RBC CANADIAN OPEN

June 10, 2026

Nick Taylor

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course)

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome 2023 champion Nick Taylor to the interview room here at the RBC Canadian Open. Nick, just got done a little while ago playing the pro-am. It's your second time here at TPC Toronto, what do you think of the course for the week?

NICK TAYLOR: It's good. After I'm sure a pretty cold winter here the course is in great shape. It's very similar to last year. I feel that the fairways are running a little bit, the rough seems a bit healthier, so I think fairways are more of a premium and the greens are pretty receptive, so there will definitely be some birdies and some low scores, but overall it will be a good test.

THE MODERATOR: 15th RBC Canadian Open, what is it like to play in your National Open? This is an event obviously you circle on your calendar every year.

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, it's great. We get a very warm welcome. I feel a lot of the Canadian guys have said, we're kind of stars for the week, which is abnormal for us. So it's a lot of fun. Last year it was Mackenzie and Taylor Pendrith and I, and the support was amazing, the crowds were great, so I'm hoping for the same the next couple days and hopefully turn that into some good play and play well on the weekend.

THE MODERATOR: From your playoff win a couple of years ago, does it ever get old of people maybe reaching out, making comments?

NICK TAYLOR: No, no, it doesn't. I see a lot of the, obviously the logo now, and a lot of memories of this week, so it never gets old.

THE MODERATOR: We're coming up to that kind of halfway point of the season, how would you assess your season so far?

NICK TAYLOR: It's been mostly positive. I feel like a lot of good stuff, a lot of pretty decent results, a lot of consistent play. There's been a lot of tournaments I feel like I've left disappointed, not really finishing off with the result that I wanted. But I've been in contention a handful of times, I saw things there, I feel like I'm building towards a good stretch for the end of the season.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. We had Corey in here a little bit earlier, as you're probably aware, and there's, you two are two of the 21 Canadians in the field this week. As just mentioned, this is your 15th though, you're now one of the veterans. Do you have any advice for some of the younger guys, the amateurs, or lower-level pros in the field?

NICK TAYLOR: You know, looking back I feel like managing the expectations of the week is probably one of the most important things just coming in that, you know, the first few times I was an amateur, obviously you're very excited and you want to do well. Just embracing the week is important. Yeah, it's easy to say have fun, but just go out and do, obviously, as well as you can with your game. But again, if you're trying to get in expecting -- or you set your expectations that, I just want to make the cut as an amateur, which I did a few times, you kind of set your bar kind of low. If you come in only expecting to win, to do that it can be difficult. So I think for me the last handful of years doing process type goals of, this is what makes me as good as I can and kind of get the results out of the way, which is easier said than done, has definitely been a lot more successful for me.

Q. As a follow-up, this is the second year in a row, obviously at TPC Toronto and the tournament's going to be back here next year as well. How does it feel to have the National Open sort of settle in one course after it's sort of rotated through the greater Toronto, Hamilton area for more than a decade?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, it's nice coming back to a venue that's, you know, that you're comfortable with, you've been to. I think that was a unique thing when I won in 2023. I was going to Hamilton the next year, it wasn't at Oakdale, it wasn't like I was -- I was defending the golf tournament, but not necessarily the golf course. So it's nice that we're going to have maybe settled into a golf course. I'm biased, I would love to go out west at some point. Time will tell. But, yeah, it's nice to come back to the same spot that you're comfortable with.

Q. Speaking of some of the young guys, two of the rookies on tour Sudarshan Yellamaraju and A.J. Ewart have made quite the impression. Just wondering if you've been able to play with them and what you make of this next wave of Canadian talent that's coming up.

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, it's been a lot of fun to watch. I've watched a lot of Sudarshan. I don't know if we've actually played together. I've played with A.J. a few times in practice rounds. Their games are very impressive. I think coming out of the gates you never know what to expect, and to have a lot of positive good results has been great. Sudarshan's played a lot into these elevated events throughout the year. So it's been fun to see all these guys playing well. I feel like our contingent, you know, keeps growing out here, which is great.

Q. And then obviously Presidents Cup year, what would it mean for you to be on that team?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, it's a goal of mine. I think I've learned from the last handful of years of kind of putting it on the back burner of the end of the process stuff that I was talking about. It hurt not being on it last time, but I felt like my play, it was justified with how I was playing probably the last few months leading into it. So I hope to be on there, but I think I've learned from that, and if it happens, it's because of a result of good play and I'm more focused on that.

Q. There's been lots of talk right now on the PGA TOUR about Track 1, Track 2 events. Have you given thought towards a scenario of a Canadian who is a PGA TOUR member not being able to play in the RBC Canadian Open in either scenario, whether it's a Track 1 or a Track 2 tournament?

NICK TAYLOR: Yeah, that would certainly suck. I talked to a lot of guys that are on the PAC, a lot of people with the TOUR, I think the goal in mind is to have the best product possible. That's the scenario that I've asked and questioned and what happens in that scenario or in that case. I guess time will tell. I wouldn't love that certainly. I know there's a lot of guys that maybe have their local events that that might be a possibility as well. So I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, but I think it would probably obviously lose the Open name of it because nobody can essentially earn their way into it or play into it. So it's unique for us, being a National Open. If you can't play in it, that's going to be a big bummer. But again, I think the goal is to make the best product possible. And I feel like I trust a lot of people that are doing it. When I heard of that, that's definitely a down side, but again, I don't think anything's finalized.

Q. I'm just wondering if after three years now do you still ever or occasionally replay that wild scene and finish in 2023 in your mind? Adam Hadwin getting tackled, that sort of thing.

NICK TAYLOR: I'm certainly reminded of it a lot from multiple different reasons. People come up or have seen the clip. The actual moment of, like, my point of view, I think there's some things that you just kind of black out in that moment and don't recall a lot of it. But there's pieces of it that are great to remember. I think more so now I've seen the clip enough that it's almost like I see that version of it versus coming from my own eyes. But whenever I see it, anyone mentions it, it's always a great memory to have. So regardless of how I remember it, it's awesome.

Q. I'm from Vancouver, so for purely selfish reasons I would love to see you and the Canadian Open back on the West Coast some time soon. Yesterday afternoon I was at the ribbon cutting for the putting park that is by the Golf Canada headquarters. And I'm sure you know this, at the 18th hole is a 72-foot replica of the putt that you made. Have you had a chance to get out there to try that putt yet and if not maybe some time in the future?

NICK TAYLOR: I haven't. I would love to go there. I know, you know, I was kind of in the general vicinity today, doing a little clinic with the First Tee and I could see it kind of driving over there. But it looks awesome. Yeah, I would love to be able to do it at some point. But it looks like it's definitely will be a fun spot to hang out for the summer, do some putting, you know, 18 holes, and just go out there with some buddies, that would be fun.

Q. How much better do you feel about just managing this week as a whole now than even maybe say five years ago or six years ago? Obviously there's a lot of demands on your time, I guess personally and professionally, so just now versus back five, a half decade ago, a decade ago, how much better do you feel about managing this week?

NICK TAYLOR: Definitely better. It's also changed as well. Five years ago there wasn't a lot of, as much probably, obligations that I would have, even the last three years. So I think, yeah, even after 2023 I feel like each year I've just got a better understanding of probably what the demands are this week, cutting out things that I need to and kind of schedule my week that way. So it gives you a very small taste of what Tiger got for two decades, what Scottie does, Rory. And there's a lot of respect for that, because you got to really grind down your time. Sometimes saying no is very difficult, but you got to do what's best for you a lot of times. So I've definitely gotten better as the years have gone on. But like I said, it's also changed a bit. But I think the last couple years I've done a lot better job.

Q. And just a specific question about this golf course. Obviously your performance last year through two rounds, spectacular. You got off to such a really good start. Do you remember why that was, what was working so well for you early part of last year?

NICK TAYLOR: I drove it really well the first couple days. Like I said, the fairways are running enough you're going to have quite a few wedge opportunities. I just played really solid. The weekend wasn't that much different. I know -- I think Saturday I made, I eagled the last, but I think I had 16 pars and a bogey leading up to that, so it was just kind of a stalled-out round. I remember Shane and I were -- we were at a day yesterday and we played together and had it going and were kind of close to the lead most of the day on Sunday as well. I do have a lot of good memories coming back here, but for me being in the fairways is definitely key, especially with the rough being up a little more this year.