Sudarshan Yellamaraju, of Mississauga, Ont., holds his trophy for lowest Canadian score at the RBC Canadian Open, in Caledon, Ont. on Sunday June 14, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

By The Canadian Press

Future of Canadian golf steps into spotlight at RBC Canadian Open

Jun 14, 2026 | 4:40 PM

CALEDON — The future of Canadian men’s golf stepped into the spotlight this week at the RBC Canadian Open.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., had a 2-under 68 in Sunday’s final round to tie for eighth and win the Rivermead Cup as the lowest scoring Canadian at the national men’s championship. Matthew Anderson, also from Mississauga, was briefly atop the leaderboard but ultimately tied for 11th and amateur Justin Matthews of Little Britain, Ont., tied for 19th.

All three are under the age of 26.

“We’re just trying to push ourselves, each other, when we’re playing, when we’re on the team, we’re playing back at home,” said Yellamaraju, who was on Golf Canada’s young pro squad with Anderson in 2025. “We keep cheering each other on, even when we’re not there in person or watching from afar.

“I saw on the leaderboard that Matthew and Justin were really playing some good golf, almost having a chance to win, that was pretty cool to see. I was just trying my best to actually almost keep up with them.”

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The 24-year-old Yellamaraju is in his rookie PGA Tour season and has now earned three top-10 finishes. He was pleased that he performed well under the added scrutiny of playing in Canada, a short drive from his hometown.

“Obviously, going into the week it was like you have that little bit of added pressure being at the Canadian Open and for me being pretty close to home and stuff like that,” said Yellamaraju. “I just kind of tried to keep trying to tell myself to play the best that I could and just fight until the very end, which was pretty much what I did.”

Golf Canada has set the ambitious goal of having 30 players on the LPGA and PGA Tours by 2032. Yellamaraju, the 26-year-old Anderson, and the 23-year-old Matthews will all be in their golfing primes by then.

“I think we’ll be able to do that,” said Matthews of the 30 by ’32 goal. “I’m on the (amateur) team, but the young pro team, it all seems like a family and it’s just a tremendous support system.

“I think we’ll be able to do it.”

Anderson has full-time status on the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour but has only made the cut at five of his 13 events this year. He took a gamble accepting a sponsor’s exemption to play in the Canadian Open instead of playing a Korn Ferry Tour event and earning valuable points to maintain his card.

“I’m never going to turn down an opportunity to play in my national open. That’s something that I grew up watching,” said Anderson, who had a 3-under round to finish 11 under overall.

“Missing a week on Korn Ferry Tour, yes, there’s points, but ultimately if I believe in my game and I believe in my direction of where I’m going, I’m going to get to where I want anyway, regardless of whether I choose to play an event one week or not basically.”

Matthews (69) was 8 under overall, tied with Taylor Pendrith (69) of Richmond Hill, Ont., and A.J. Ewart (66) of Coquitlam, B.C., for 29th.

Adam Hadwin (71) of Abbotsford, B.C., tied for 40th, Ben Silverman (71) of Thornhill, Ont., tied for 60th, Nick Taylor (64) of Abbotsford tied for 65th and Joey Savoie (71) of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., tied for 67th.

The 10 Canadians to make the cut at this year’s national championship were the most since 1969.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press