2023 RBC Canadian Open Picks, Predictions & Odds: Lowry Excels in Major Prep

While it's far from the No. 1 story in the golf world this week, the RBC Canadian Open is taking place at Oakdale Golf and Country Club amid the groundbreaking news. Here are our top Canadian Open picks based on the best golf odds and an in depth look at Oakdale.

As Rory McIlroy attempts to win his third straight RBC Canadian Open, he and the rest of Canadian Open field will try to tune out the noise of the PGA Tour's unexpected merger with the LIV Golf Invitational Series. Our Neil Parker broke down the merger with his winners and losers.

As the third-ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) McIlroy is a heavy consensus betting favorite across our best sports betting apps. He's joined at the top of this week's oddsboard by Tyrrell Hatton, Sam Burns, Matt Fitzpatrick, Cameron Young, Shane Lowry, and top-ranked Canadian Corey Conners.

Let's look at our best RBC Canadian Open picks from our best sports betting sites, along with a course preview and key stats for the week.

RBC Canadian Open picks

• To win: Shane Lowry (+2200 via FanDuel)
• Top Canadian: Mackenzie Hughes (+850 via PointsBet)
• Tournament 3-ball: Matt Fitzpatrick (+200 via DraftKings) vs. Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton

RBC Canadian Open odds

Canadian Open odds last updated Wednesday, June 7, 3:15 p.m. ET.

Check out our look at the U.S. Open odds, Open Championship odds, FedEx Cup odds, 2024 Masters odds, and PGA Championship odds.

Who will win the Canadian Open?

Shane Lowry (+2200 via FanDuel)

Lowry was one of three golfers to tie for a distant 10th, 10 strokes behind McIlroy, in the 2022 Canadian Open. Though we're not putting much weight into the results of previous runnings of this event due to the fact it changes location nearly every year, it does say something about how the biggest names in attendance use the Canadian Open to prepare for the third major of the year. Lowry is also listed among the favorites by the U.S. Open odds.

Lowry followed up an impressive T-12 showing in the PGA Championship with a T-16 result last week during the Memorial Tournament. The Irishman gained 0.83 strokes on approach per round and was also effective on the Bentgrass greens. That approach play is the continuation of his strength this season while he showed improvement on the greens. He has also been among the most accurate drivers of the golf ball over the last 20 measured rounds for everyone in this field.

Top Canadian pick

Mackenzie Hughes (+850 via PointsBet)

Hughes is the third-ranked Canadian in the OWGR but is fifth by the odds in this nationality prop at PointsBet. He's also fifth on the oddsboard for this market at DraftKings, but with odds of +800.

The 32-year-old native of Hamilton, ON, is coming off back-to-back missed cuts in the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament. However, he previously tied for 14th against another pre-major field in the AT&T Byron Nelson. He claimed his second PGA Tour win in October.

Though he played just two rounds and missed the cut at Muirfield Village Golf Club last week, Hughes showed great improvement with his approach play and irons while struggling on and around the greens. I expect better in those two consistently strong facets of his game, especially close to home.

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Canadian Open matchup pick

Matt Fitzpatrick (+200 via DraftKings) vs. Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton

The odds for this tournament 3-ball matchup list McIlroy as the favorite at +140 and Hatton second with +180 odds. However, Fitzpatrick's odds of +200 are too good to let pass by in what should be a more evenly priced line.

Hatton leads this field in strokes gained: total over everyone's last 16 measured rounds, but Fitzpatrick is a close fourth. He also tied for ninth last week and averaged 0.63 strokes gained: around-the-green per round.

I'm avoiding McIlroy in the Canadian Open as I think he'll be more concerned with trying to end his early round struggles in majors next week than attempting the 3-peat in Canada.

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Canadian Open field notes & odds analysis

While McIlroy and Fitzpatrick (No. 8) are the only golfers from the top 10 of the OWGR in the Canadian Open field, Hatton (No. 16), Burns (No. 14), and Young (No. 17) also rank in the top 17 following the Memorial Tournament. Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor, Adam Svensson, and Hughes accompany Conners in the strong Canadian contingent looking to keep the Canadian Open title on home soil for the first time since Pat Fletcher in 1954.

Former Masters champ Mike Weir is among the 12 Canadians to receive a sponsor invite, along with American PGA Championship star Michael Block, who's coming off a missed cut in the Charles Schwab Challenge.

The odds for McIlroy are predictably prohibitive given his recent performance in this tournament. It's important to know that each of those was played at a different course. Still, given his popularity, back-to-back wins in this event, and T-7 finishes in the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament, he'll remain a top Canadian Open pick among casual bettors.

His outright odds could drop even lower across the board by Thursday's first tee times; however, DraftKings notably raised his odds amid the chaos of the PGA Tour-LIV merger..

Oakdale Golf and Country Club course profile

Par: 72
Length: 7,264 yards
Greens: Bentgrass/Poa annua blend
Architect: Stanley Thompson

Oakdale Golf and Country Club is a 27-hole venue in Toronto, ON. Eighteen of the best holes will be used for the Canadian Open as the venue hosts this event for the first time. The adjusted Stanley Thompson design can be tailored to play an additional 200 yards longer round-by-round this week.

Scoring will come relatively easily this week as all par 5s are reachable in two and four par 4s play shorter than 400 yards. The greens are rather small but dangerously sloped and predominantly guarded by false fronts. The thick, U.S. Open-esque rough will be the primary challenge, especially for longer hitters with fairways becoming narrower in the traditional landing areas.

While there is plenty of water on the course it isn't an overly prevalent hazard.

RBC Canadian Open key stats

• Strokes gained: approach
• Strokes gained: around-the-green
• Good drives gained
• Birdie-or-better percentage

RBC Canadian Open info

When: Thursday, June 8 - Sunday, June 11
Where: Oakdale Golf & Country Club, Toronto, ON, Canada
How to watch: Golf Channel, CBS, TSN, CTV
Purse: $9 million
Defending champion: Rory McIlroy

Recent Canadian Open winners

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