There are five Canadians in contention at the 2019 Royal Bank of Canada Canadian Open in Hamilton, Ontario after the first round on Thursday. Nick Taylor of Winnipeg, Manitoba is the top Canadian and is only one shot back of 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley of the United States after an impressive six-under par 64.
The other Canadians within three strokes off the lead are Adam Hadwin of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, who is only two strokes back, and David Hearn of Brampton, Ontario, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ontario and Drew Nesbitt of Shanty Bay, Ontario who are at four under par and three shots back.
Taylor is in a tie for second place with Shane Lowry of Ireland, Sungjae Im of South Korea, Erik van Rooyen of South Africa, and Roberto Castro of the United States. In Taylor’s impressive round, he had a birdie on the first four holes, and birdies on the 12th, 16th and 17th holes to go along with a bogey on the 13th hole.
Of the five Canadians who have won a tournament, three have won a PGA Tournament in the past. Taylor won the 2014 Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi. Hughes won the 2016 RSM Classic in Saint Simons Island, Georgia and Hadwin won the 2017 Valspar Championship in Palm Harbour, Florida. No Canadian has won the Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher won in 1954.
