Dustin Johnson was once the face of the RBC Canadian Open, but years after winning the men’s national golf championship, his sudden withdrawal from the PGA Tour event is not having a significant impact on tournament ticket sales.
Johnson, who won the Canadian Open in 2018, announced Tuesday that he would not be playing next week at St. George’s Golf and Country Club of Toronto. Instead, Johnson entered the 48-man course for the first LIV Golf Invitational funded by Saudi Arabia, a new rival men’s golf course in hopes of competing on the PGA Tour.
“No, I haven’t seen anything that suggests it was shocking,” Dan Pino, Golf Canada’s senior communications director, said of Johnson’s departure. “From the point of view of ticket sales, we continue to have a positive trend.
“I don’t know if that decision had anything to do with the behavior of the tickets. We’re doing a very good follow-up.”
Johnson had been the focus of the Canadian Open promotional materials before and after his 2018 victory at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. It was a natural choice for the role of headliner as one of the best golfers in the world, a member of the RBC team and the husband of Paulina Gretzky, daughter of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, who grew up in Brantford, Ont. .
However, Johnson lost his RBC sponsorship a day after retiring from the Canadian Open in favor of the LIV Golf event at the Centurion Golf Club outside London, England. In addition, the PGA Tour has threatened Johnson, Graeme McDowell and other players jumping on the LIV Golf with disciplinary action.
“The PGA Tour has made clear its intentions in accordance with its tournament regulations if a golfer decides to play in a tournament outside the Tour, including the LIV Golf Invitational Series,” an RBC statement said on Wednesday. “We recently learned that Dustin Johnson made the decision to play the opening of the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
“DJ has been a valued member of the RBC team since 2018. While we are very disappointed with his decision, we wish him the best.”
TARGET | Johnson wins the 2018 Canadian Open:
Golf Wrap: Dustin Johnson wins the Canadian Open
World No. 1 golfer won the RBC Canadian Open for the first time in his career. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ontario, was the Canadian bass for the second year in a row.
Masters champion Scheffler leads a strong field
While Johnson ranks 13th in the world and 96th in the FedExCup PGA Tour standings, this year’s Canadian Open still has a strong field. World No. 9 Sam Burns joined the lineup Thursday morning, joining world No. 5 Justin Thomas, who committed to the event on May 25 after winning the world championship. the PGA.
The pitch was further strengthened on Thursday with the additions of South African Justin Rose, winner of the 2013 U.S. Open, and 2019 British Open champion Shane Lowry of Ireland.
Current Canadian Open and World No. 7 champion Rory McIlroy, world No. 1 and current Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, and world No. 3 Cameron Smith had previously agreed to play in the national championship.
Pino said organizers were not particularly concerned about further desertions at the LIV Golf event before the Canadian Open course ends on Friday.
“Withdrawals happen. We see it any year, whether it’s travel changes, if someone wins the week before it was scheduled for our tournament, we’ve had it in the past,” Pino said. “We’re keeping a close eye on the overall strength of our camp.”
McIlroy, who won the 2019 Hamilton Golf and Country Club, said in a video released by the Canadian Open that he is excited to defend his title after the tournament was suspended for two years due to the pandemic of the COVID-19.
“I just want to get back up there, play in front of the fans again, recreate an atmosphere like we did that Sunday,” McIlroy said.