Six-way tie for lead after first round of RBC Canadian Open

One shot back of the leaders is a massive 11-player cluster

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Published Jun 11, 2026  •  Last updated 19 minutes ago  •  5 minute read

Sahith Theegala of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open 2026 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 11, 2026 in Caledon, Ont. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis /Getty Images

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CALEDON, Ont. — There’s a traffic jam at the northern border after the first round of the RBC Canadian Open.

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After morning showers gave way to hot and humid conditions, TPC Toronto was ripe for a shootout with receptive greens inviting birdie looks and soft fairways helping to keep golf balls out of the punitive rough. The result was a six-player tie for top spot that includes a Canadian, as well as 18 players within one shot of the lead.

Mississauga’s Matthew Anderson played in the final group of the day but made it worth the wait, shooting a six-under 64 to join the clubhouse leaders.

“Just tried to keep going and see where we end up,” Anderson said of keeping his wits about him as he climbed the leaderboard at his national open.

Anderson, 26, is playing the season on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he has missed his past five cuts.

“ I obviously haven’t played my best recently like on Korn Ferry,” he said. “You’re always working on stuff. You’re always working on things you can get a little better at, and you never know when it’s going to click. It happened to kind of click today.”

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The group at the top includes headliners Brooks Koepka and Sam Burns, as well as the popular Sahith Theegala, a red-hot Eric Cole, and Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo.

Koepka played in a group with former Canadian Open champs Nick Taylor and Ryan Fox. Defending champion Fox shot a four-under 66 and Taylor shot a three-under 67.

“We had a good time. Obviously it’s a good group,” Koepka said. “I enjoy playing with those guys. They’re quite fun and chatty while we’re playing, which is great. Then the fans were great. So that’s all you can ask for any time you tee it up.”

Despite turf conditions primed for low scores, TPC Toronto’s greatest defence seems to be its exposure to wind. Even Thursday’s relatively mild breeze was enough to keep scores from dipping into the low 60s.

“The wind was tricky, because it wasn’t heavy, but it was enough where you kind of get it to swirl, and you get in those trees,” Koepka said.

“The ball gets up and all of a sudden the cross wind really takes it,” Theegala said. “The way the holes are, the way the whole course is designed, there’s a ton of cross wind with this west, southwest kind of wind. Pretty much every hole felt like some sort of the cross wind, so it’s tricky. … You have to start it in the fescue with the crosswinds. Just have to really commit. It’s easy to hit some foul balls out here.”

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As an RBC Ambassador, fans can expect to see Theegala in Canada most years, and the 28-year-old said he has had an affinity for Canada since his first trip.

“I just love it. Especially, I really felt it my rookie year coming up here before I was an ambassador, I just loved the event. The Canadian fans are awesome. They’re just so excited to have us here,” he said.

“I feel like I get a ton of support out here, more so than I do on a normal week on the Tour for sure,” Theegala added. “Just everything about that makes it feel like an elevated kind of event. I know how much it means to the Canadian players and there’s a reason why guys, the best players in the world come over here to play. There’s just something a little more about a National Open.”

One shot back of the leaders is a massive 11-player cluster at five under par, a group that includes Canadian Adam Svensson and fan-favourite Shane Lowry.

“I hit the ball extremely solid. I think I missed one fairway,” Svensson said. “This golf course is difficult. You’ve got to putt well, got to do everything well, and I feel like I did that today.”

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Everyone who plays golf has experienced the feeling of arriving at a familiar golf course excited and ready for a great day, only to make a mess of the very first hole. What is unfamiliar for most golfers is immediately bouncing back with four consecutive birdies.

That’s exactly what happened to Taylor Pendrith, who offered the following advice to golfers on how to handle a rough start.

“Just try to forgive yourself a little bit,” he said after firing a four-under 66.

The former Presidents Cup player is one of a number of high-profile Canadians under-performing this season. Pendrith has struggled with his putter but on Thursday he rolled in 121 feet of putts and was among the best in the field with the flat stick.

“These are the type of greens that I kind of grew up putting on, so I definitely feel comfortable on them,” he said. “It was nice today to make a bunch of putts. That always feels good, especially early in the round it kind of gives you a little bit more confidence throughout the day.”

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Pendrith feels quite comfortable everywhere at TPC Toronto, as the Richmond Hill native likely has spent more time at the 54-hole facility northwest of Toronto than anyone else in the field.

“I played two Mackenzie Tour events here and I played multiple rounds with my friends in carts with music and maybe a beverage,” he said. “It’s nice to come back here. It’s very familiar to me and there are friendly faces that I haven’t seen in a while cheering me on. So I love playing here.”

Pendrith entered the week ranked 87th in the FedEx Cup standings, where he needs to finish inside the top-100 to retain his full status on the PGA Tour.

Mackenzie Hughes, who entered the week outside the top-100, and Adam Hadwin, who is playing the season on the Korn Ferry Tour, shot matching one-under 69s.

Rookies are Canada’s brightest lights this season with Sudarshan Yellamaraju entering the week 49th in the FedEx Cup and A.J. Ewart at 88th. Both youngsters also shot one-under 69s.

Most surprising is Corey Conners, usually the most consistent and top-ranked Canadian on tour, Conners is just three spots ahead of Pendrith in 84th spot and coming off a rather shocking 79-78 weekend finish at The Memorial. He began his week with a disappointing one-over 71 at TPC Toronto.

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