Canadian Open preview: 5 storylines to watch at TPC Toronto

The season's third major is just around the corner with the U.S. Open at Oakmont next week, but first, the PGA TOUR heads north to Canada.

The TOUR makes its annual trip over the border for one of the oldest events on the schedule, the RBC Canadian Open, held this year for the first time at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.

The Canadian crowd is one of the more raucous we see in professional golf, creating an electric atmosphere, especially when one of their own is in contention.

Here are the five top storylines to watch this week just outside Toronto.

Rory finally emerges

You might as well stick a Canadian flag beside Rory McIlroy's name this week, as the two-time winner of the event gets as much love as anybody in the field. Those who attended his back-to-back wins at the tourney can likely still hear the "Rory!" chants that echoed around the course throughout the four days. This year should be no different. The 36-year-old skipped last week's signature event at the Memorial Tournament to play in Canada. That means his Wednesday press conference will be the first time he's spoken to the media since before the PGA Championship three weeks ago.

Since then, McIlroy's driver was ruled nonconforming and pulled from competition just before the start of the season's second major. He struggled off the tee throughout the tournament and never contended at Quail Hollow. McIlroy's decision to avoid the media after each round only brought more attention to the driver issues and left the golf world wanting answers. How he approaches those questions in Canada will be the biggest storyline leading up to Thursday's opening round. One thing is certain: the crowd will be heavily partisan behind McIlroy, pulling for him to nab a third Canadian Open win.

Which Canadian rises

Veteran tip: Take the over on how many times you'll see the highlight of Nick Taylor's absurd 72-foot eagle putt to win the 2023 Canadian Open on the broadcast this week. One of the most electric moments in the country's sports history occurred when Taylor became the first Canadian to win the event in 69 years in just about the most dramatic way possible. His epic reaction is forever emblazoned on the tournament's logo, no doubt inspiring all the Canadians in the field this week. Several Canucks have the game to compete for another title, but Taylor Pendrith might be the best pick to make noise. Pendrith is very familiar with the course and is entering play in the finest form of his career.

It's Canada, there will be drama

Dramatic professional golf tournaments might not be high on the list of things you associate Canada with, but recent history shows the drama ensues when the PGA TOUR crosses the border. The last four Canadian Opens have provided incredible on-course finishes, not to mention the seemingly annual major news moments, including the first-ever LIV Golf event being played opposite in 2022. McIlroy flirted heavily with a final-round 59 en route to his win in 2019, and he blitzed St. George's with a closing 62 to defend his title in 2022 after the tourney's two-year break due to COVID. We touched on the 2023 event above with Taylor's all-time winning moment - and the epic football tackle by security on Adam Hadwin that followed. And last year, Robert MacIntyre won his first PGA TOUR event with his dad caddying after he flew over from Scotland as a last-minute replacement. While we don't know which winning storyline will emerge this time, it's probably a safe bet it won't be boring.

The Rink is gettable

The Toronto Maple Leafs may have already made their customary early playoff exit, but "The Rink" is still alive and well in the Toronto area. The fan-favorite hole is again a feature of the Canadian Open this year, with hockey boards framing the tee box of a back-nine par 3 to give the setup a distinctly local feel. Raucous fans implore the players to hit one close to the pin by banging on the boards and loudly singing - and this time, that opportunity is better than ever for golfers. Previous versions have been played on lengthy par 3s where hitting a tee shot close to the hole is difficult. That won't be the case this year, as the 14th will play just 144 yards from the intimate tee box. Pendrith told reporters during media day that he aced the hole last summer on a visit, so expect plenty of fireworks throughout the tournament.

Young guns go pro

One thing the Canadian Open has prioritized over the years is giving young rising stars a chance to play in the event. Ludvig Aberg notably made his professional debut two years ago in 2023 and shockingly ended up on the Ryder Cup team just over three months later. This year is no different, with collegiate stars Luke Clanton and Gordon Sargent beginning their professional careers. However, they're coming in on very different paths. Clanton's star is rising, while Sargent's golf journey is full of questions.

Clanton has already played a number of PGA TOUR events and made history last summer by becoming the first amateur since 1958 to post back-to-back top-10 finishes. This week could be the kickoff to Clanton turning in an Aberg-esque run toward an unlikely U.S. Ryder Cup spot.

Sargent won the NCAA individual championship at Vanderbilt as a freshman, but he's fallen off a cliff with his form in his final collegiate season. The Commodores dropped him for the team portion of this year's NCAA championships due to poor play. Still, the lengthy layout at TPC Toronto could play into Sargent's hands as he possesses as much ball speed as anybody in professional golf.