Jason Day faces tough task at Canadian Open

Jason Day aims to follow another major near-miss with his second victory of the season at this week's RBC Canadian Open, although jetlag may play a part in his bid.

There have in the past been one or two instances of this young Australian making mistakes when bidding to win one of golf’s four biggest tournaments, but it would be churlish to criticise either last week’s fourth or the preceding ninth at the US Open. On both occasions he did very little wrong and, reunited with his family, I expect he’ll be in good spirits at Glen Abbey.

However, a low-scoring par-72 might not be ideal for Day to showcase his tough-as-teak talents and at 9/1, especially with jetlag a possible factor, he’s begging to be taken on. Indeed I think it’s a week to speculate with small each-way bets and I’ll start with Patrick Rodgers.

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This youngster won’t have been familiar to many a year ago, not unless you follow the amateur game closely. But his exploits in the unpaid ranks, where he attended the same college as Tiger Woods and produced a record of similar quality, did not go unnoticed.

It is therefore no surprise that he’s already a Web.com Tour winner, nor that he’s already gained Special Temporary Membership on the PGA Tour courtesy of a string of good performances including fourth place behind Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow.

Rodgers was suffering from tonsillitis when he missed the cut last time but as a consequence we can take fancy prices about a 23-year-old who looks destined for the top. As long as just about anyone out there, he finds plenty of greens and when the putter warms up on a Sunday afternoon he’ll find himself in position to win the first of many PGA Tour titles.

Martin Laird will have been disappointed to miss out on a place in the Open Championship but could put that behind him by contending in Canada.

The Scot boasts an extremely good record in this event with three top-30 finishes in as many attempts, while in terms of his form here at Glen Abbey he has carded seven under-par rounds in eight, his sole failure a destructive third-round 78 on his last visit, a round which possibly cost him the title.

Laird’s last start on US soil was an encouraging top-20 finish in the Travelers Championship, an event played one week after the US Open, and he can step up on that at a venue which plainly suits.

Completing my staking plan in Oakville, Ontario are Graeme McDowell and Steven Alker.

McDowell has not been in the best of form but he made eight birdies in his third round at St Andrews and said afterwards that he’s finally started to turn the corner after a difficult spring and early summer. He was inside the top-10 in this event last year and would love to win for his sponsors RBC, having already landed the Heritage which they also support.

As for Alker, he’s a journeyman New Zealander who seldom threatens but four top-30 finishes in seven starts is good form and he’s entitled to improve again having formerly been a regular on the Canadian Tour. His ball-striking was sharp at the John Deere and his putting excellent last week in Alabama, so if he can put the pieces together a top-20 or even a top-10 finish is perfectly possible.

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