Six players shot 6-under in Thursday’s opening round at the RBC Canadian Open. Canadian Matthew Anderson carded a bogey-free round while Sahith Theegala, Emiliano Grillo and Eric Cole made a single bogey and Brooks Koepka and Sam Burns made two.

The tie also ranks among the largest first-round logjams on the PGA Tour this season, trailing only the seven-way share at the PGA Championship and matching the six co-leaders at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Burns Returns to Familiar Ground

Burns carries the strongest tournament-specific form of any player in the lead group. He lost the 2025 RBC Canadian Open to New Zealand’s Ryan Fox on the fourth playoff hole at this same course last June, and he owns three top-10 finishes in four previous starts here. The American has not recorded a score worse than 68 in five career rounds at TPC Toronto. This is his fifth career first-round lead or co-lead on Tour, and he has converted once, at the 2022 Valspar Championship.

Local Sponsor Exemption Anderson Joins the Mix

Anderson, a Mississauga, Ontario native playing on a sponsor exemption, is making only his fourth Tour start. All four have come at the RBC Canadian Open. His previous best 18-hole position on Tour was T77 at last year’s edition, where he went on to finish T47. He spent the last two seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour, posting five top-25 finishes in 38 starts, and won the 2024 69th ECP Brazil Open on PGA Tour Americas.

“I would say I hit my irons pretty well today. You know, haven’t really been hitting them too well lately and just kind of, you know, found something with my turn, rotation. Just kind of clicked today. Was hitting it really nice,” said Anderson.

“Obviously putted well. I mean, you can’t shoot 6-under probably on most golf courses without putting well. Just generally, all around pretty solid. I liked my attitude. Just kind of went one shot at a time. Just tried to keep going and see where we end up.”

Koepka’s Lead Record

Koepka holds a first-round lead or co-lead for the ninth time in his PGA Tour career but the first since the 2023 Masters Tournament. The American has finished T6 or better in all eight previous events where he held at least a share of the 18-hole lead, converting once at the 2019 PGA Championship. His nine career wins include two US Opens and three PGA Championships.

“I played pretty solid,” said Koepka. “I don’t think the ball striking was as good as it’s been as of late, but I mean, it’s tough to compare. It’s been unbelievable the last six months, but it was nice to see the putter finally heat up.

“I thought the wind was tricky, because it wasn’t heavy, but it was enough where you kind of get it to swirl, and you get in those trees. It can go downwind to into the wind quite quick.”

Theegala of the USA (one win in 142 starts), compatriot Cole (zero wins in 121 starts, with three runner-up finishes) and Argentinian Grillo (two wins in 284 starts)  round out the lead group. None has converted a first-round lead into a victory.

Crowded Board Behind the Leaders

Twelve players sit one shot back at 5-under, including Tony Finau (USA), Shane Lowry (Shane Lowry), South African Erik van Rooyen and Canadian Adam Svensson, who posted a bogey-free round. Six of those twelve are seeking their first PGA Tour title, led by  American Sam Ryder’s 240 career starts without a win.

Only five of the 23 completed events this season have been won by a first-round leader or co-leader.

Canadian Contingent

Beyond Anderson and Svensson, Taylor Pendrith opened at 4-under, while 2023 champion Nick Taylor shot 3-under. Corey Conners, the highest-ranked Canadian in the Official World Golf Ranking at No. 53, sits at 1-over. Mike Weir, making his 33rd career appearance at the RBC Canadian Open, is level par.

Defending champion Fox reached 4-under through eleven holes before parring his final seven to finish at T19. South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout recorded his first career hole-in-one on Tour at the 214-yard par-3 seventh en route to a 3-under 67.

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