Host course
Lambton Golf and Country Club in Toronto was established in 1902. It has 27 holes. It underwent an extensive renovation in 2009, headed up by renowned course architect Rees Jones. The qualifier will be played as a par-70 at almost 7,000 yards. Last year Callum Tarren and Satoshi Kodaira shot 9 under to grab the final two spots. Jonas Blixt won at 10 under.
Players in the field: 33
Spots available: 3
Most decorated players in the field
• Webb Simpson: The 2012 U.S. Open champion is in the qualifier for the first time since his 10-year exemption into the championship ended in 2022. A seven-time PGA Tour winner, Simpson has struggled this year, and he recently split with longtime caddie Paul Tesori. He has only one top 10 this season.
• Ludvig Aberg: The top-ranked amateur in the world, Aberg just completed his college career at Texas Tech. He has secured his PGA Tour card for 2023-24 after finishing first in the PGA Tour U rankings.
• Jimmy Walker: The winner of the 2016 PGA Championship contemplated retirement, but he has six top 25s in 19 events this season. He is looking to make his 11th U.S. Open appearance.
PGA Tour winners:
Ryan Armour
Ben Martin
Webb Simpson
Michael Thompson
Martin Trainer
Jimmy Walker
Korn Ferry Tour winners:
Michael Gligic
Harry Hall
Harry Higgs
Storylines
• Luke Smith: Smith won’t graduate until 2025…high school, that is. The 16-year-old Canadian has won numerous junior events across the country and is looking to play in his first major.
• Cougar Collins: What a name! And what a sponsor he has: Bin There Dump, a dumpster rental service. Collins, 23, is a Canadian who played at Eastern Michigan. A guy named Cougar with a dumpster company on his shirt walking the grounds at one of the most exclusive private clubs in the United States, is the kind of story I LIVE for.
• Michael Block: The overnight sensation from the PGA Championship was originally scheduled to play at Hillcrest in Los Angeles, but things changed after he got a sponsor’s exemption into the Canadian Open.
• Harry Hall: The Englishman almost went wire-to-wire last week at Colonial, only to miss the playoff due to a 72nd-hole bogey.
• Cam Kellett: Kellett played for Eastern Michigan and writes a blog about his mental health, talking openly about his struggles.
Other notables in the field:
Ryan Gerard
Maverick McNealy
Vincent Norman
Aaron Rai
Carl Yuan
Link to Scoring: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/9398543096347674987
