Corey Conners is one of the main attractions at the Canadian Open amid the haze and another figurative cloud hanging over the tournament.
But Conners, who met with the media on Wednesday afternoon, is doing his best to block out both distractions and keep things in perspective.
“As far as I know everyone is in good shape back home,” he said, about the effect forest fires were having in and around Perth County and near Listowel, where he grew up.
“It’s not something you ever want to deal with, it’s a pretty scary situation.”
Oakdale Golf & Country Club, site of this year’s tournament in north Toronto, is shrouded in smoke. Creating just as much anxiety is Tuesday’s news that the PGA Tour was joining forces with Saudi Arabia’s national sovereign fund, ending the conflict that had dominated elite golf around the world.
Conners said that he fills little ill-effects from the remnants of smoke on the golf course but he acknowledged that the news of the PGA Tour-Saudi partnership being struck was jarring when he first heard of it on Tuesday morning.
A day later he was down-playing the importance of the news on him, saying he prefers to focus on a big week coming up.
“I trust the leadership of the PGA Tour to get us through this,” he said.
Conners is perhaps Canada’s top hope this week. He won in Texas earlier this season, his second career PGA Tour victory; his first took place at the same golf course four years earlier. A lot has changed in that time, including Conners establishing himself as a top-flight PGA Tour player and Presidents Cup team member.
Most importantly, he became a father.
“She won’t remember it but I’ll remember (the image) of her running out on the green (after the win) for the rest of my life,” said Conners of his and Malory’s daughter, Reis, who is 18 months old.
Last month, he led for most of the third round of the PGA Championship, the season’s second major but came unstuck after taking double bogey when his ball became plugged on the lip of a bunker on the 17th hole.
Though still in contention – he started the final round just a shot back of the lead – he never recovered and eventually tied for 12th after a Sunday 75.
“It was a great spot to be in,” said Conners. “I got out of my rhythm and there were a few decisions that I would like over…if I could have to do it over again there was a few moments that I (should have) just slowed down and re-focused.”
Oakdale is tough to handicap this week. It has never hosted the Canadian Open before and its 18 tournament holes have been carved out of a composite of the course’s three nine-hole layouts. It is thought that the course will be scoreable coming home but could be difficult on the opening nine.
Last year, Conners used his superior iron play to go low on Sunday, firing an 8-under 62 to surge to a solo-sixth place showing. That made him top Canadian and a player to watch this year, even if there is lingering disappointment from the poor final round at the PGA.
“My record is not particularly great (until last year) but I’m definitely getting more comfortable with the added responsibility of playing in the Canadian Open,” he said, adding that the tournament feels very much like a major to him and the other Canadians playing.
Rory McIlroy won last year, besting a field that included Justin Thomas and Tony Finau playing with the Northern Irishman in the final group. Conners had gone out early and at one point was threatening the lead before McIlroy and Co. pressed the gas.
McIlroy’s backing of both the PGA Tour and Canadian Open since the LIV threat emerged 18 months ago was still on display on Wednesday.
“I still hate LIV, I hate them,” said McIlroy, while repeatedly making the point that the new alliance between the Saudis and the PGA and European tours is a different entity than the start-up circuit, which will play out its second season and then is expected to fold.
“I feel badly for RBC,” said McIlroy, of the bank’s long-time title sponsorship of the event, “and I feel badly for the Canadian Open.”
It was a common refrain echoed by Conners and others on Wednesday, especially because last year’s tournament that took place at St. George’s in Toronto’s west end was also disrupted by LIV’s debut tournament taking place overseas in London at the same time.
“It doesn’t seem fair,” said Conners’ close friend and fellow two-time PGA Tour tournament champion, Mackenzie Hughes, who is from Dundas.
