Open could be made a Signature Event in the future.

"It's a good point and I'll take it a step further because I'm going to go 'Team Canada' on this one, RBC has been a longtime sponsor of the PGA. RBC has a Signature Event right now in South Carolina and that makes no sense that the Royal Bank of Canada would have Signature Events in Hilton Head Island. So I think eventually we probably get around to it." (43:31 - 43:50)

Ryan Lavner further stated the PGA Tour's peace deal with LIV Golf was essentially to bring the top golfers in the world to play at the biggest tournaments in the world, instead of only the events the PGA Tour deemed significant.

Lavner believed that the national tournaments such as the Canadian Open, Irish Open, Australian Open, Scottish Open etc. should be assigned as the best events for the best golfers to play at. He thought that would be an "ideal model" in the case of a peace deal. The analyst further mentioned that such a model wouldn't be possible otherwise.

Monetary aspects also come into play when assigning which events would be Signature on the Tour. Rex Hoggard said:

"RBC already has one Signature. They've proven themselves capable, willing (and) interested in paying for a bigger, better event. (So) why not just make it the Canadian Open?" (46:26 - 46:39)

The Canadian Open will take place at TPC Toronto from June 5th to 8th this year.

Exploring the Signature Events on the PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy at the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Source: Imagn)

The PGA Tour has eight Signature Events on their calendar, including the season-opener The Sentry in Hawaii and three player-hosted tournaments.

Here's taking a look at the eight Signature Events on the PGA Tour:

1) The Sentry in Hawaii (January 2-5, 2025)

Winner: Hideki Matsuyama

2) AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (January 30 - February 2, 2025)

Winner: Rory McIlroy

3) The Genesis Invitational (February 13-16, 2025)

Hosted by: Tiger Woods
Winner: Ludvig Aberg

4) Arnold Palmer Invitational (March 6-9, 2025)

Hosted by: Arnold Palmer
Winner: Russell Henley

5) RBC Heritage (April 17-20, 2025)

Winner: Justin Thomas

6) Truist Championship (May 8-11, 2025)

7) Memorial Tournament (May 28 - June 1, 2025)

Hosted by: Jack Nicklaus

8) Travelers Championship (June 19-22, 2025)

About the author

Ira Deokule is a dedicated sports journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in Golf and other sports such as swimming, bodybuilding, gymnastics, and track and field. With a post-graduate degree in Media and Communication Studies from DMCS, SPPU, Pune, and a specialization in Video Production, she combines her academic background with practical experience as a national-level track and field athlete.

Ira's journalistic journey includes freelancing for FirstSportz during the Tokyo Olympics, where her articles gained significant recognition. She prioritizes accuracy and ethics, relying on verified sources and personal expertise to provide insightful, engaging content. Her unique perspective as an athlete enriches her understanding of sports dynamics, allowing her to write with neutrality and respect for her subjects.

Outside of journalism, Ira enjoys writing creative pieces, reading, dancing, and exploring filmmaking. She draws inspiration from trailblazing female golfers like Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko, whose achievements have elevated the visibility of women's golf. Ira aspires to cover iconic events like The Masters and is interested in the evolving landscape of golf, including the impact of LIV Golf.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl