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The 112th edition of the RBC Canadian Open, (2023), is being played at Oakdale Golf & Country Club, 15 miles from downtown Toronto. It is a 97-year-old facility that is hosting this tournament for the first time.
The Oakdale course was designed by renowned Canadian architect Stanley Thompson. One of his students, Robbie Robinson, undertook some additions and repairs in the late 1950s, while Ian Andrews also directed improvements in 2015.
It is a 27-hole, 7,460-yard venue for the course used in the RBC Canadian Open. The holes are grouped into three groups of nine: the Thompson (named after architect Stanley Thompson), the Knudson (named after Canadian former pro golfer George Knudson), and the Homenuik (named after Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Wilf Homenuik).
This is the first time this tournament has been played at Oakdale Golf & Country Club, which is also the PGA Tour's first visit to the facility. It is the 37th venue to host the Canadian Open and will also host it in 2026 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the facility.
A brief history of the Canadian Open
The Canadian Open was founded 117 years ago in 1904, but 112 editions have been played due to several suspensions (1915-18 due to WWI, 1943-44 due to WWII, and 2021-22 due to COVID-19).
The first champion was Englishman Jake Oke and the first Canadian to win the home tournament was George Cumming in 1905. The top winner of the Canadian Open is the American Leo Diegel, with four editions.
With three victories, Lee Trevino, Sam Snead, and Tommy Armour stand out. A total of 16 players have won it twice and another 66 golfers have triumphed once [among the latter, Byron Nelson (1945), Arnold Palmer (1955), and Tiger Woods (2000) stand out].
Canada is only the fourth most represented country among the winners, with seven champions. The United States leads the list by far, with 72 champions. It is followed by England and Australia, both with eight.
Rory McIlroy holds the record for the fewest strokes to win, with 258 scored in his 2019 victory. Johnny Palmer, meanwhile, holds the record under par, with his -25 to triumph in 1952. Another interesting mark is the 16 strokes to win by James Douglas Edgar in 1919.
Including the 2023 edition, the tournament has been played at 37 venues. The most visited venue for the tournament is the Glen Abbey Golf Course in Ontario, with 30 editions.
