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Nick Taylor has won on the PGA Tour before, but not like this.
The 35-year-old counts a PGA Tour highlight, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, as one of his two previous titles, but none means more than his National Open.
Not since 1954 had a Canadian won the only PGA Tour event held in the “Great White North” and this took a heavy toll on Taylor, especially after an opening round 75 that left him tied for 120th.
He called his wife, Andy.
“My wife gave me a pep talk to Thursday night. I was just kind of standing in my own way,” he said Saturday. “I knew my game was up there, but a little kick in the ass didn’t hurt.”
Taylor, who hit a club record 63 on Saturday, followed suit with a 66 on Sunday capped off by birdies on 17-and-18 in dramatic fashion to score 17-under and eventually force a playoff with Tommy Fleetwood.
He matched Fleetwood’s birdie on the first playoff hole, and after the encounter continued on the fourth hole, Taylor drained a 73-foot eagle putt on the 18th green at Oakdale Golf and Country Club to break Canada’s winless drought at the RBC Canadian Open.
The scene on the 18th green turned into a madhouse as fans stormed the green after the bomb exploded. The aftermath was so frantic, that security even tackled fellow Canadian pro Adam Hadwin when he tried to spray the winner with champagne.
Not only did Taylor’s win break the Canadiens’ drought at their national opener, it was also the Canadiens’ fourth Tour win of the season. This is the most since the tour began holding these records in 1983.
“I can’t even describe it. It’s the most incredible feeling,” Taylor said after Sunday’s playoff game. “The crowd was amazing all day. Every green box, every tee box I’ve had is applauded and for making those last two whacks to give myself a chance to do so, I’m speechless.
While the 72-footer has prevented Fleetwood from becoming the most hated person in Canada, he continues a questionable streak for the Englishman. Despite owning six DP World Tour victories and entering the week ranked 23rd in the Official World Golf Ranking, he is the second highest ranked player without a PGA Tour win. The highest-ranked is second-year PGA Tour member Cameron Young (No. 17).
Fleetwood had a shot at winning the tournament straight on the 18th hole, but caught his bout and made the controversial decision to surrender. The second was blocked in the thick rough to the right of a steep bank of the right fairway, and I made it well from there. The quirky 499-yard par-5 was the easiest hole in the field all week, playing more than half a putt to par.
“I was playing very well and got a bit quick,” said Fleetwood. “Obviously I had my chances starting with a par 5 with iron from the tee and then into the playoff. But I wouldn’t take anything away from Nick. I played him the first two rounds and he obviously struggled on day one. So he played incredibly from there Then an amazing moment for him on the last hole.”
Taylor started the day at 11-under, behind a crowd of six golfers in a tie for second place, including Fleetwood at 12-under. CT Pan held the lead evening by two goals at 14-under, but struggled early and recovered to finish tied for third with Terrell Hatton and Aaron Ray at 16-under.
Rory McIlroy also started the day at 12 but didn’t get any momentum and settled for 72 and a T9.
Taylor’s victory capped a turbulent week on the PGA Tour as she announced a stunning merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, primary backer of rival LIV Golf. It was the second consecutive RBC Canadian Open to have been clouded by controversy around the golf world after the launch of LIV during the event in 2022.