The 120-year-old Canadian Open is regarded as one of the most significant golf events since it is a part of the "Triple Crown of PGA Tour," which also includes the U.S. Open and the Open, two majors, being the oldest PGA Tour events; only Tiger Woods and Lee Trevino have won all three in a single season.
The annual event has been canceled eight times, including two world wars and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Open, in its entire history, has been played on 37 different courses. However, the most common of them was Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario, as it hosted the Canadian Open 30 times, with the most recent one being in 2018.
How to Qualify at the RBC Canadian Open?
For the RBC Canadian Open, Golf Canada holds a two-stage qualifying process: regional qualifying, followed by final qualifying. The latter is conducted one day before the practice rounds of the tournament start.
At the regional qualifying round, a maximum of 144 golfers compete at five golf courses for an exemption as a low-qualifier at the RBC Canadian Open field. The top 10% of each golfing site gets qualified for the final qualifying round. Regional qualifying registration begins two months prior to the event and is played in an 18-hole stroke-play format.
At the final qualifying round, the golfer who has achieved top rankings at the regional qualifyings competes, and only four are able to make an appearance at the RBC Canadian Open. The field should consist of 120 golfers at maximum. It must be noted that if each site has a field of 120 golfers, the other amateurs get a direct exemption from the event.
Eligibility for Qualifying
Members of other PGA affiliates or the PGA of Canada are in good standing and touring professionals are eligible to apply for qualifying rounds.
Participating amateur golfers for the qualifying rounds of the RBC Canadian Open must have a valid membership in Golf Canada, and their handicap must not exceed 2.0 during application filing; handicap is a metric to evaluate a golfer's potential. A golfer with a 2.0 handicap will achieve par with two strokes above par, max., so the lower, the better.
Each participant must pay an entry fee of $275 CAD; the fee is refundable if the golfer withdraws. The fee will become non-refundable after the golfer qualifies for the championship.
The Open Qualifying Series
The RBC Canadian Open is one of the 16 events in 11 nations that offers three leading non-exempt golfers from the top-10 finishers of the Canadian Open an appearance at the Open Championship, aka the British Open, the fourth and last major event of the season.
FAQ's On RBC Canadian Open Qualifier
A. The RBC Canadian Open is 120 years old (1904) and is considered part of the PGA Tour's prestigious "Triple Crown."
A. The RBC Canadian Open has been canceled eight times, including during two world wars and the COVID-19 pandemic.
A. The Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario, has hosted the RBC Canadian Open 30 times, most recently in 2018.
A. Golfers can qualify for the RBC Canadian Open through a two-stage process involving regional and final qualifying rounds organized by Golf Canada.
A. Members of PGA affiliates and the PGA of Canada, touring professionals, and amateur golfers with a valid Golf Canada membership and a handicap not exceeding 2.0 are eligible.
A. The entry fee for the qualifying rounds is $275 CAD, which is refundable if the golfer withdraws before qualifying for the championship.
