Canadian Open - History
This was the course Jack Nicklaus was commissioned to build by the Royal Canadian Golf Association in the 1970s and was to be the permanent home of the Canadian Open.
The roster of champions in the early Open days was strong. Australia's Greg Norman (the Great White Shark), won twice at the Abbey (1984 and 1992.) Curtis Strange won twice (1985 and 1987) as well as Bruce Lietzke (1978 and 1982). Nick Price from South Africa won in 1991.
The Abbey was not without it's detractors complaining that the Open was somehow one-sided because it was not being moved around Canada and that the course was tailored to players who hit it high and from right to left (like the Golden Bear himself)
In 1993 the Open was slammed once again as the course was in terrible condition. One after another, greenskeepers were baffled with the challenges associated with growing grass in the valley holes that meander around Sixteen Mile Creek. That caused raised eyebrows of many touring pros who can choose where they want to play.
Tiger Woods victory in 2000 was tremendous with a remarkable 22-under-par performance and the famous ending on 18.
Though it was a bumpy start, the Abbey is now tweaked to perfection. With added yards over time, change of hole order on the front nine to help speed up play, and rebuilt greens the course is ready to host the 100th Canadian Open.
This is the 25th time the Canadian Open is hosted at Glen Abbey Golf Club.
1977 -- The Merry Mex, Lee Trevino, kicks off the Abbey era with his first of two victories at the Oakville course, a wire-to-wire effort.
1996 -- A young Tiger Woods makes his first visit to the Canadian Open in his second tournament as a pro. Woods finishes 11th in the rain-shortened 54-hole event, whetting his appetite to return four years later.
1984 -- Greg Norman, the Great White Shark, wins his first of two Opens, beating Jack Nicklaus by two strokes. But it wasn't without drama as Norman hits a ball over the green on 17 that lands under a car. He avoids penalty after a course marshal moves his vehicle.
1979 - Lee Trevino won for the second time as Tom Watson puts two balls into the drink on the Par 3 third hole. He was not pleased with the course then, but has grown just as the course itself has and we will see what 2009 has in store.
1983 - Jack Nicklaus finished third but missed a playoff with John Cook and Johnny Miller by one stroke even though he shot 67 and missed a 15-foot birdie put at the last hole.
2000 - Tiger Woods hit the 15th hole (his sixth of the day) and went birdie-eagle-birdie-eagle to clinch the victory.
2004 - Mike Weir almost become the first Canadian to win it in the modern era but gave it up to Vijay Singh in the end.
2000 - To win over Grant Waite, Tiger Woods hits a 216-yard six-iron from a fairway bunker that clears the water and lands just past the pin on the Abbey's Par 5 18th hole. This 18th hole is now made famous again in the PGA Tour Tiger Woods Wii Game.