RBC Canadian Open

After spending last week battling the wind across the pond in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, the best golfers in the world will spend this week north of the border fighting the rain and cold in the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario.

With a $5 million total purse and $900,000 winner’s share on the line, players will contend with the elements as well as Glen Abbey GC’s 7,222-yard, Par-71 layout.

Last year, American Jim Furyk shot a 16-under 268 to defeat runner-up Vijay Singh by one stroke. The victory was Furyk’s second consecutive Canadian Open title. This week, Furyk will attempt to become the first player in history to “three-peat” at the Canadian. Lee Trevino (1971, ’77, ’79) and Sam Snead (1938, ’40, ’41) won the event three times, with Leo Diegel (1924, ’25, ’28, ’29) earning four wins in Canada.

Despite being the reigning champ, no one would have been surprised if Furyk skipped the event following tough conditions at last weekend’s Open Championship in England. But the No. 10 ranked player in the world will tee it up this week and thinks that is the way it should be.

“I really feel like you should always come back and defend your championship,” said Furyk. “I had a lot of people thank me for coming back this week. Which, to me, is kind of like, I appreciate it, but I feel like it’s thanking me for something that you should do.”

There are five former Canadian Open winners in the field — Furyk (2007 and 2006), Mark Calcavecchia (2005), Bob Tway (2003), Scott Verplank (2001), Billy Andrade (1998) and Dudley Hart (1996).

This is the 99th tournament over 104 years for the Canadian Open — and the 24th time Glen Abbey GC has hosted — with the inaugural event held at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec in 1904. But there has not been a native win Canada’s tournament since 1954, when Pat Fletcher celebrated in front of his fellow countrymen.

The favorites to break the streak are 2003 Masters champion and Bright’s Grove, Ontario’s own Mike Weir, or Calgary, Alberta’s Stephen Ames.

Four years ago, Weir missed a potential tournament-winning putt on the 72nd hole, before losing to the then-No. 1-ranked Singh in a three-hole playoff. After coming close to holding the trophy in 2004, Weir looks to win one for Canada — in Canada — at one of the most important tournaments on his PGA Tour schedule.

“I’d never miss (the Canadian Open),” said Weir. “Even if I was injured I’d like to think that I wouldn’t miss it. This is really important to me and it’s important to all the Canadian guys.”