Is Rory McIlroy playing at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open?

With Scottie Scheffler absent from this week’s event, Rory McIlroy enters as the betting favorite at the 2025 RBC Canadian Open. The PGA TOUR makes its annual stop in Canada, this time at TPC Toronto, with a full field of 156 players set to compete.

McIlroy, who has already secured three victories in the 2025 season, including the Masters, leads the field as he looks to add another title to his resume. His win at Augusta National earlier this year completed the career Grand Slam, a major milestone in his career.

The RBC Canadian Open has been favorable to McIlroy in the past. He captured the title in 2019 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club and again in 2022 at St. George’s Golf and Country Club.

This week marks McIlroy’s fifth appearance at the national championship, and he will be playing a third different course in that span. After finishing tied for 47th at the PGA Championship, McIlroy aims to return to contention in Canada.

FanDuel Sportsbook lists him at +450 to win, making him the clear favorite in Scheffler’s absence. His previous success at this tournament and recent form make him a strong contender heading into play.

Why did Rory McIlroy skip the Memorial Tournament 2025?

Rory McIlroy confirmed that he would not participate in the 2025 Memorial Tournament, aligning with his previously stated plan to reduce his playing schedule.

The Memorial Tournament, one of the final signature events on the PGA Tour calendar, began at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, with a 72-player field competing for a $20 million purse, including a $4 million winner’s share. Despite the high stakes and prestige, Rory McIlroy was not part of the lineup.

McIlroy's decision was consistent with comments he made during the 2024 TOUR Championship, where he stated his intent to scale back from the demanding pace of competing in 27 events per year. At the time, he acknowledged that such a schedule had become unsustainable and expressed a desire for a more balanced approach to tournament play.

When asked about how many events he would be playing ideally, the Northern Irishman said:

"I'm usually sort of like a 22 sort of person. But again, that was when I was sort of in my 20s and didn't have the responsibilities that I do now. I'm going to try to cut it back to like 18 or 20 a year going forward, I think."

As a result, Rory McIlroy confirmed that the Memorial Tournament was one of the events he had chosen to skip, ending a streak of seven consecutive appearances. Instead, he was expected to return to competition at the Canadian Open the following Thursday.

Ranked second in the Official World Golf Rankings at the time, McIlroy had already achieved notable success on the PGA Tour earlier in the season.