McCARTHY: Did RBC Canadian Open's new venue make the grade?
CALEDON, Ont. — A fan with fake abs shaved into his hairy beer belly is flexing for mobile phones as the masses prepare for another well-lubricated rendition of our national anthem.
Article content
The rowdiest of the Saturday afternoon crowd at TPC Toronto hang and bang on the makeshift hockey boards. The well-heeled are also in the vicinity, but kept safely above the fray in cozy corporate suites. CBS stars Amanda Balionis and Colt Knost are minutes from charging onto the tee in duelling Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers hockey sweaters.
Article content
Social media teams buzz about, trying to decide which part of the intentional chaos to point their cameras. In the middle of it all, Mackenzie Hughes and caddie Julien Trudeau stand on the tee box having a conversation about the wind.
Article content
Welcome to the RBC Canadian Open. More specifically, welcome to the Rink Hole.
Article content
Saw lots of new things at the rink hole this week @RBCCanadianOpen and that includes fake abs shaved into belly hair. pic.twitter.com/Xac37vskyd
— Jon McCarthy (@jonmccarthySUN) June 9, 2025
Article content
'It's a lot of fun. I'm very proud to be Canadian. It's a great country. I'm very proud to be from here. I can feel that pride out there for us and just for people being Canadian,' Hughes said after firing his way into contention during Saturday's third round. 'Yeah, really enjoying it. Like I said, the support's been phenomenal.'
Article content
The rink hole, now in its seventh iteration, has become a microcosm of the RBC Canadian Open, and of modern professional sports as a whole.
Article content
In a media and entertainment world fighting for the next viral moment, big events are spending plenty of time, money, and brain power on figuring out how to put all the ingredients together to create perfect bite-sized content that will find its way into your algorithm.
Article content
'We're not just a golf tournament, we're a sports and entertainment property,' tournament director Ryan Paul said. 'I know we continue to try to build on the Canadiana of this event and where we can add to that.'
Article content
In a sea of sameness on the PGA Tour schedule, the RBC Canadian Open is showcasing its differences.
Article content
We might secretly cringe at listening to the 10th off-key version of O Canada belted out at the Rink Hole or at seeing Mounties used as models for a world audience, but the shame of selling out was strictly a 90s thing. When getting noticed is the end game, it's simply called leaning into your strengths.
Article content
Looking around TPC Toronto this week, all you see is lots of people having fun, some watching golf, some not. And if you ask around the PGA Tour, the tournament has developed a reputation, both for its vibe, and for punching above its weight as a tournament and a product.
Article content
'It's become a very, very good tournament,' two-time champion Rory McIlroy said before missing the cut for the first time in five appearances. 'I think because of that, and you see guys playing each and every year, I think the field then starts to become stronger because you see your peers do something, and we're all like sort of sheep out here. Once one person does something, we all sort of try to do the same thing.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
35 minutes ago
- National Post
Losing Sarah Nurse hurt the Toronto Sceptres, but the hurting is far from over
As tough as that first week of the PWHL expansion process was here in Toronto, it's tonight's expansion draft that is really going to determine the Toronto Sceptres' future. Article content Losing a foundational and instrumental piece in Sarah Nurse during the five-day exclusive signing window for the league's two new teams was devastating on its own. Article content Article content But tonight, the Sceptres will lose three more players with the ability to add just one more to its protection loss after the next member of its roster is taken. Article content Toronto's primary issue has to be goaltending. In Kristen (Soupy) Campbell, they have a goalie who can be lights out for long stretches of time and won the league's goaltender of the year in Season 1, but has shown a penchant — three stretches over the first two seasons — in which her game falls apart. Article content It occurred to begin the year in Season 1 before Campbell rallied and then again early in the season in year two. Then it fell apart in the playoffs, at the worst possible time as the Sceptres went from a 1-0 series lead and a hold on Game 2 to losing that game and eventually the series, with suspect goaltending high on the list of reasons why that happened. Article content Backup Raygan Kirk was able to step in during the regular season this past year and righted the ship, going 5-1 in her rookie season in the PWHL. But Kirk got hurt just before the season ended and was unavailable when Campbell tilted in the playoffs. Article content Which brings us to tonight's expansion draft where the Sceptres will lose three more players. Article content Both expansion clubs in Vancouver and Seattle have already signed a goaltender but there's a very good chance they will be looking to get some insurance at that position in tonight's draft. Article content Kirk, who had the advantage of both youth and what we assume is a cap-friendly contract could very well be one of those young goaltenders that is being targeted tonight. Article content If Toronto does view Kirk, as we think they do, as the future in the Toronto net, they may have to spend their fourth on final protection on her. Of course, that's assuming they even get to that point before Kirk's name is heard. Article content The likely bet, and this will come as another blow to the Toronto fanbase, is that the next member of the Sceptres' roster to be cherry-picked by one of the incoming teams will be fan favourite Emma Maltais. It will be after that selection that Sceptres' GM Gina Kingsbury will have to determine whether to use that final protection on a goaltender who has made a total of seven starts and played in just 10 games for this team.
CBC
36 minutes ago
- CBC
Ticats GM says he has been diagnosed with 'a serious form of cancer'
Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager Ted Goveia says he has been diagnosed with "a serious form of cancer that's spread." In a story posted on the club's website Friday, Goveia, 55, said the diagnosis was made in April. Although there was no specific mention as to the form of the disease, two league sources said Goveia is battling esophageal cancer. "I wanted to keep my health condition in house until we had a chance to build our team and pick our final roster," he said. "I am grateful that we were able to focus on fielding the best team possible for 2025 and not have my health become a distraction. "I let the players know that I'm not going to be here (at team facilities) every minute of the day, and I'm going to be in treatment and need to focus on my health. I'm still the general manager, but I'll not always be in the building. But in today's day and age, everything's downloaded to my laptop and there's always the phone." Goveia, of Burlington, Ont., was named Hamilton's GM on Dec. 5, 2024, following 11 years with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The appointment was a homecoming for Goveia, who played high school football at Assumption Secondary School and later coached there as well as other local organizations. Goveia's early days as Ticats' GM were long and busy as he put together a staff while looking to improve a roster that last year missed the CFL playoffs. All the while getting to know the people in his new workplace. But in March, Goveia told The Canadian Press he never had to look far to gain a sense of perspective or appreciation that he'd landed his dream job. "The other morning I went into the office at 6:30 a.m.," Goveia said. "Got up, grabbed my coffee and drove over the (Burlington Skyway) bridge and I'm looking out and the sun was coming up. "I just sat there smiling as I drove thinking, `Man, I'm 17 minutes from home.' I do love southern Ontario and appreciate the opportunity to work back at home, for sure." Hamilton (7-11) missed the 2024 CFL playoffs and last won the Grey Cup in 1999. "Our CFL family and the entire CFL community sends its best wishes to Ted Goveia after learning of his cancer diagnosis," CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston said in a statement. "Fans from coast to coast to coast send their strength to you and your family. "Your journey through the game has been an incredible inspiration to us all, and we're here now to support you every step of the way throughout this courageous fight." Goveia began his CFL career with the Toronto Argonauts in 2010 Goveia began his tenure in Winnipeg as the club's assistant GM/player-personnel director before being promoted to senior assistant GM in 2019 following the franchise's 33-12 Grey Cup win over Hamilton. Goveia said being away from the team while undergoing treatment will only serve to motivate him in his fight. "I enjoy being around our players and I will miss the daily interaction — it motivates me to kick this and get back with the team," he said. "I feel like we're in good shape, but I did have to meet with everybody in the building because I thought they had the right to know. "As difficult a conversation as it is to have, I owe that to the players and to the people who are working here." And Goveia said the Ticats are in very good hands at this time. "I'm not at all concerned that we're going to be able to function well throughout this," he said. "I don't have one worry about that. "I feel like we're in good shape, and I think we've got a bunch of rising stars (in football operations)." Goveia began his CFL career with the Toronto Argonauts in 2010, serving as running backs coach and director of Canadian scouting before being promoted to player-personnel director. Over his four seasons with the club (2010-13), it reached the playoffs three times and captured the 100th Grey Cup in 2012 under then-head coach Scott Milanovich, who's entering his second season as Hamilton's head coach/offensive co-ordinator. Goveia would later be on two Grey Cup-winning squads in Winnipeg (2019, 2021). Before making the move to the CFL, Goveia spent 15 years coaching Canadian university football, including stops at his alma mater, Mount Allison, McMaster, and the University of British Columbia.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
PWHL Expansion Draft Today
PWHL fans are getting ready to say goodbye to some of their favourite players as the league adds squads in Seattle and Vancouver.
