OverDrive - Applebaum on the RBC Canadian Open, the field at the tournament and events at TPC Toronto

Episode Date: June 3, 2026

Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum joined OverDrive to discuss the RBC Canadian Open, the tournament at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, the field at the course, the events for the spectators, Hayes playing in the Pro-Am and more.

Catch everything soccer with Bell's game time bundle. Get 5 TV with TSN plus 5150 internet, all for $99 a month. Price guaranteed for two years with a two-year internet and TV term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything. Here's the CEO of Golf Canada. Here's our good friend Lawrence Applebaum. How you doing, Lawrence?

Hey, guys. Good to hear you. And I heard that Jesse Marsh was sort of thinking you might get near the pitch. I could do better than that. You guys are going to get inside the rope. You need to be inside the game. Yes. That's what we like to hear.

So how are things shaping up here? Because the field, you know, the U.S. Open, obviously, the week after, down at Chinnecock on the East Coast, the Fitzpatrick brothers are going to be up here. Brooks Kepka is going to be up here. Morikawa's up here. Tommy Fleetwood. My boy is going to be up here. How are we feeling about the field start next week?

Well, we're up here right now at TPC Toronto. our new Golf Canada HQ, we've relocated up to be close to the tournament. And the field, as he said, Brian, I mean, we could not have asked for more. It's a hitter's row of major champion, PG8 tour winners, 18 Canadians. I mean, we are so pumped about the field and also really excited about how great our Canadians are playing. and you guys, you've got a new location, and I know you've sniffed it out a little bit, but having you guys right by the putting green, right by the driving range, seeing the guys going through the work, we are so excited.

It's the biggest build we've ever had, so we're really pumped about the RBC Canadian Open. L.A., do you guys ask players about course feedback, setup, or anything like that? I know we give Dugie some feedback, and it's basically just ignored. But as far as the tour players... Like just their thoughts on the course or maybe tweaks or different ideas about it. Is that something you guys ever take into consideration or it's just we're going to put the course together and you guys go out and play it? Yeah. I mean, one of the best things that we get is this work with the PJ Tour.

And they've had advanced officials on site for weeks. We work with them all year long. And the beauty, you know, you guys were here last year for the inaugural up at TPC Toronto, Osprey Valley. But since that year, we've had a ton of feed. We've had a bunch of guys who've played the golf course multiple times. We're really lucky. We have guys like Cory Connors and Nick Taylor who both are, not only are they great players, but they're great at giving feedback

and what things can be done to make improvements and adjustments. And a golf course that you guys know a little bit, TPC Sawgrass, kind of a model we've used. It's like every year we're going to figure out what we can do better. We're going to keep investing in the property. We're going to make it bigger and better. I mean, even you sort of whipping around, Jeff, you saw things in year one that you're going to see them in year two and go, wow, it's grown in.

It's more developed. There's better practice area. So it's like you're going to see a big change and a really impressive change from 2025. And, you know, obviously a big part of the experience is watching the Gulf, but there's a lot more that goes into it in terms of entertainment and all that kind of stuff. if people are looking for tickets and looking for entertainment from golf standpoint, from beyond golf, what can you tell people? Well, we try and we've kind of got our model of it's sports and entertainment.

It's professional golf at the highest level. But we also want to, you know, we're going to have great after parties on Friday and Saturday. We've got Canada's favorite cover brand, Dwayne Gretzky, on Friday night. And we've got a great country music. Canadian band, the James Barker brand on Saturday. We're going to do a great watch party with our friends, TSN. We're going to do a watch party Friday afternoon. So you'll be able to watch some golf.

You're going to be able to watch Canada, Bosnia. And for us, it's just so many people have begun to enjoy what professional golf is. You know, you basically have five miles of front row seats and you move around, you follow your guys. You know, you love Tommy Fleetwood. You're going to watch Tommy. a while. You're going to follow them for a while. And then you're going to pick up, you know, one of the Fitzpatrick brothers coming off 10. And then you're going to sit and root and have a couple of beers and some drinks and some food. And it really is a celebration. And I will tell

you that the long range forecast, although we got a little bit of rain coming in, which we could use this weekend, next week is just looking elite. And I think when we get days like this in a GTA and across Eastern Canada would say we remember what golf was like and I know that Jeff you like came off a heater of a golf trip but to have that weather

here it's like it's just like it feels like the summer's on so Lawrence before we get you out of here you know I wanted to talk about maybe an announcement potentially you had or you know fill us in and what you're thinking well every year we

we like to put some of the best players in the country in the pro-am. And we hold the spot for the TSN folks. We're not quite sure where it's going to go. This year, luckily, Overdrive got their number called. So we did the fan polling and we have our favorite. We have our selection. So I'd like to officially invite you, Noodles, Jamie McClend to the 2026 program.

Noodles, you're up. I'm out. B&O.Row. No, no. Hold on a second here. LA, you don't want this, you don't want this,

you don't want this. I want this. You don't want me to injure somebody. I want to see it. You can't have me do the Tom Kite and hurt somebody that's kicking around or anything. Lawrence, I love you and I appreciate the invitation, but I've got a decline. Let's, let's choose somebody else.

I need to see noodles in a Metallica T-shirt, slashing golfels. Gene shorts on? In shorts, converse shoes. I need it. I need it. Well, well, Jamie, Jamie, We have appreciated how much Jamie leans in that week and how much you, you know, you embrace the golf lifestyle that you, you know, you strive to have.

But we're going to ask Brian Hayes if he's willing to take that spot and join us in the pro-am. We've got. Holy Jesus. There's a picture on the screen. He's all business. Jim Heron. Timmy Heron. It does have Heron vibes.

That's not your best pick. No, but it's okay. It's professional. You know, we like to do this in two parts. I'm inviting the O'Dog up for a preview round because he likes to come sniff out the golf course. You are welcome to join me, Jeff, for a little preview tour. Some of the tour players have been up early.

Jeff's invited for a little pregame, and I know he likes to tee it off early, so that's the part one. Part two, Hazie, is it's going to, to be you and a few, along with myself and a couple of our surprised guests. And we've had great, we've had great partners in the past. Some have retired after seeing the two of us together play. And some have asked, who's that guy? Who's that guy? I love it. But overall, it's such a great experience. We're so lucky to have a partner like RBC as our title sponsor. Chris Humaneck, you know, the owner of TPC Toronto, Audrey Valley is just rolled out the red carpet for the PGA tour and all of our partners in making this event.

We love having you guys up there. You guys are in great. You're looking great. You're in fighting shape for what we think is one of the best weeks of the year. It's going to be phenomenal. We cannot wait to get up there. It's a great field. Great experience.

Go out there and get tickets if you haven't gotten them yet. And we will see you next week. Lawrence. Thank you for doing this. Okay, thanks, fellas. We'll see you next week. You got it. Lawrence Applebaum, CEO of Golf Canada. Iheart Radio is throwing it back. 20s, the decade.

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