A handful of events ranging from the PGA Tour to the LPGA featured in the Tournament of the Year discussion.
As the month of December winds down and January approaches, it’s time to look back on 2023 and reward some of the best moments the game of golf provided fans over the last year.
The discussion among the Golfweek staff for “Tournament of the Year” was a rather lively one, so much so that our group of reporters and editors could not come to a consensus pick for the best week of the year.
This year in golf was a busy one off the course, but the players stepped up and provided some memorable events all season long. From major championships to team events to late comebacks and stellar pro debuts, here are Golfweek’s best Tournaments of the Year in 2023.
The winner will get an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.
History will be made next fall in Canada.
Golf Canada announced this week the creation of the Canadian Collegiate Invitational, the first Division I men’s college golf event in the country. It will take place at Oviinbyrd Golf Club in MacTier, Ontario, from Sept. 15-17, 2024.
The tournament will be conducted by Golf Canada and co-hosted by Kent State University and Penn State University who are both led by Canadian head coaches, Kent State’s Jon Mills and Penn State’s Mark Leon. The tournament will feature NCAA Division I men’s golf teams with prominent Canadian ties along with the team champions of the 2024 Canadian University/College Championship.
Even more impressive? The winner will get an exemption into the 2025 RBC Canadian Open.
“We are excited to add a new tournament to our Amateur Championship schedule, and we thank Kent State and Penn State for co-hosting this invitational as we welcome some of the top Division I NCAA collegiate programs to compete in Canada for the first time,” said Mary Beth McKenna, Golf Canada’s Director of Amateur Championships and Rules.
The inaugural championship will be contested over 54 holes in two days, with 36 holes played in the opening round and 18 holes in the final round.
While the winner receives the PGA Tour exemption, the top-five finishers also receive spots in the 2025 Canadian Men’s Amateur.
The RBC Canadian Open was one of the best tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule in 2023.
The RBC Canadian Open was one of the best tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule in 2023.
Canadian Nick Taylor hit a walk-off 72-foot putt, the longest of his career, to win on the fourth playoff hole for his third Tour title. It was also the first time a Canadian had won his national open since Pat Fletcher in 1954.
“It feels, I can’t even describe it,” Taylor said after ending the drought. “This is the most incredible feeling.”
Now, his victory and celebration will be etched with the tournament for the foreseeable future.
On Friday, the RBC Canadian Open changed its logo. Although it’s subtle, it’s a nod at Taylor’s putt and the celebration that followed.
That’s right. Taylor and his putter toss after knocking in the eagle putt to win is now the “I” in the logo.
“We are excited to pay tribute to the epic performance of Nick’s amazing win by capturing the energy of that moment within the brand identity and logo mark for the 2024 RBC Canadian Open,” Golf Canada Chief Marketing Officer Tim McLaughlin said in a release. “Nick’s historic victory will be celebrated in the lead up to and throughout the 2024 RBC Canadian Open and the reimagined logo is a fitting homage to both Nick and this most special moment for our National Open.”
The 2024 RBC Canadian Open is set for May 30-June 2 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Hamilton, Ontario.
See how new national hero Nick Taylor dressed for success during his epic win at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.
What. A. Putt.
Nick Taylor holed a 72-foot putt on the fourth playoff hole to defeat Tommy Fleetwood and win the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. Taylor is the first Canadian to win his national open since 1954.
David Dusek recently took a look into Taylor’s winning equipment, so let’s dive into the champion’s closet and see how Nick dressed for success in Adidas apparel at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.
The 35-year-old won the 2023 RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in North York, Ontario, on Sunday for his third PGA Tour victory.
He also made history as the first Canadian to win his national open since 1954. Taylor shot a final-round 6-under 66 and wound up in a four-hole playoff alongside Tommy Fleetwood, but sealed the deal with a 72-foot bomb of a putt.
For his efforts, Taylor will take home the top prize of $1.6 million, while Fleetwood, who is still chasing that elusive first PGA Tour win, will leave with $981,000.
Check out how much money each PGA Tour player earned this week at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.
After Nick Taylor made a 72-foot bomb on the fourth playoff hole to make history and win the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, his fellow countryman and winner on the PGA Tour Adam Hadwin ran on the green, along with several other Canadian Tour players, to celebrate with him and shower him with champagne.
After all, the Winnipeg native had just become the first Canadian to win his national open since Pat Fletcher in 1954. However, a security guard – who was just doing his job, to be fair – didn’t recognize Hadwin in the moment and tackled him to the ground.
I don’t know who this security guard is, but if he’s a local I’m guessing he was one hell of an enforcer when he played hockey growing up in the greater Toronto area. But given how strong his form is, maybe he played football.
There was a flurry of different videos posted on Twitter and even Hadwin’s wife was commenting.
Omg I can’t handle these different angles. The security guard’s laser focus on his target. Adam’s commitment to the giant bottle of champagne. So many things to take in with every new POV 💀😂 https://t.co/4SlIfznmJK
Nick Taylor just made the putt of his life and is now the winner of the RBC Canadian Open because of it.
On the fourth playoff hole of the 2023 Canadian Open, Taylor managed to sink a 72-foot putt to put the game away. Taylor was locked in a dead heat with Tommy Fleetwood, but was able to put home this long putt to win the tournament. The win is the first by a Canadian since since 1954.
Not only that, this putt was the longest putt of Taylor’s career. Quite a time to sink a long ball! Here’s how Taylor’s final putt went down, celebrations and all.
Nick Taylor will never have to buy a Molson at a 19th hole in Canada for the rest of his life.
The 35-year-old from Winnipeg claimed his third PGA Tour win on Sunday at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in North York, Ontario, after a marathon four-hole playoff with Tommy Fleetwood and made a little history on the side as the first Canadian to win his national open since Pat Fletcher in 1954. Taylor ended the 69-year drought and tournament in style with a 72-foot prayer of a putt that was answered by the golf gods and produced a miraculous moment for the tens of thousands of Canadian fans who weathered the rain to witness it.
“It feels, I can’t even describe it. This is the most incredible feeling,” said Taylor. “The fans were unbelievable all day. Every green, every tee box I was getting ovations and to make those last two putts to give myself a chance to do that, I’m speechless.”
“Nice moment for Nick and the fans here. So 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. But, yeah, congratulations to him,” said Fleetwood, who is still chasing that elusive first PGA Tour win. “I had my chances and didn’t take ’em.”
Tyrrell Hatton (64), Aaron Rai (67) and C.T. Pan (70) finished T-3 at 16 under, with Eric Cole (63) and Mark Hubbard (70) three shots back, T-6 at 14 under.
After making the cut by just one shot, Taylor fired a course-record 9-under 63 on Saturday to move within three shots of the lead entering the final round. Five birdies over his first ten holes propelled Taylor to a three-shot lead at 16 under with eight holes to play, but by the time he tapped in for his first bogey of the day on the 11th hole, his lead was just one.
In a matter of minutes Cole signed for a 63 of his own and was in the clubhouse at 14 under, and he was shortly joined in second by Fleetwood and Rai after the pair made birdies on Nos. 8 and 12, respectively. Hatton joined the party and tied Taylor at 16 under after he birdied his final four holes to sign for his second 8-under 64 of the week. Rai threw his name in the mix with a birdie on the last, leaving a three-way tie for the lead with Taylor on the par-5 18th tee.
His approach to the green went long into the rough, and his chip shot left a six footer for birdie. Taylor took a few steps and let out an epic fist pump as his putt curled in from the right side of hole to take the clubhouse lead with a 6-under 66. Fleetwood birdied two of his last three but made a disappointing par thanks to two bad shots on the 18th hole and forced a playoff at 17 under with a 5-under 67.
Both players found the fairway on the first playoff hole, No. 18, but each blew the approach and missed the green to the left. Despite an awkward stance with a foot in the bunker, Taylor hit a beauty of a pitch and left just a few feet for birdie. Fleetwood juiced his from the rough but got up-and-down with a lengthy birdie putt to apply the pressure on Taylor, who made his putt just as it started to rain to take the playoff back to the 18th tee.
[pickup_prop id=”33905″]
From the fairway Fleetwood missed his approach on the second playoff hole even further to the right, so far in fact that it landed in the hospitality tent. Taylor took advantage and ran his approach from the first-cut rough just to the left of the green, but a long way from the back right pin. Taylor’s chip left something to be desired as it came up woefully short of the pin, leaving a 20-foot birdie putt. Fleetwood got a drop in the thick, wet rough and hit one inside Taylor to 11 feet. After Taylor’s effort missed low and right, Fleetwood missed high and left to send the playoff to the par-3 ninth.
Taylor just missed the green but left a short putt from the fringe while Fleetwood’s shot clung to the edge of the green just a few feet closer. Both missed their putts and tapped in for par, sending this marathon match back to the par-5 18th for a fourth playoff hole.
Nick Taylor leaps into the arms of his caddie after sinking a 72-foot putt in a playoff to win the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. (Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports)
After a poor tee shot forced Fleetwood to lay up, Taylor’s found the front-half of the green from the first cut, leaving a 72-foot putt for eagle. Fleetwood’s approach came up short of the pin, leaving 12 feet from a similar location as one of his previous missed birdie putts. With his nation watching, Taylor buried the putt and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
The win is Taylor’s third of his career after he previously claimed the 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and 2014 Sanderson Farms Championship. He had missed the cut in his last two starts but now has six top-10 and two runner-up finishes this season.
Looking for his first win on the PGA Tour, Tommy Fleetwood hit his ball into a hospitality tent to the right of the 18th green on the second hole of a playoff to decide the 2023 RBC Canadian Open.
The 32-year-old from Southport, England, squared off against Nick Taylor, the Winnipeg native who is aiming to become the first countryman to win the Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954. Taylor and Fleetwood finished the tournament tied at 17 under, and after each made birdie on the par-5 18th – Fleetwood got up-and-down after a drop in the rough – the playoff went to the 159-yard par-3 ninth hole.
From there each made par, sending the playoff back to the 18th at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto.
C.T. Pan is on top with 18 holes to go at the RBC Canadian Open, but there’s a six-way tie for second that include Rory McIlroy, who is the back-to-back defending champion of the event.
Saturday’s scores were low at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto, and plenty of players took advantage. There’s Pan and McIlroy near the top, Canadians Nick Taylor and Corey Conners lurking and others searching for their first Tour victories among the mix up top.
A reminder: you’d have to go back to the 50s to find the last time a Canadian won the Canadian Open.
From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the final round of the 2023 RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf and Country Club.
Sunday tee times
1st tee
Tee time
Players
7:50 a.m.
Andrew Landry
7:55 a.m.
Richy Werenski, Henrik Norlander
8:05 a.m.
Scott Piercy, Vince Whaley
8:15 a.m.
Bill Haas, Trevor Cone
8:25 a.m.
Brent Grant, Cameron Young
8:35 a.m.
Martin Trainer, Adam Long
8:45 a.m.
Stuart Macdonald, Scott Brown
8:55 a.m.
Michael Kim, Mike Weir
9:10 a.m.
Chez Reavie, Akshay Bhatia
9:20 a.m.
Wil Bateman, Jason Dufner
9:30 a.m.
James Hahn, Patton Kizzire
9:40 a.m.
Harry Hall, Ryan Gerard
9:50 a.m.
Callum Tarren, Peter Kuest
10 a.m.
Alex Smalley, Cameron Percy
10:10 a.m.
Ryan Moore, Sahith Theegala
10:20 a.m.
S.Y. Noh, Brice Garnett
10:35 a.m.
Brian Gay, Austin Smotherman
10:45 a.m.
Justin Lower, Dylan Wu
10:55 a.m.
Roger Sloan, Peter Malnati
11:05 a.m.
Sung Kang, Garrick Higgo
11:15 a.m.
Matt Kuchar, Ludvig Aberg
11:25 a.m.
MJ Daffue, Sam Bennett
11:35 a.m.
Carson Young, Lee Hodges
11:45 a.m.
Shane Lowry, Taylor Pendrith
12 p.m.
Lucas Glover, Cody Gribble
12:10 p.m.
Eric Cole, Will Gordon
12:20 p.m.
Brendon Todd, Greyson Sigg
12:30 p.m.
Ted Potter Jr., S.H. Kim
12:40 p.m.
Carl Yuan, Matt Fitzpatrick
12:50 p.m.
Adam Hadwin, Chesson Hadley
1 p.m.
Tyrrell Hatton, Harrison Endycott
1:10 p.m.
Doug Ghim, Nate Lashley
1:20 p.m.
Brandon Wu, Jonathan Byrd
1:35 p.m.
Aaron Rai, Corey Conners
1:45 p.m.
Andrew Novak, Nick Taylor
1:55 p.m.
Justin Rose, Harry Higgs
2:05 p.m.
Rory McIlroy, Mark Hubbard
2:15 p.m.
C.T. Pan, Tommy Fleetwood
How to watch
You can watch Golf Channel for free on fuboTV. ESPN+ is the exclusive home for PGA Tour Live streaming. All times Eastern.
