Racing Post Canadian Open predictions & free golf betting tips: Lowry equipped to claim victory in Hamilton

When to bet on the Canadian Open

By midday on Thursday

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Where can I watch the Canadian Open?

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday

Ian Wilkerson's Canadian Open predictions

Shane Lowry
2pts each-way 22-1 Hills

Erik van Rooyen
1.5pts each-way 50-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Sahith Theegala
1pt each-way 20-1 Betfair, Hills, Paddy Power

Taylor Pendrith
1pt each-way 50-1 Betfair, Hills, Paddy Power

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Canadian Open preview

The PGA Tour is still in shock following the death of player Grayson Murray, who took his own life on Saturday, and the sombre mood is set to continue at this week's Canadian Open.

The tournament returns to Hamilton Golf & Country Club for the first time since Rory McIlroy claimed a seven-shot victory in 2019, and the world number three leads the field as he looks for his third win in the event.

Nick Taylor became the first Canadian winner since 1954 last year at Oakdale and a strong home contingent will be desperate to follow in his footsteps.

Top tip

Shane Lowry 22-1

McIlroy will understandably be all the rage this week after the scale of his win here last time and two victories in the last month, but it is his partner in the first of those triumphs that could be the one to watch at Hamilton.

Shane Lowry was the first to admit that his playing partner was the main reason the pair got over the line at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but there is plenty to like about the man from Offaly's chances this week.

Hamilton is a traditional layout which befits one of the game's oldest tournaments and was designed by Harry Colt, who also created Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, where Lowry enjoyed his greatest hour with a six-shot win at the 2019 Open.

That performance came a few weeks after Lowry was second to McIlroy at this venue and he heads into battle this week in good nick after his sixth at the US PGA.

The Irishman's putting has been an issue this season and he goes into the tournament 124th in terms of strokes gained on the greens, but he was the second-best flatstick performer at Valhalla so he may have turned the corner in that respect.

He was the third best putter in this tournament five years ago, so could find the Hamilton dancefloors again to his liking, and his usual tee-to-green quality should see him make a strong challenge.

Next best bet

Erik van Rooyen 50-1

There is not a great deal of course form to rely on this week but Erik van Rooyen was 20th five years ago when he started with a 64 and the South African has the game to be a factor this week.

Van Rooyen is an accurate type who should be suited by this week's assignment and while he did not make a huge impression in finishing 53rd at the US PGA, other results have been encouraging.

He has been knocking on the door in low-profile PGA Tour events and was fourth at the Myrtle Beach the week before his Major appearance at Valhalla.

Other notable results have been an eighth at the Mexico Open and second at the Cognizant Classic, when he finished with a 63, so he should relish the opportunity against a stronger field.

Other selections

Sahith Theegala 20-1

Taylor Pendrith 50-1

Sahith Theegala has had a while to think about the closing 73 that took him out of contention at the US PGA but Hamilton looks a good opportunity for him to bounce back.

He has already demonstrated his ability to perform on tight tracks with his second spot at Harbour Town Links in last month's RBC Heritage and his climb up the world rankings has been impressive.

Top tens at the Players Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Phoenix Open demonstrate that his win in September's Fortinet Championship should not be regarded as a fluke, and this could be the week he seals his second PGA Tour triumph.

The Canadians in the field will be desperate to follow Nick Taylor's triumph last year, and Taylor Pendrith could be offer the home nation's best chance of success.

He has already captured the CJ Cup this year and followed that with tenth spot at the Wells Fargo Championship a fortnight ago.

His standing of 13th in the strokes-gained-putting statistics is a positive and he will be keen to impress local support, having grown up about an hour away at Richmond Hill.

Course guide for the Canadian Open

• Course Hamilton Golf & Country Club, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• Prize money $9.4m ($1.692m to the winner)
• Length 7,084 yards
• Par 70 – Two par-fives, 12 par-fours, four par-threes
• Field 156 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for third round
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Rory McIlroy (3), Sahith Theegala (12), Tommy Fleetwood (13), Cameron Young (17), Tom Kim (26)
• Course records - 72 holes 258 Rory McIlroy (2019) 18 holes 61 Rory McIlroy (2019)
• Course winner taking part Rory McIlroy
• When to bet By 11.45am on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Thursday
• Time difference Hamilton is five hours behind the UK and Ireland
• Last week – Charles Schwab Challenge 1 D Riley (350-1), T2 K Bradley (45-1), T2 S Scheffler (3-1), 4 C Morikawa (12-1), T5 M Meissner (250-1), T5 S Straka (50-1), T5 Pierceson Coody (600-1), T5 H Buckley (1,000-1)
• Course type Parkland
• Course overview This will be the sixth occasion that the Hamilton Golf & Country Club has hosted the Canadian Open and the first time since Rory McIlroy destroyed the track five years ago. It is a short and tight layout that contains three long par-threes, with undulating fairways. New greens and bunker changes have been introduced since McIlroy's victory, which the designers hope will enable trickier pin placements this time. Some tees have been pushed back too.
• Story of last year Nick Taylor became the first Canadian player since 1954 to win his home tournament when he saw off Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto.
• Weather forecast Conditions should dry out towards the end of the week although the weekend may be cloudier than the first two days. Temperatures should be around 22C
• Type of player suited to the challenge Length off the tee is not necessarily an advantage but solid tee-to-green play and good putting were required for a strong finish five years ago.
• Key attribute Accuracy

Canadian Open key stat

Five of the top seven in the 2019 Canadian Open at Hamilton were ranked in the top six for strokes-gained: putting

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