GOLF

Daily Fantasy Golf Course Primer: RBC Canadian Open

What should you know about Glen Abbey GC for the Canadian Open?

Well, Jordan Spieth showed everyone why he's one of the best ever during last week's Open Championship, by racking up his third major at just 23 years old.

The Canadian Open might not have quite the fireworks (it won't), but for daily fantasy golf purposes, it's actually pretty interesting for a lot of reasons. Mainly because there's no way to predict a field like this.

What should you know about the course?

Course and Tournament Overview

Glen Abbey is a fairly easy course on the tour, though it didn't play that way in 2016. The par 72 played tougher than usual in 2016 than in recent seasons.

YearDifficulty RankCourseParYdsAvg ScoreAvg O/U Par
201614Glen Abbey GC72 7,253 72.5350.535
201531Glen Abbey GC72 7,253 71.211-0.789
201328Glen Abbey GC72 7,253 71.603-0.397
200940Glen Abbey GC72 7,253 70.892-1.108
200833Glen Abbey GC71 7,222 70.83-0.170


It's a loaded field (156 players), and the top 70 and ties make it through the cut after 36 holes.

Key Stats

Stats such as strokes gained: tee to green and strokes gained: putting are always good to take note of, especially in recent rounds, and birdie or better rate is crucial for fantasy point scoring. But here are the most important stats for Glen Abbey, according to the recent tournament finishes.

Key Stats for The RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey GC
Strokes Gained: Tee to Green
Par 5 Scoring
Strokes Gained: Approach the Green
Bogey Avoidance
Scrambling


The stats suggests you can't afford any weaknesses from tee to green this week, and the par 72 also suggests giving a boost to par 5 scoring.

Of the three non-putting facets, approach looks to be the strongest indicator of success in terms of the strokes gained department. Bogey avoidance and scrambling (or strokes gained: around the green, if you prefer) should also make your checklist.

Course Form Studs

Dustin Johnson has played the Canadian Open three times. He was cut in 2014 but finished second in both 2013 and 2016 (so, that's two runner-up finishes at Glen Abbey in two tries).

Brandt Snedeker, who withdrew from the Open last week, is probably the strongest course form player in the field. At Glen Abbey, he was fifth in 2009, first in 2013, and fifth in 2016. Sneds also finished 34th in 2012 and 25th in 2014.

Matt Kuchar, an RBC golfer, is a tough guy to figure out this week after his grind-it-out second last week at the Open, but he has finished top 10 at this event in four straight years: second in 2013, fourth in 2014, seventh in 2015, and ninth in 2016.

Chris Kirk has played this event three times since 2012 and was fourth in 2012. In 2013 and 2016 at Glen Abbey, he was 21st and 14th, respectively.

Andres Romero has finished 3rd in 2011, 21st in 2013, 20th in 2014, and 34th in 2015 at this event, with 2013 and 2015 coming at Glen Abbey.

Tim Clark won in 2014 and was 4th in 2010 and 15th in 2012. At Glen Abbey in 2015, though, he finished 63rd.

Jim Furyk was 9th at Glen Abbey in 2013, 4th in 2015, and 13th in 2016. He was also second in 2014 while playing at Royal Montreal.

Kevin Kisner has good event form: 59th in 2011, 10th in 2012, 9th in 2014, and 26th last year. Of course, only the 2016 finish came at Glen Abbey.

Ben Crane is four for four on cuts at this event (29th in 2011, 34th in 2014, 48th in 2015 at Glen Abbey, and 9th last year at this course).

William McGirt has a pair of seconds at the Canadian Open in 2012 and 2013, so at least one came at this course. McGirt is six of six on cuts since 2011 at the event but was 34th and 59th at Glen Abbey the past two seasons.

Martin Laird was 22nd and 16th in 2008 and 2009 at Glen Abbey, respectively. He did miss the cut in 2015 but was second here last season.