After His Wife’s ‘Little Kick in the BU**,’ PGA Tour Event Witnesses History as Hometown Hero Re-Writes Record Books at the Canadian Open

Golf fans have much to look forward to as the Canadian Open heads into its final day. After all, day 3 of the prestigious tournament saw the likes of C.T. Pan, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Rose deliver exciting performances to keep fans at the edge of their seats.

However, just three shots back of the lead is a Canadian golfer who set a course benchmark at the Oakdale Golf and Country Club on Saturday. As he vies to become the first Canadian to win the tournament in nearly seven decades, the 2-time PGA Tour winner opened up about how he turned things around with the help of a pep talk from his wife.

PGA Tour pro sets eyes on becoming a national hero

As the only national championship on the PGA Tour, the Canadian Open occupies an extremely special place in the heart of golf enthusiasts. Every year, fans eagerly hope for one of their homegrown heroes to lift the trophy, especially because it has been 69 years since Pat Fletcher did it in 1954. This time around, 35-year-old Nick Taylor has the chance to break the drought.

The Winnipeg native has been a force to be reckoned with so far in the event. Despite an opening round three-over-par 75, Taylor came back into contention with a five-under 67 on Friday. The third round of the tournament saw him go four better as he carded a highly impressive nine-under-par 63 for a course record at the new championship version of Oakdale.

So, how did the World No. 69 bounce back after a forgettable first-round outing? “My wife gave me a talking to Thursday night,” he told the press on Saturday. “I probably had a very poor attitude when I was hitting shots maybe weren’t ending up like I wanted to. So I knew my game was there, but a little kick in the bu** didn’t hurt.”

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He currently sits at T8, one shot back of the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Tommy Fleetwood. Besides Taylor, another Canadian who is in a position to make history is Corey Conners. The World No. 29 sits alone in 10th after a third-round score of two-under 70.

What is the winner’s payout at the Canadian Open?

Golf fans are gearing up for an action-packed final round at the 2023 RBC Canadian Open with several in contention for the coveted title. Taiwan’s C.T. Pan, who made a couple of late birdies on Saturday, currently sits at the top of the leaderboard. Reigning champion McIlroy is two back of Pan, owing to his third-round 66 after a 67 on Friday. The World No. 3 is currently tied at 12 under with five others and will be returning on Sunday hoping to become the Canadian Open’s first three-peat winner. Canada’s Nick Taylor and Corey Conners aren’t too far off either and have the chance to script history on the final day of the event.

The 2023 Canadian Open boasts a prize purse of $9 million, slightly higher than last year’s $8.7 million purse. The winner of the tournament will be taking home an incredible $1.62 million in earnings. Meanwhile, the runner-up will walk away with a whopping $981,000.

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Do you think Nick Taylor will be able to achieve the impressive feat on Sunday? Which golfer are you rooting for to clinch the title? Tell us in the comments!