Nick Taylor

Last season Taylor became the first home winner of the Canadian Open since 1954 – and the first actually to be born in the country since 1914.

What a dramatic victory it was too, a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth extra hole ending the hopes of Tommy Fleetwood. The title earned Taylor his Open Championship debut off the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup points standings at the end of June.

It was his third title on the circuit following the 2014 Sanderson Farms Championship and 2020 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am.

He was No 1 on the world amateur rankings for 20 weeks in 2009 and the same season not only qualified for the US Open for a second straight time, but finished as low amateur in joint 36th place and produced a second round 65 that was the lowest round by an amateur in major history.

The winner of the Canadian Amateur as well – that was in 2007 – he turned professional in 2010, but had to wait a further five years for his next major appearance.

He qualified for Royal Troon by making it through the FedEx Cup play-off series to the Tour Championship in August. Taylor then added the Waste Management Open in February, beating Charley Hoffman in a play-off with five birdies in his last six holes.