Steve Palmer's Canadian Open Golf Tips

Steve Palmer Updated: 07 Jun 23 12:37 Published: 06 Jun 23 16:57

The PGA Tour stages the final event before the US Open this week – the Canadian Open from Toronto – and Racing Post golf guru Steve Palmer is on hand with his verdict.

Steve Palmer's Canadian Open Tips

Justin Rose To Win Outright @ 18/1
Sahith Theegala To Win Outright @ 30/1
Eric Cole To Win Outright @ 66/1
Adam Hadwin Top Canadian @ 11/2

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What	Canadian Open
Where	Oakdale Golf and Country Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
When	12:00, Thursday 8th June - Sunday 11th June
How to watch	bet365 Live Golf Tracker & Sky Sports Golf
Odds	Rory McIlroy 5/1, Tyrrell Hatton 12/1, Sam Burns 14/1, Matt Fitzpatrick 16/1, Cameron Young 16/1, Corey Conners 16/1

There is just one PGA Tour gathering left before the elite gather in California for the third Major of the season. The US Open takes place next week, but first the Canadian Open is on the menu, with Rory McIlroy looking for a boost to confidence.

McIlroy was tied for the lead going into the final round of the Memorial Tournament last week and he made a positive start when going one-under-par through four holes. From the fifth hole onwards, though, the four-time Major champion lost the plot, carding seven bogeys in the space of 13 holes, finishing the event tied for seventh place.

McIlroy's wedge-play was awful on Sunday at Muirfield Village and that is a club which will be employed a lot at Oakdale. Only his biggest fans will be staring at the 5/1 this week and thinking it is a value wager.

Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick, two likely Ryder Cup colleagues for McIlroy in September, are also using the Canadian Open as a US Open warm-up spin. The 12/1 about Hatton and the 16/1 about Fitzpatrick are more appealing prices.

Shane Lowry is another European raider and the burly Irishman can be backed at 20/1. Lowry has been struggling with a misbehaving putter in recent weeks, but the rest of his game has been in decent nick, and he has got a solid Canadian Open record.

Each-way terms of a quarter the odds, the first five places are available for the Memorial, as well as alternative options, like a fifth the odds, the first eight places, in the Each Way Extra section.

Canadian Open course details

Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto is a 7,264-yard, par 72, with three par-fives, 12 par-fours and three par-threes.

Oakdale is hosting the Canadian Open for the first time. The front nine will play almost 400 yards longer than the back. The front nine is tight, tree-lined and fiddly, but expect fireworks on the more welcoming back.

This is a composite course of the 27 holes at this venue. Black Creek runs through the layout and the greens are relatively small.

Clear, calm and pleasant weather is expected for the most part, with temperatures around 20C, but some light rain is possible on Sunday.

Six of the holes on the back nine may be wedge-shots, so excelling with that club on approach could be the key to success.

Rose can bloom again in Canada

The 18/1 about Justin Rose taking the title is well worth considering. He carded a final-round 60 for fourth place in the last Canadian Open and the resurgent 42-year-old is back to his best.

Only a matter of time for Theegala

The 30/1 about Sahith Theegala seems generous when you consider just how many times this great young talent has contended over the last two years. The breakthrough may come on Sunday.

Cole can keep his fire burning

Eric Cole, 15th in the US PGA Championship last month, is another maiden playing well enough to enter the equation at Oakdale. The 66/1 chance seems a cracking each-way investment.

Hadwin best equipped for pressure

A Canadian has not won this event since 1954, so the pressure on the local lads is immense.

Adam Hadwin has the best temperament of the Canucks, so consider the 11/2 for top Canadian.