The Punter's De-brief: Fox doubles up in Canada

• In-form defending champ shortens up for Oakmont success

• Connor claims the spoils at the KLM Open

• Read my US Open preview here

Dave Tindall's 66/167.00 each-way selection, Ryan Fox, began the fourth and final round of the Canadian Open tied for the lead with Manny Manassero and he was the man to beat according to the market, although he did drift before the off.

Having been trading at around 4.77/2 on Sunday morning, he was out to 5.39/2 before he teed off and on a day of low scoring at TPC Toronto, he drifted out to 42.041/1 during the final round.

It had been a condensed leaderboard through 54 holes with the top 15 players separated by just four strokes and a number of players made an early charge at the title on Sunday.

The halfway leader, Cameron Champ, birdied three of his first four holes before fading, Kevin Yu was matched at just 2.3411/8 after he'd birdied the first and eagled the second and Cameron Young got off to flier, eagling the opening hole.

Young, who's still yet to win on the PGA Tour, was matched at as low as 3.259/4 but a bogey at the par five 18^th, when he needed a birdie to tie the clubhouse lead, ended his challenge.

Having began the day trailing by four and trading at 60.059/1 and having teed off an hour and three-quarters before the final pairing, Sam Burns, posted the clubhouse lead on -18 following a sensational eight-under-par 62 and it looked for some time that it was going to be enough.

Fox, who had been just one-under for the day after 13 holes, birdied 14 and 15 to get to within a stroke of Burns before making this birdie four at the last to draw alongside him.

We're headed to a playoff @RBCCanadianOpen! 🇨🇦

Sam Burns takes on Ryan Fox, live now on CBS. pic.twitter.com/XjybSnTkNE

-- PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 8, 2025

Burns was matched at as low as 1.141/7 in-running and he was the odds-on favourite to win the playoff but after three somewhat boring extra holes, when both men recorded par fives, the tournament was finally decided at the fourth attempt.

"That shot I hit on 18 ... probably the best shot I've ever hit."@RyanFoxGolfer sealed the deal with this shot on the fourth playoff hole @RBCCanadianOpen. pic.twitter.com/Nmx4kojXRt

-- PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 8, 2025

It was Fox's second PGA Tour title, following his victory in the Myrtle Beach Classic a month ago but I can't pretend not have been a bit irritated by the result.

Fox had contended strongly for the title 12 months earlier when he'd been matched in-running at odds-on.

He'd led by four at the turn in round three before fading when a selection at 130.0129/1 for the Find My a 100 Winner column, and my only other pick in the event 12 months ago was Sam Burns!

A tragic case of premature tipulation!

In-form defending champ shortens up for Oakmont success

Following the Canadian Open, the two playoff protagonists, Burns and Fox, are now 85.084/1 and 110.0109/1 respectively to win the US Open (previewed here) and Rory McIlroy, who missed the cut in Canada, has drifted all the way out to 14.013/1.

The favourite, Scottie Scheffler, who took last week off, is a rock-solid 4.131/10 chance but the result of the LIV Golf Viginia has influenced the US Open market.

The winner, Joaquin Niemann, is in to 38.037/1, form a high of 60.059/1, and after an impressive rally that saw him end the week in a tie for fourth, the defending US Open champion, Bryson DeChambeau, is now trading at 8/19.00 and that's the shortest he's been since the market opened.

Connor claims the spoils

Over on the DP World Tour, pre-event 150.0149/1 chance, Connor Syme, won the weather-affected KLM Open in impressive fashion.

In search of his first victory on the DP World Tour, the 29-year-old Scotsman was an extremely impressive winner.

He'd performed poorly when tied for the lead with a round to go at the SDC Championship in March last year, falling to tied fourth after a sorry 75 on Sunday, but he didn't put a foot wrong in round four yesterday in very challenging conditions.

Having led by two and having been trading at 1.758/11 with a round to go, he went on to win by just two strokes, but the margin of victory was only so short because Joakim Lagergren, who had been matched at a low of 2.245/4 during round three, made an eagle at the last.

Whether you've backed the winner or not, the scenes on 18 after victory is assured, are always a delight to watch.

The way Syme's peers celebrated with him afterwards was absolutely fantastic and the fact that his wife, Alanis, had flown in to surprise him only added to the joyous occasion.

Connor Syme's wife, Alanis, surprising him on the final hole #KLMOpen pic.twitter.com/cxRGMqTrxG

-- DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 8, 2025

Off the pace Burns worth keeping an eye on

I very often back Justin Thomas at a big price when he's sitting off the pace on a Sunday morning and Sam Burns is another with a propensity to finish strongly from a mile back.

In addition to his run from off the pace yesterday, Burns won the Charles Schwab Challenge back in 2022 having trailed by seven with 18 to play!

He's won all four of his PGA Tour stroke play events having been behind with a round to play so he's one to consider when trailing.

*You can follow me on Twitter @SteveThePunter

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