The 115th edition of the RBC Canadian Open is underway at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley with a $9.8 million purse and four of the world’s top 10 players in the field. But five golfers who could have genuinely shaped the week chose to stay home, and their absences are hard to ignore.

1. Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy is the most painful absentee at TPC Toronto. He has won here twice, in 2019 and 2022, and treated it as a near-annual commitment. This year, McIlroy is protecting his schedule ahead of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. He won his second Masters title at Augusta in April, completing back-to-back green jackets, and has been selective about where he tees up since then.

At Memorial last week—his sixth PGA Tour start—McIlroy joked that he feels like a “part-timer.” The current World No. 2 has one PGA Tour win and three top-10 finishes this season.

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

On Which Hole Jordan Spieth’s Ball Got Stuck Under a Trashcan?

14th 15th16th 17th

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

2. Scottie Scheffler

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the reigning FedExCup points leader, will also not be playing at TPC Toronto this week. He has not played in the RBC Canadian Open since 2020 either.

This year’s absence comes ahead of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills next week, and Scheffler has his sights set squarely on adding one major that is still missing from his cabinet. Scheffler opened 2026 with a four-shot American Express win—his 20th PGA Tour title before 30, first since Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

He finished in second place at the Masters behind Rory McIlroy. At the RBC Heritage, he lost to Matt Fitzpatrick but finished T12 at the Memorial.

3. Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas was last seen at the RBC Canadian Open in 2022, and he finished T3 at 15 under after closing rounds of 63 and 64. That kind of competition would have been a threat this week, but he will not be teeing up this week. Thomas’s last start was at the Memorial Tournament, where he finished T19 at 2 under. He has not committed to TPC Toronto, with the U.S. Open next on the calendar, as he appears to be choosing rest and preparation over a final tune-up in Canada.

Thomas is currently World No. 16 and has two top-10 finishes in 2026. He had a respectable T8 at the Players Championship and has climbed the leaderboard at signature events. The former world number 1 with 16 PGA Tour wins is looking for a strong return at the U.S. Open.

4. Cameron Young 

World number three Cameron Young is one of the standout omissions from the 2026 RBC Canadian Open. The numbers behind his season make his absence particularly striking.

At the 2026 Players Championship in March, Young edged Matt Fitzpatrick by one shot at 13-under to win golf’s flagship event at TPC Sawgrass. He then carried the momentum to Augusta, where he shared the 54-hole lead with eventual champion Rory McIlroy but finished T3. It was his best major result to date.

A month later, Young was at the Cadillac Championship as he went wire-to-wire at Trump National Doral. He posted a 19-under 269 to win by six shots over Scheffler. At last year’s RBC Canadian Open, Young came close to forcing a playoff but failed to convert at the par-5 18th.

Young’s momentum—two wins, six top-tens—suggests he’s peaking for Shinnecock.

5. Jordan Spieth

Last on the list, Jordan Spieth is also missing from the RBC Canadian Open, and the three-time major champion was last seen at the Memorial Tournament last week. He has had a mixed 2026 season with no signature-event wins. With the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills just a few days away, Spieth appears to be directing his energy toward that major rather than adding a start in Canada. His putting, which remains elite, would have been fascinating to watch on the north course at Osprey Valley. Instead, like so many of his peers, he’s watching from home.

Which of the five missing players do you think would have been the most likely winner at TPC Toronto?