RBC CANADIAN OPEN

June 14, 2026

Justin Matthews

TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course)

Quick Quotes

Q. How was your experience on the 14th hole of being a Canadian?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: The Rink hole today? It was pretty cool. When I walked in I did one of these (indicating.). the National Anthem just always makes me super proud to be Canadian. So hearing that on the Rink hole today and yesterday, it was just so cool.

Q. Pretty big smile only your face at that time I think you were kind of T-5, I think. Were you able to keep your focus and get back into just hitting golf shots at that point?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: Yeah. Before you walk into the Rink hole you always have to take like at least like this year and last year, like you take a couple deep breaths and know -- you know what's coming, right. So it's like bracing yourself for all the noise and the shot that you got to hit before you even get in there. When you get in there you can just kind of experience the moment.

Q. You had those four birdies early. Take us through that and how do you manage the excitement of starting to go low at a PGA TOUR event on a Sunday?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: Yeah, I was just really focused on my process. I always set controllable goals for every round and I just tried to focus on those goals. Me and Brayden, my caddie, wanted to do a good job of picking the shot before I grabbed a club out of my bag. Another one was like anything inside a hundred yards I'm trying to make it. My last one was just a phrase of just turn it loose.

Q. As you're going through, did you birdie four of your first five, is that right?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: I birdied 1, can't even remember -- I can't remember. I know I birdied 8, I know I shot 4-under on the front nine. (Laughing).

Q. Were you starting to think, okay, did it start to feel like any other tournament you're trying to win this thing?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: Yeah, doesn't really feel like any other tournament because it's the PGA TOUR. No, I honestly felt really comfortable out there. I had nothing to lose this week playing as an amateur, I can't earn any money and it's not as high stakes for me compared to some of the other guys, right, some of the professionals. I was just really trying to enjoy the moment. I had nothing to lose today, I just had a lot of fun.

Q. Your coach is out here and you play and practice a lot out of here. What was it like having some of the Osprey staff and familiar faces following you on your own?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: This place has been a tremendous home for me. I played and practiced here for the last three years. It really does feel like home. All the staff, Brayden, I love it here. It's phenomenal. Having it as a home game and having all the staff behind me and, it's just been so special.

Q. Audio what's your low score before today?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: Probably yesterday. I shot -- I don't even know what I shot yesterday, 67 maybe. Yeah. Yesterday was my low.

Q. What did you learn about yourself if anything this week?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: Probably that I'm good enough to compete out here. You never know until you really get out there, right. Knowing that my game's good enough to compete out here.

Q. Is there something you're going to take away and work on now that you've had this experience?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: I probably just need to take time and reflect and think about that, but nothing right now.

Q. Your best birdie and then maybe take us through I guess it was 16, was it 16 you made --

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: 17.

Q. 17.

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: Yeah.

Q. Your best and --

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: Best and worse? The approach shot I hit on 11 that was one of my best swings of the day. That's such a good hole. I hit like a nice flighted 6-iron to 15 feet short. I didn't make birdie but that was probably my favorite shot. Then yeah, 17 I just drove it in the left bunker, didn't get it out and hit it short and just kind of one thing led to another.

Q. Were you taking a little bit of extra time between the shots or was it hard to get a rhythm?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: I probably, maybe I would have taken a little extra time to take a couple deep breaths and reset, but I felt like I wasn't rushing or anything, yeah.

Q. What does this experience tell you about your potential as a player?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: When you're playing amateur golf and college golf and you're not playing out here, like college golf and amateur golf is so good nowadays but you don't truly know how good you are until you get out here and experience how good these PGA TOUR players actually are. But definitely this week I learned that my game is good enough to play out here and it's super cool.

Q. You're probably aware of Golf Canada's goal of having 30 professional players on PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour by 2032. You're in the sweet spot for that age-wise, and obviously so is Matt and Sudarshan. Do you think about the fact that those two guys and some of the guys here at this tournament, like Ashton, you're sort of part of that cohort. Are you aware of that goal and do you think your fellow Canadians and you will be able to make that happen by 2032?

JUSTIN MATTHEWS: I think we'll be able to do that. I'm on the Am team, but like the young pro team, it all seems like a family and it's just a tremendous support system and I think we'll be able to do it.