RBC Canadian Open First-Round Leader Tips: Vote Varner

Dave Tindall
08 June 2022
3:00 min read

Harold Varner can start fast

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The PGA Tour heads over the border and Dave Tindall has three picks to be First-Round leader at St George's...

Weather forecast for Thursday: It's a rather cool start with temperatures around 60 degrees for the first few hours. By 2pm the mercury levels are up to 75. Winds are fairly steady at around 10mph. There's no great advantage although with the weather just a little grotty very early I don't want anyone in the first few groups.

Varner can vault into early lead

Harold Varner was last seen collapsing like a cheap table when he went from joint-leader to finish tied 27th in the final round at Colonial.

That was clearly one to forget but it shouldn't detract from the strong golf he continues to play.

As well as making a title challenge there, we've also seen the American win February's Saudi International, take sixth place in The Players Championship and third in the RBC Heritage.

And fast starts have been part of the deal too. He had a piece of the first-round lead at the Charles Schwab Challenge last time, and was also in the top 10 after 18 holes at the US Masters and the RBC Heritage.

He's opened with a round in the 60s in each of his last three Canadian Opens and, on current form, looks a good bet at 50s to start fast again.

Varner tees off at 1.04pm so should have the warmer conditions.

Justin can go Low

Justin Lower is in one of the later morning slots at 8.41am and could give us a run for our money at 100/1.

The 33-year-old has had some decent results since winning his card and should enjoy this shorter course.

He's placed tied 15th at the Corales Puntacana and 17th at the Bermuda Championship while he teamed up with Dylan Wu to finish tied 10th at April's Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

The duo opened with a 64 in that team event while Lower also fired that number in solo play at the Byron Nelson two starts ago.

That put him second after 18 holes while he was still fourth at halfway before fading away.

Other good starts this season include a 65 at the RSM Classic and a 67 at the Bermuda Championship which was good enough for fourth place after Thursday's play.

Side with Svensson

My second late pick is a home player, Adam Svensson, who heads off at 1.59pm.

The Canadian is a fairways and greens type who tends to perfoms better on shorter tracks.

This season we've seen him finish seventh at the Sony Open and ninth at the Honda Classic and he's steadied the ship again after a poor run by making his last three cuts.

In round one he was third at close of play in the first round of the RBC Heritage after a 66 and also shot that number to sit 8th after 18 holes in the Wells Fargo last month.

Svensson has started with 69s in two of the last three Canadian Opens he's contested and hopefully can put in a low one on this new course.

A two-time winner on the Korn Ferry last year, he's 80/1 to be FRL.