RBC Canadian Open Tips

Previews and pre-event analysis from Golf Betting System's PGA Tour and European Tour coverage

Betting Preview - 2014 RBC Canadian Open

To read Steve Bamford's RBC Canadian Open Tips for 2014 click here. Follow Steve on twitter: @bamfordgolf

The RBC Canadian Open is steeped in history and sits in the same category as national Opens such as the Australian, French, South African and Spanish. The fact that the Royal Bank of Canada supported tournament is on the PGA Tour means that the tournament gets a quality of field that other Opens simply dream about and that makes it's an interesting tournament from a betting perspective. A dedicated charter flight from the United Kingdom brings back players who competed at the Open Championship; all of whom would love to follow in the footsteps of Snead, Palmer, Nicklaus, Trevino, Norman and Woods who have won Canada's Open. Read Steve Bamford's RBC Canadian Open tips for 2014 click here

Tournament Facts & Scheduling

The RBC Canadian Open visits courses across the country, with the Blue Course at Royal Montreal Golf Club hosting the 2014 renewal. The tournament is always scheduled directly after The Open Championship and that positioning between The Open and the PGA Championship, makes it an extremely popular tournament for plenty of the world's elite players who play 4 weeks straight across the United Kingdom, Canada, Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship. FedEx Cup standings, especially a spot in the Top 125 become a huge priority for many in the field, with only the Reno-Tahoe Open and Wyndham Championship tournaments left to play for those outside of the WGC and Major fields.

RBC Canadian Open Course Details

Blue Course, Royal Montreal Golf Club, Ile-Bizard, Quebec. Designer: Dick Wilson 1959, with Rees Jones renovation 2004/5; Course Type: Classical Par: 70 Length: 7,153 yards; Bunkers: 89 Fairways: Bentgrass Poa Annua; Rough: Kentucky Bluegrass; Greens: 5,000 sq.ft average featuring Bentgrass Stimpmeter: 11.5ft Canadian Scoring Avg 2012: 69.59 Ranked 32 of 49 courses for difficulty on the 2012 PGA Tour 2013: 71.60 Ranked 28 of 43 courses in 2013 for difficulty.

Previous Champions: 2013: Brandt Snedeker; 2012: Scott Piercy; 2011: Sean O'Hair; 2010: Carl Pettersson; 2009: Nathan Green; 2008: Chez Reavie. 2013: -16/282; 2012: --17/263; 2011: -4/276; 2010: -14/266; 2009: -18/270; 2008: -17/267

Winners Prices: 2013: Snedeker - 14/1 2012: Piercy - 50/1 2011: O'Hair - 100/1 2010: Pettersson - 80/1 2009: Green - 200/1

Pre-Tournament Key Summary

Taking a consistent line from the RBC Canadian Open is difficult on the basis that the tournament moves from year-to-year. Back as recently as 2011, Shaughnessy out on the Canadian west coast, close to Vancouver, played technical tough with poa annua greens adding complexity to the whole betting proposition. Scott Piercy's win at Hamilton Golf and Country Club was on a course that could be attacked; and Brandt Snedeker's win at Glen Abbey was similar. The course was a short Par 72 which was perfect for strategic plotters who could position themselves on the right side of fairways to attack pins.

From an Open Championship perspective those that show form in the United Kingdom tend to carry that forward when they get off the charter flight in Canada. As ever form-in has to be viewed as a positive, but O'Hair, Green and Reavie had superb weeks from nowhere.

With the FedEx Cup Play Offs just around the corner it's also worthwhile looking into players who need a result; either to cement their place in the Top 125 or for whom a result is imperative to grab full playing privileges for next season. Jason Bohn was 137th in the FedEx Cup standings when he finished tied-2nd in 2013 and Canadian Open expert William McGirt was 119th when he also finished tied-2nd.

Below we track the results of Golf Betting System PGA Tour tipster Steve Bamford who has been producing weekly tips since 2009. You can also follow him on Twitter @bamfordgolf.

2013

• Luke Donald 1.75pts 25/1 RESULT: MC
• Chris Kirk 1pt EW 50/1 RESULT: T13
• Matt Jones 1pt EW 66/1 RESULT: WD before Round 1
• Cameron Tringale 1pt EW 125/1 RESULT: T44
• Jason Bohn 0.75pt EW 150/1 RESULT: T2

2012

• Hunter Mahan 2pt EW 16/1 RESULT: T48
• Rory Sabbatini 1pt EW 66/1 RESULT: MC
• Scott Piercy 1pt EW 50/1 RESULT: Winner
• D.A. Points 1pt EW 125/1 RESULT: MC
• Bob Estes 2pts Top 10 11/1 RESULT: MC