5 Canadian Open predictions: Will we finally see an ace at 'The Rink?'

It's Canadian Open week! While it may be just another tournament for most golf fans, it's the lone opportunity for those north of the border to witness some of the game's best compete.

The second-oldest PGA TOUR event will be played at TPC Toronto, a new venue for the tournament that dates back to 1904. Two-time Canadian Open winner Rory McIlroy is the headliner, with Ludvig Aberg, Corey Conners, Shane Lowry, and defending champion Robert MacIntyre rounding out the field.

Let's get to five predictions for what's about to unfold at Canada's national open.

A Canadian will contend ...

Two years ago, Nick Taylor ended a 69-year drought for Canadians at their home open. Now, there are more Canadians playing better than ever who have a legit shot at repeating Taylor's magic (including Taylor himself).

Conners has the best shot at pulling off the feat. He's third on the oddsboard at +2000 at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet, behind McIlroy and Aberg and tied with Lowry. TPC Toronto is a demanding course from a ball-striking perspective, and few players in the world are better ball-strikers than Conners. If his putter can hold serve, he should have a late tee time Sunday.

Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes, and the 2023 champ - Nick Taylor - are all inside the top 13 on the oddsboard. The odds for any Canadian to win the tournament are +525 (16% implied probability). Canadian golf fans hoping for some more home-country heroics could be in luck.

... and that Canadian will be Taylor Pendrith

Pendrith has the best shot at winning this tournament among the Canadians. The North Course at TPC Toronto is tailor-made for his style of play. Distance will be vital to success over four rounds on the 7,400-yard, par-70 layout, and Pendrith has more than enough horsepower to keep up with the other bombers in the field.

He's also playing some of the best golf of his career. Pendrith finished T5 at the PGA Championship - his best career result in a major - and came T12 at the Memorial Tournament last week, where he led the field in strokes gained: approach.

The crop of Canadians is strong this week, but if one is going to make a run, Pendrith will be the guy.

"The Rink" will deliver an ace

Since its inception in 2017, "The Rink" hole at the Canadian Open has become the tournament's main attraction. However, there's yet to be a hole-in-one at the signature hole, which would surely send the rowdy fans into a frenzy.

This is the year it happens. "The Rink" hole has been a challenging par 3 in past editions, typically playing close to 200 yards. But the 14th hole at TPC Toronto's North Course is maxed out at 160 yards this year, with the ability to move it up to 140.

With a wedge in hand for the entire field, and a green that has some accessible pin locations, there'll be an ace at the Canadian Open's signature hole.

TPC Toronto will provide a stiff test

Any time the PGA TOUR heads to a new course, there are always concerns as to whether or not it can test the world's best players. But at 7,400 yards, one of the longest venues on the schedule, the new host site will do a good job challenging this week's field.

It won't be as difficult as a major championship or tournaments like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but players will have a handful of demanding mid-to-long irons into the greens that'll make birdies tough to come by. The par 5s are scorable, but there aren't many other birdie opportunities on the property.

Expect a winning score in the mid-teens, with the potential for one or two players to separate from the pack. Once Sunday comes to a close, any concerns about the new course from a PGA TOUR-test perspective will be squashed and should have fans excited to see the tournament return to TPC Toronto next year.

The winner will lead the field in strokes gained: ball striking

When the North Course at TPC Toronto was renovated by architect Ian Andrew ahead of this year's Canadian Open, there was a focus on making it a tee-to-green test.

"The focus for me is trying to balance out tee to green becoming a greater part of what is required for a player to succeed and hopefully win rather than it just becoming a putting contest," Andrew said, according to PGA TOUR's Adam Stanley.

A lot of PGA TOUR venues fail to challenge golfers' ability to hit long irons into greens. Players hit it so far off the tee, typically leaving them with wedges into most par 4s. That means the green-in-regulation percentage is relatively high, and the only way to separate from the field is by making a lot of putts.

That won't be the case this week, with six par 4s over 480 yards. The winner of this tournament will lead the field in strokes gained: ball striking (off the tee plus approach) due to the course's demanding length.