Mikes Blog - Final Round RBC Canadian Open

 I felt that I played pretty well at Glen Abbey. I drove the ball well and gave myself a lot of chances for birdies throughout the four days. And for the most part, I stayed out of trouble.

 But there's a difference between playing well and winning, and when you win, as Chez did this week, everything goes your way. The putts that might lip out one week, drop in. The drives that head towards the rough, hop back into the fairway. Just when it seems you're in trouble, you chip in.

 You obviously have to play very, very well, but to win out on the PGA Tour, you also have to have a few breaks and I think I was a bit short on both accounts this week.
This was also a very long week for me. Coming off the British Open and with a number of extra events to attend, I knew there would be more on plate than normal, but the rain delays are really what made for long days. When I walked off the 18^th on Sunday, it felt as if I'd been on the road for a month, not two weeks.

 Coming to the RBC Canadian Open is extra special. For me, it's like a fifth major and I treat it like that. Yes, there's a lot more attention on me and all the Canadians in the field but I like that. I will admit that it took me a while to understand that but now I try to use it to my advantage and let it motivate me. When the fans are cheering and urging me on, I try to get some inspiration from that.

 I also have to say how happy I was to see this tournament headed in the right direction again. Last year, there were a lot of question marks and I'll admit that I was worried about the future of the tournament. But with RBC taking over as title sponsor and all the new events and things they've added, there's a real buzz about this tournament. I could sense it all week long, out on the course, in the locker room and even around town. It's great to know everything is moving in the right direction.

 I want to take a moment to thank all the volunteers who came out this week to help this tournament run so smoothly. And I also want to thank Scott Bowman, the superintendent at Glen Abbey, and his crew for the amazing job they did in keeping the course playable through all the rain.

 Finally, I want to thank all the fans who came out and cheered on me, the other Canadians and all the players including our new champion Chez Reavie. It was a wonderful week and I'm already looking forward to next year.

Thanks for all your support.

Mike