Golf Canada – Web.com Tour player Brad Fritsch along with National Amateur Squad members Hugo Bernard, Jared du Toit and Blair Hamilton among the list of players extended tournament exemptions

David Hearn, Graham DeLaet, Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor and Mike Weir headline list of 12 Canadians set to compete at Glen Abbey Golf Club from July 18-24

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and RBC are proud to announce that Web.com Tour player Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., along with a trio of National Amateur Squad members are among the Canadians receiving tournament exemptions to compete in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open taking place at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 18-24.

Fritsch, who will make his ninth appearance in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship, is having a strong year on the Web.com Tour with a victory at the Servientrega Championship Presented by Efecty and a runner-up finish at the El Bosque Mexico Championship presented by INNOVA that positions the 38-year-old fifth on the Tour’s money list.

Tournament exemptions have also been given to Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Hugo Bernard of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., Calgary’s Jared du Toit and Burlington, Ont., native Blair Hamilton.

As well, this will be the second consecutive year in which Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., has earned his place in the RBC Canadian Open by claiming victory in the previous year’s Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

PGA of Canada professional Dave Levesque of Montréal earned his way into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open by claiming the No. 1 position on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Branson Ferrier of Barrie, Ont., shot 4-under 68 at King’s Forest Golf Course to top the 144-player field to earn an exemption through the RBC Canadian Open Ontario Regional Qualifier.

Fritsch, Bernard, du Toit, Hamilton, Rank, Levesque and Ferrier will be among 12 Canadians who will challenge for the 107th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.

Leading the Canadian contingent at Glen Abbey will be Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn, whose 2016 season includes six Top-20 finishes, including a T9 result at The RSM Classic in Sea Island, Ga. Hearn, who held the 54-hole lead before finishing third in the 2015 RBC Canadian Open, is the No. 127-ranked player on the World Golf Ranking.

Joining Hearn will be fellow Canadian PGA Tour players Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., Abbotsford, B.C., natives Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., who will be playing in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship for a 25th time.

“We are excited to have these 12 deserving Canadians compete in the 107th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “The passion that these talented players have shown in representing Canada is a true inspiration to the country’s young golfers and we are proud to welcome them to the field for the RBC Canadian Open.”

The 12 Canadian players will look to become the first Canadian to capture the national title since Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat in 1954.

The Canadians confirmed for Glen Abbey will join a field of PGA Tour and international stars that includes defending champion and World No. 1 Jason Day, U.S. Open champion and World No. 2 Dustin Johnson, World No. 15 Matt Kuchar, 2006-2007 RBC Canadian Open champion and World No. 20 Jim Furyk, 2013 RBC Canadian Open champion and World No. 23 Brandt Snedeker, World No. 71 Ryan Palmer, World No. 74 Graeme McDowell, 2016 Masters low amateur Bryson DeChambeau, former World No.1 amateur Jon Rahm and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els.

Celebrating Canada’s Olympic Golf Team on Tuesday July 19…
The 2016 edition of the RBC Canadian Open is one of the final events before golf returns to the Olympic Games following a 112-year absence. For the first time since Canadian George S. Lyon captured gold in 1904, teams from around the globe will compete on international sport’s grandest stage.

The 2016 Canadian Olympic golf team will be officially welcomed by the Canadian Olympic Committee to Team Canada during a FREE public celebration at Glen Abbey on Tuesday, July 19 at 11 a.m. ET. The men’s team will compete from August 11-14, while the women’s team will take to the Campo Olimpico de Golf course in Rio de Janeiro from August 17-20.

In addition, Friday, July 22 will once again be Red and White Day at the RBC Canadian Open. Players and spectators are encouraged to wear Canada’s national colours in support of our Canadian hopefuls in the field challenging for Canada’s National Open Championship.

Confirmed Canadians in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open:

David Hearn

• Currently the No. 1-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 127)
• Currently ranked No. 74 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 14th RBC Canadian Open (finished 3rd in 2015)

Graham DeLaet

• Currently the No. 2-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 146)
• Currently ranked No. 105 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 8th RBC Canadian Open

Adam Hadwin

• Currently the No. 3-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 182)
• Currently ranked No. 89 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 7th RBC Canadian Open (finished T4 in 2011; T7 in 2015)

Nick Taylor

• Currently ranked No. 286 in the world and No. 106 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 7th RBC Canadian Open

Mike Weir

• 8-time PGA TOUR winner
• 2003 Masters champion
• Inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2009
• Competing in his 25th RBC Canadian Open

Brad Fritsch

• Currently ranked 5th on the 2016 Web.com money list
• Won 2016 Servientrega Championship on Web.com Tour
• Competing in his 9th RBC Canadian Open

Jared du Toit

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently the No. 1-ranked Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 56)
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

Blair Hamilton

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently the No. 2-ranked Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 106)
• Competing in his 2nd RBC Canadian Open (tied for low amateur at 2015 RBC Canadian Open)

Hugo Bernard

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently ranked No. 255 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking
• Won NCAA Division II Championship
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

Garrett Rank

• Former Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• 2014 & 2015 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion
• Competing in his 2nd RBC Canadian Open

Dave Levesque

• Currently ranked No. 1 on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC
• Competing in his 3rd RBC Canadian Open

Branson Ferrier

• Winner of RBC Canadian Open Ontario Regional Qualifier
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

The final field for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open will be released on Friday, July 15 after 5 p.m. ET.

Information regarding tickets, free 17-and-under junior passes, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open can be found at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

– 30 –

ABOUT THE 2016 RBC CANADIAN OPEN
Part of the FedExCup, stars of the PGA TOUR will compete for $5.9 million (US) at the RBC Canadian Open, July 18-24, 2016 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. Conducted by Golf Canada for more than a century, the RBC Canadian Open provides an opportunity for Canada’s top talents to compete against the world’s best golfers while also leaving a significant impact in the event’s host community. The RBC Canadian Open is proud to support Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada as the event’s official charity partner. Established in 1904, Canada’s national open golf championship is the third-oldest national open golf championship worldwide next to the British Open and the U.S. Open. The RBC Canadian Open is proudly sponsored by RBC, Shaw, BMW Group Canada, Molson Canadian 67, ZTE, WestJet, TaylorMade adidas Golf, Boston Pizza, Ballantine’s, Santa Carolina Wines, Toronto Star, Coca-Cola, CHIN Radio TV International, Metrolinx and the Government of Canada. For tickets or tournament information, please visit www.rbccanadianopen.com or call 1-800-571-6736.

RBC GOLF
RBC proudly supports golf around the world through high profile relationships with the PGA TOUR and Golf Canada. RBC is the Official Banking and Financial Services partner of touring professionals Jason Day, Graham DeLaet, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Adam Hadwin, David Hearn, Brooke Henderson, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell, Ryan Palmer, Morgan Pressel, Brandt Snedeker, Nick Taylor and Mike Weir. As the title sponsor of both the RBC Heritage and the RBC Canadian Open, RBC also supports emerging Canadian golfers through Golf Canada’s grassroots developmental programming, the Canadian Amateur Golf Championships and the high performance national team. RBC is one of North America’s leading diversified financial services companies and among the largest banks in the world, as measured by market capitalization. For more information, visit www.rbc.com/golf or call 1-800-571-6736.

GOLF CANADA – LOVE THE GAME. GROW THE GAME.
Golf Canada is the National Sports Federation and governing body for golf in Canada representing close to 305,000 golfers at more than 1,400 member clubs across the country. A proud member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Golf Canada’s mission is to grow participation, excellence and passion in the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. By investing in the growth of the sport and introducing more participants of all ages to the game, our goal is to be relevant to and respected by all Canadian golf enthusiasts from coast to coast. For more information about what Golf Canada is doing to support golf in your community, visit www.golfcanada.ca.

For more information:

Dan Pino
Director, Corporate Communications
Golf Canada
(t) 1-800-263-0009 x 406
(c) 416-434-5525
(e) dpino@golfcanada.ca

Jackie Braden
Brand & Sponsorship Communications
RBC
(t) 416-974-6286
(e) Jackie.braden@rbc.com