RBC Canadian Open 2023 Predictions, Odds & Picks

Lost in the bombshell news of the PGA Tour merging with LIV Golf and the DP World Tour is the fact that there is, in fact, still a tournament to play this week. Come Thursday, Rory McIlroy and a number of other notable names will tee it up at the RBC Canadian Open at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto.

There's a lot to be said about the merger news that can be read elsewhere, but we have you covered when it comes to a close look at this week's action in Toronto.

McIlroy is the two-time defending RBC Canadian Open champion, as he won the tournament in 2019 and then again last year after its two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Unsurprisingly, he is favored to make it a three-peat, which would be a big boost for him ahead of next week's U.S. Open in Los Angeles.

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Who are the best bets this week in Toronto? Before we dive into our picks, let's take a look at RBC Canadian Open odds.

Odds to Win the 2023 RBC Canadian Open

• Rory McIlroy +500
• Tyrrell Hatton +1100
• Sam Burns +1400
• Matthew Fitzpatrick +1400
• Cameron Young +1400
• Corey Conners +1800
• Justin Rose +1800
• Shane Lowry +2000
• Tommy Fleetwood +2000
• Sahith Theegala +2800
• Keith Mitchell +4000
• Matt Kuchar +4500
• Adrian Meronk +4500
• Ludvig Aberg +5500
• Adam Hadwin +5500
• Eric Cole +5500
• Adam Svensson +5500
• Mackenzie Hughes +6000
• Maverick McNealy +6000
• Nicolai Hojgaard +6500
• Nick Taylor +6500
• Lee Hodges +7000
• Michael Kim +7500
• Alex Smalley +7500

Predictions and Picks for the 2023 RBC Canadian Open

RBC Canadian Open Winner Prediction and Pick: Rory McIlroy (+500)

As it was, the spotlight was going to be on McIlroy this week as the two-time defending champion and by far the biggest name in the tournament field.

Given McIlroy's previous status as one of LIV Golf's biggest critics and the secretive manner in which the merger took place, that spotlight will be even bigger.

What kind of effect will that have on his quest to become the first player to win the RBC Canadian Open three times in a row? He's likely to be internally stewing, and anger can sometimes bring out your best.

Putting all of that aside though, he is a good pick any way you look at it.

After missing the cut at the Players Championship and the Masters, then finishing tied for 47th at the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy enters this week's tournament after finishing tied for seventh in his last two tournaments.

Outside of the merger news and wanting to go into the U.S. Open on a positive note, there should be some extra motivation for McIlroy after a missed opportunity at the Memorial Tournament.

He entered the final round tied for the lead at -6, and after an up-and-down front nine, he made it back to that number with seven holes left. But he bogeyed four of his last seven holes and finished three-over for the day and four shots behind playoff participants Viktor Hovland and Denny McCarthy.

There could be a surprise winner this week, but in a field that is lighter in strength compared to say, the U.S. Open, the best players are pretty safe picks. After all, the top finishers at last year's RBC Canadian Open were many of the top names in the field.

Other Tournament Picks

Corey Conners to finish in the top 10 (+175)

Is this the year that a Canadian finally wins this tournament again? Only five Canadians have won the Canadian Open, none since Pat Fletcher in 1954.

Conners missed the cut last week at Muirfield Village, but I like him to bounce back this week with a strong showing. Last year, he finished sixth, shooting a final-round 62. This year's tournament is at a different venue, but that doesn't affect my outlook here.

Sam Burns to finish in the top 20 (-115)

Burns finished tied for fourth at last year's RBC Canadian Open, five shots behind McIlroy, and there's a lot of value in backing him to finish in the top five (+185) or top ten (+360) again.

But if you want to go for a safer pick over maximizing your potential winnings, you can't go wrong here, especially at these odds.

Burns won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March but has yet to finish in the top five in a stroke play event this season.

However, he has finished in the top 20 nine times, including four top-ten finishes. And though he isn't doing as well as he did last season, there are some positive signs. After missing back-to-back cuts at the Wells Fargo Championship and PGA Championship, he finished tied for sixth at the Charles Schwab Challenge and tied for 16th at the Memorial Tournament.