CALEDON \u2014 Most golfers have a few tricks in their golf bag, but Justin Matthews has one carrying his around TPC Toronto at this week\u2019s RBC Canadian Open.<\/p>\n
Braeden Cryderman, the course\u2019s director of instruction, is Matthews\u2019s caddie at the men\u2019s national golf championship. The 22-year-old Matthews has been coached by Cryderman for nearly a decade and considers TPC Toronto his home course.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advantage for me would be that, he is my golf coach, so to have him like caddie for me, it\u2019s pretty cool,\u201d said Matthews, who added that he\u2019s actually played the North Course more than Cryderman. \u201cHe knows my game so well. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve worked with him since I was 13, so he knows my game so well, so the caddie\/coach combination is pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthews is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, playing in his third season for the 49ers after redshirting his freshman year. Charlotte head coach Ryan Cabbage made the trip up to TPC Toronto for the start of the tournament, allowing Cryderman to delineate his duties.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you get inside the ropes, just keep your mouth shut and do what you need to do,\u201d said Cryderman, who is from Bracebridge, Ont. \u201cThen in the prep side, especially now that he\u2019s (playing his third Canadian Open), it\u2019s getting a little bit easier, where we have to do as much prep on the golf course. We know it.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust making sure to define the two roles when you get to the golf course is the hardest part, to be honest with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthews is the highest-ranked Canadian on the men\u2019s World Amateur Golf Rankings, 136th on the standings. The next nearest Canadian on the list is Ashton McCulloch of Kingston, Ont., who is 183rd. McCulloch officially turned pro when he teed off on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still just feel like a normal amateur,\u201d said the six-foot-three Matthews.<\/p>\n
Matthews is hoping that the long holes at TPC Toronto, coupled with his familiarity with the course, will play to his advantage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d say definitely the strength of my game is off tee, like I normally drive straight,\u201d said Matthews, who shot a 3-under 67 on Thursday to sit in a group tied for 32nd with Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. \u201cAt least the couple of practice my sessions my short game, has gone pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthew Anderson of Mississauga, Ont., made a late charge up the leaderboard to finish in a six-way tie for first with Argentina\u2019s Emiliano Grillo and Americans Sahith Theegala, Brooks Koepka Eric Cole, and Sam Burns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say I hit my irons pretty well today,\u201d said Anderson, who typically plays on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour. \u201cHaven\u2019t really been hitting them too well lately and just kind of found something with my turn, rotation. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust kind of clicked today. Was hitting it really nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., was in a 12-way tie for seventh at 5 under and Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., was two shots back of the leaders in a tie for 19th.<\/p>\n
Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and amateur Eric Zhao of Toronto were tied for 55th after 2-under rounds.<\/p>\n
Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., Joey Savoie of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford were grouped at 1 under in a tie for 73rd.<\/p>\n
McCulloch, Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., Drew Nesbitt of Horseshoe Valley, Ont., and amateur Dawson Lew of Toronto had even par rounds to sit in a tie for 98th.<\/p>\n
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., Laurent Desmarchais of Cowansville, Que., and Victoria\u2019s Jeevan Sihota had 1-over days to sit together tied for 120th.<\/p>\n
Yohann Benson of Pincourt, Que., was tied for 142nd at 4 over.<\/p>\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.<\/p>\n
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press<\/p>\n
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