The favourites are to be avoided at Glen Abbey in the PGA Tour's first event since the Open.
Back to win
Charley Hoffman – {ODDS:172750272:25/1}
Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar are the clear favourites at the Canadian Open.
Considering Johnson’s poor form and Kuchar’s spirit-crushing defeat at the Open, though, it’s worth taking the American pair on this weekend.
On the back of a top-20 finish at Royal Birkdale, Hoffman is the player who looks best-placed to earn his first win since the Texas Open in April 2016.
The 40-year-old has finished eighth at the US Open and third at the Travelers inside his last four starts, and is on a run of nine consecutive made cuts – the exact same number that preceded his last triumph.
Having placed 16th and seventh in his last two appearances at this event, another high finish looks likely given his impressive form.
Each-way shouts
Ian Poulter – {ODDS:172750325:40/1}
Poulter was in contention at Royal Birkdale after an opening round of 67, but a disappointing 71 in favourable conditions on Saturday cost him a chance to challenge.
The Englishman’s T14 finish bodes well for his chances this weekend, though.
He’s now made eight cuts in a row – a run that started with a T2 at the Players Championship and also includes a top 10 at the Scottish Open – and he’s playing as well as he has at any point over the past couple of years.
Currently ranking sixth in approach play, second around the green and 11th in shots gained from tee to green on the PGA Tour, he has the game to contend this weekend, even if a first win since 2012 might be beyond him.
Jim Furyk – {ODDS:172750327:40/1}
No player in this field has had more success at the Canadian Open than Furyk.
The 47-year-old is a two-time winner of this event – taking back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007 – and has finished no lower than 14th in his last four starts at Glen Abbey.
While his Canadian Open wins came 10 years ago, he’s shown relatively recently that he can still compete, having placed fourth in 2015.
Furyk hasn’t had a particularly impressive season so far, but rebounded from a run of missed cuts with a T23 at the US Open and missed the Open in preparation for this event.
The PGA Tour’s second-most accurate player off the tee this year, he’s worth backing at this price.
Outside bets
Chad Campbell – {ODDS:172750366:50/1}
The lack of star names at Glen Abbey this weekend means there is a better chance than usual of an outsider winning, and Campbell is one of the more appealing players available at long odds.
The former Masters and PGA Championship runner-up has a fine record at this course, finishing 16th, 11th and 26th in his last three appearances.
He’s also played well in recent weeks, with two top-10s and four top-20s in his last seven starts.
With the bigger names on show likely to suffer an Open hangover, the American’s definitely worth a punt this weekend.
Insider knowledge
What is the payout for the Canadian Open?
The total purse for the 2017 RBC Canadian Open is $6m, with $1.08m of that going to the champion and $648,000 to the runner-up.
In 2016, winner Jhonattan Vegas won $1.026m – $18,000 less than this year’s champion will earn.
