Paulie’s Picks: 2025 RBC Canadian Open at TPC Toronto

The 2025 RBC Canadian Open is being held at a new venue this year, TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. As is usually the case with a new course, how it will play for the pros is a bit unknown. Everything I have heard and read leads me to believe this will be a ball-striker's paradise. 

TPC Toronto is very long with wide enough fairways to provide an edge to bombers off the tee, but this won’t be a pitch-and-putt course as players will still be faced with mid irons on many of the par 4s. It’s difficult to adjust to a new course in terms of putting and chipping due to the lack of course knowledge, so look to target players with above-average length who are striking their irons well. Let’s take a look at two very motivated individuals this week:

Taylor Pendrith: Top 20 +140

Taylor Pendrith had the best Strokes Gained: Approach of his career last week at the Memorial, gaining 7.3 strokes (his previous high was 6.1 at the 2022 Rocket Mortgage). Just how good was his iron play last week? It was slightly better than Scottie Scheffler, who went home with the trophy. Prior to that, Pendrith finished fifth at the PGA Championship, where he gained 9.8 strokes tee to green. The ball-striking is definitely there, it’s just a matter of whether the putter will cooperate. Pendrith has practiced and played multiple PGA Tour Americas events at TPC Toronto in the past, so he may have more local knowledge than any of the top players in the field this week. Pick Pendrith to be a contender at his national open.

Luke Clanton: Top 20 +200

Luke Clanton makes his professional debut this week. He ranks 115th in the world even though he has only played a limited pro schedule as an amateur. He has played 13 events on Tour and has finished in the top 20 in six of them. Clanton is an elite driver off the ball and, over the last year, is averaging more strokes gained off the tee per event than Rory McIlroy over the last year. He also ranks fifth in this field in approach play. To me, this seems like a great time to buy low on Clanton’s upside on a course that should suit his game.