Tag: St. George’s Golf & Country Club

Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy among PGA Tour pros to support suspensions handed out by commissioner Jay Monahan

Two of the PGA Tour’s biggest names are standing firm in their support of the PGA Tour.

Count Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy among the PGA Tour pros who are “pleased” that PGA Tour Commissioner suspended members who violated Tour regulations by competing in the debut of the LIV Golf Series.

“I’m pleased. I think anybody that’s shocked clearly hasn’t been listening to the message that Jay and everybody’s been putting out. They took that risk going into it, whether they thought it was a risk or not,” Thomas said. “Like I’ve said the whole time, I have great belief and great confidence in the PGA Tour and where we’re going and continuing to grow to, and those guys just aren’t going to be a part of it.”

Thomas was asked if it will be awkward to see some of his former colleagues and Ryder Cup teammates such as Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and others next week at the U.S. Open.

“I saw D.J. last week at home, and it was fine. I would say a lot of guys, myself included, aren’t at a U.S. Open to socialize. I’m not there to have a conversation and catch up,” Thomas pointed out. “I’m sure it will be awkward. When I saw D.J. last week, I didn’t know what to say, if it was a congrats or a bye or whatever it was.

“It is what it is. I think we’re all grown-ups, and we understand there’s going to be some guys you can make some jokes to and some guys you have to leave it alone, but in the end, we’re all there to win a major.”

RBC CANADIAN OPEN: Leaderboard | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

Asked if he was concerned that more players would jump ship for the next Liv event in Oregon next month, Thomas said, “I mean, you don’t know. They’re obviously throwing so much money at people that it’s very hard to turn down. I don’t care what you say in terms of that people play for different reasons. It doesn’t matter who you are or what it is, everything has a number. They’re reaching that number for some people, and I hope that they don’t get others. But I think a very strong core group of us is very stable and firm in our position, and I hope that it stays that way.”

McIlroy, who is a player director on the PGA Tour policy board, reiterated  Wednesday that he would be staying put and supporting the Tour.

“I think at this point, Jay’s been pretty transparent in terms of he’s just going to act within the tournament regulations and the rules that are set for a PGA Tour member. All he’s doing is basically going by the book,” McIlroy said. “I think that the majority of the membership that are here this week and that haven’t went and played elsewhere really appreciate that. So I think he’s done the right thing because these guys have broken rules and done things outside of the tournament regulations, and because of that, there are going to be consequences, I guess.”

Asked if he planned to watch any of the LIV Golf on YouTube, McIlroy said he likely would. “I think like everyone else, I’m intrigued and I’m a fan of golf. I’ve got quite a few guys over there that I call friends that are playing,” he said. “Yeah, of course I’ll see it and watch it and see what all the fuss is about.”

Asked to name his favorite of the 12 four-man teams, specifically Team Majesticks or Fireballs, McIlroy said, “What are the other ones, like Iron Heads? I have no idea. Certainly not going out to buy any team merchandise any time soon.”

Canadian Corey Conners joined Thomas and McIlroy in throwing his support behind Monahan and the Tour.

“I have a lot of faith that the Tour’s making the right decisions,” he said.

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RBC Canadian Open returns after two-year absence with big names and large Canadian contingent

A lot has changed since Rory McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open the last time it was held in 2019.

As soon as Canadian Corey Conners landed north of the border for the RBC Canadian Open, he immediately made a beeline for a Tim Hortons and ordered an apple fritter and an espresso.

“Don’t know what it is about it, but that makes me feel like I’m at home,” he said of Canada’s largest quick-service restaurant chain.

The COVID-19 global pandemic canceled the 111th playing of Canada’s national championship at St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto for the past two years, during which a lot has changed in the golf world. A week before Rory McIlroy claimed the title in 2019 at Hamilton Golf & Country Club, reigning world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler missed the cut the Korn Ferry Tour’s Rex Hospital Open.

At the Canadian Open, two-time major champ Collin Morikawa made his pro debut, finishing T-14, and a week later Viktor Hovland was the low amateur at the U.S. Open. In the preceding three years, all three young guns have reached No. 3 or higher in the Official World Golf Ranking and combined to win 12 times on the PGA Tour.

RBC CANADIAN: Tee times, TV info | PGA Tour Live on ESPN+

“I think everyone I’ve spoken to, everyone that I’ve seen out on the golf course is really excited for the Canadian Open to be back,” said McIlroy, who shot 61 in the final round three years ago to win by seven strokes. “And just for live sporting events in general to be back on in this country. So yeah, excited to be back, excited to finally defend my title from three years ago at Hamilton.”

Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion leads a star-studded field that also includes the winner of the Players Championship (Cameron Smith) and PGA Championship (Justin Thomas). The RBC marks the fourth consecutive event on the PGA Tour schedule (and third non-major) with at least three of the top five players in the OWGR. Still, some big names, including former RBC ambassador Dustin Johnson, are missing and playing in the debut event for the LIV Golf Series, an upstart circuit funded by Saudi Arabia, at Centurion Golf Club near London.

Scheffler, who has won four times in his past 10 starts and lost a playoff two weeks ago, said he’s excited to make his first start in Canada.

“We got the best players in the world. I think we got five of the top 10 playing here this week? So the best players in the world are out here playing golf and I’m looking forward to competing against them this week,” he said. “I don’t really know what’s going on over there, so I don’t really have much to say.”

McIlroy, who has been one of the Tour’s staunchest supporters, echoed that sentiment.

“I want to play on the PGA Tour against the best players in the world. And I think for me, speaking to a few people yesterday and one of the comments was, anything, any decision that you make in your life that’s purely for money usually doesn’t end up going the right way,” he said. “Obviously money is a deciding factor in a lot of things in this world, but if it’s purely for money it’s not, never seems to, you know, it never seems to go the way you want it to.”

McIlroy recalled marking his ball on the greens when he won three years ago with a Canadian Loonie and said one of the golden dollar coins was already waiting in his locker when he arrived this week. The tournament’s local flare includes 20 Canadians in the field this week, including the threesome of Adam Hadwin, Mackenzie Hughes and 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir. Hughes, who referred to Weir as his childhood idol, was just 13 years old when he caddied in the pro am at the 2004 Canadian Open in a group with Weir.

“To think, what is it, 18 years later, I’ll play the first two rounds with him and be playing in the Canadian Open as a, you know, I think a player that has a chance to win, it’s pretty cool,” Hughes said.

He’ll try to end his countrymen’s drought dating to 1954, the last time a Canadian golfer (Pat Fletcher) won his national championship. Even McIlroy has heard of Canada’s long wait for a native winner.

“Corey Conners gets told every five minutes,” he cracked.

Conners, the top-ranked Canadian golfer at No. 31, said the current crop of Canadian players may finally be up to the task.

“I think it’s just a matter of time before someone changes the history on that,” he said.

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