Sean O'HairBernard Brault
Two-time tournament champion Jim Furyk, 2012 Players Championship winner Matt Kuchar and 2012 US Open champion Webb Simpson will be among those trying to dethrone defending champion Sean O'Hair at the $5.2 million RBC Canadian Open.
Two-time major winner Retief Goosen, world No. 10 ranked Hunter Mahan, Japanese phenom Ryo Ishikawa and veterans Ernie Els and Vijah Singh will also participate at the tournament next week at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
A total of 17 Canadians will compete, including PGA Tour players Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., Calgary's Stephen Ames and Mike Weir of Bright's Grove, Ont.
Web.com Tour players Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., Matt McQuillan of Kingston, Ont., and Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont. as well as former Canadian amateur standout and recently turned professional Eugene Wong of Vancouver are also among the Canadian contingent looking to become the first home grown player since Pat Fletcher in 1954 to win Canada's National Open.
Also competing via exemption will be European Challenge Tour player Andrew Parr of London, Ont., Greg Doherty of Mississauga, Ont. and PGA of Canada professional Brian McCann, also of Mississauga, as well as Canadian Tour players Matt Hill of Bright's Grove, Ont., Corey Renfrew of Victoria and Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont.
A trio of Canadian amateur golfers will also challenge for the title including reigning Canadian Men's Amateur Champion and Team Canada National Team member Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont.; 2011 Canadian Men's Mid-Amateur champion Rob Couture of Trenton, Ont.; and Team Canada member Albin Choi of Toronto who last week won the Ontario Men's Amateur title.
The final four exemptions into the field will be handed out at the Final Qualifier set for Monday, July 23 at Heron Point Golf Links near Hamilton, Ont.
"The field is set and we're ready to kick off the 103rd playing of Canada's National Open Championship," said tournament director Bill Paul in a statement. "The golf course is in tremendous shape and our team of more than 1,700 volunteers is ready to welcome the world's best golfers."
For tickets please visit www.rbccanadianopen.com or call 1-800-571-6736.