(Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)

Before the U.S. Open tees off next week, the PGA Tour makes its annual trip north of the border for the RBC Canadian Open, starting Thursday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ontario.The Canadian Open has missed out on top names in recent years, as many top players want to be off the week before the U.S. Open. Two-time champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, a proponent of playing national opens, is skipping this year, while Scottie Scheffler hasn't appeared since 2022.This week, which marks the second straight year at TPC Toronto, there is some major talent on hand. Englishmen Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Aaron Rai (three of them major winners) will play, as will Collin Morikawa and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, the 2024 champion.Morikawa skipped last week's signature event, the Memorial Tournament, in favor of making his first start at the Canadian since 2019. It's been a busy year for Morikawa: He won his first tournament in almost 2 1/2 years at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am; hurt his back at The Players Championship and withdrew; and he and his wife just welcomed their first baby.'I left the PGA Championship uncomfortable in a way,' Morikawa said. 'I've been grinding (with this) back injury since The Players. It still hadn't felt that comfortable. So it was nice to take a full reset and just focus on other things going on in life. I think after that I've just been able to relax a little bit more.'There's still a trust factor that I'm looking for that I'm trying to find this week going into (Thursday) and into next week, essentially. But it's a lot better of a swing than I've been putting on and that's, for me, a positive thing.'Of course, what matters more to local fans is to see the top Canadian golfers vying to win their national open. When Nick Taylor beat Fleetwood in a playoff in 2023 on a dramatic 72-foot eagle putt, he was the first countryman to lift the trophy since 1954.Taylor is one of the 21 Canadians competing this week, along with PGA Tour veterans Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin and 56-year-old Mike Weir, playing for the 33rd time. But there are just as many youngsters, including three amateurs (Eric Zhao, Laurent Desmarchais and Jeevan Sihota).'I think it can be an intimidating feeling playing in your national open, playing in a PGA Tour event for the young guys,' Conners said. 'Certainly I was there many years ago. I think my advice to them is really trust their game. They're here for a reason. Don't try and overdo things, just try and be free and trust what got them here and enjoy the experience, have fun.'TPC Toronto's North course is a par-70 track measuring 7,389 yards. Two players posted 9-under 61 in the first round last year, but the winning score settled in at 18-under par.Last year, Ryan Fox of New Zealand took down Sam Burns in a playoff for his second PGA Tour win, which came one month after his first in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Fox gets the benefit of defending his title at a course he's familiar with rather than a new venue.'I've got good memories around here,' Fox said. 'I hit a lot of good shots so I can look back at those and go, 'Yeah, I remember that hole, this is what you are supposed to do. I hit a good shot here.' And that hopefully brings you a lot of confidence.'--Field Level Media