Nick Taylor ends nearly 70-year Canadian drought to win RBC Canadian Open

CITYnews halifax \ By John Marchesan and The Canadian Press

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., sank a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to defeat Tommy Fleetwood and win the RBC Canadian Open, becoming the first Canadian player in almost 70 years to win the national men’s golf championship.

Taylor tossed his putter into the air and jumped into the arms of his caddie after the longest made putt of his PGA Tour career.

The 35-year-old Taylor, who was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, won for the third time on the PGA Tour and first since the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

“I’m speechless. This is for all the guys that are here. This is for my family at home,” Taylor said with tears in his eyes. “This is the most incredible feeling.”

The last player from Canada to win the Canadian Open was Pat Fletcher in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver. Fletcher was born in England; Carl Keffer had been the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914. Mike Weir lost a dramatic three-hole playoff in 2004 to Fiji’s Vijay Singh.

“My heart is pumping for him still,” said Weir who was on the 18th green to celebrate Taylor’s win. “That’s just an amazing finish.”

Taylor and Fleetwood were tied at 17-under after 72 holes to top the tightly packed leaderboard at Oakdale Golf and Country Club. Both players birdied the first playoff hole and then picked up consecutive pars before the players headed back to 18.

Taylor’s tee shot found a divot in the fairway, but he hit his second shot 221 yards to the front of the green, while Fleetwood laid up after his drive found a fairway bunker. Fleetwood hit his third shot to 12 feet, but didn’t need to putt after Taylor’s uphill eagle putt hit the flagstick and dropped.

WALK-OFF WINNER FROM 72 FEET! ????@NTaylorGolf59 wins @RBCCanadianOpen with the longest putt of his career! ???? pic.twitter.com/lJtiIM43vN

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 11, 2023

“Nice moment for Nick and the fans here,” said Fleetwood, who birdied Nos. 17 and 18 to force the playoff as Taylor watched on TV in the clubhouse. “It’s great to be a part of that Sunday and that playoff.

“I had my chances, really. It wasn’t to be this time. Congratulations to him.”

When the third round began on Saturday morning, Taylor was a long shot to win. He had struggled to a 3-over 75 to sit tied for 120th in the first round and then squeaked into the weekend with a 67 to sit at 2-under.

But he rocketed up the leaderboard on Saturday with 9-under 63 to set a new course record at at Oakdale Golf and Country Club and started the final round tied for eighth at 11-under.

Tyrrell Hatton, Aaron Rai and C.T. Pan all finished one shot out of the playoff.

Two-time defending champion Rory McIlroy closed with a 72 and finished in a tie for ninth, five shots back.