2024 RBC Canadian Open: Top 10 power rankings at Hamilton

Canadian golf is as strong as ever. There are several names who could fly the maple leaf flag high this week, including Listowel, Ontario, native Corey Conners.

He would love nothing more than to win in his home province.

Conners has played well at his national open before, but his two PGA Tour wins both came far away from his home country at the Valero Texas Open.

Conners took sixth a couple years ago at St. George’s. He’s eager to get another crack at Hamilton, where he missed the cut in 2019 despite posting 1-under (70-69).

“Really thick rough. It’s going to be tough. Going to put a real premium on getting the ball in the fairway, and hitting a lot of greens,” Conners was transcribed by ASAP Sports in 2019. “A lot of the greens have some slope. You get in the rough around the greens, it’s going to be tough to get the ball close. It’s a little unpredictable how the ball may react, but I like the type of grass that they have here, what I grew up playing on.”

The 32-year-old Kent State alum comes into the week in modest form. His last start a couple weeks ago produced T-26th at the PGA Championship. Conners owns 21 straight made cuts, good for the fourth-longest streak on the PGA Tour.

The downside is he’s yet to finish in the top 10 this season. The upside is he’s not far off with seven top-30s and a T-31st, as well.

Conners ranks 13th on the PGA Tour in average approach proximity from the rough (40’6”), which should help him hack it out of the thick stuff he described earlier.

He’s also second in Strokes Gained: Approach (.978) and greens in regulation (72.33%). Conners is 10th in SG: Tee-to-Green (1.164).

As long as he doesn’t get out of position and have to lean on his short game, Conners has the ball striking to compete against anyone.