The 2019 and 2022 champion at the RBC Canadian Open, Rory McIlroy ($11,900), comfortably takes his place at the top of the heap to choose from for DraftKings DFS contests this week. Defending champ Robert MacIntyre ($9,800), defending for the first time on TOUR, headlines the field of 156 players at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, 50 miles west of Toronto.

McIlroy, the three-time winner in 2025, is the highest average scorer in the field and owns two victories at this event on tracks he’s never played before. Without Scottie Scheffler in the field this week, he stands out as the choice among the favorites, regardless of his disappointing finish at the PGA Championship (T47).

In four previous trips to Canada, he has four top-10 paydays. MacIntyre and his excellent run of made cuts stretches back to the Masters, which was the last time he didn’t find the weekend. The Scotsman was in contention two weeks ago in Fort Worth at the Charles Schwab Challenge, ground out a T20 at Memorial on Sunday, and looks to join McIlroy as champions who have won back-to-back titles in the field.

Investors can and will make the case to select Ludvig Åberg ($10,500). After closing with 66 at Memorial, he still does not own a top-10 payday since the Masters. Instead, I will focus on the native sons.

Depending on what you choose to fill in the blanks financially, I will endorse Corey Conners ($10,100) or Taylor Pendrith ($9,600) instead. Like our friends at the Southeastern Conference say, "it just means more." It does. And after Nick Taylor ($8,800) dramatically won in 2023, the pressure is off. All three Maple Leaf flag wearers are in consideration, along with compatriot Mackenzie Hughes ($8,900). Investors will notice that the price for the locals does not come at a discount.

In the last 10 events north of the border, only twice have Americans been victorious, and only one, Brandt Snedeker ($6,700), is in the field this week. The 2013 winner posted the round of the day Sunday at Muirfield Village Golf Club last week and gobbled up T7 money as a sponsor exemption. Countryman Sam Burns ($9,300), T12 at Memorial, is the highest-priced American in the field. The best putter on TOUR statistically owns five career victories and a pair of top-10 paydays from three starts north of the border. Others wearing stars and stripes in the $9,000 and above range include serial first-round leader Keith Mitchell ($9,100) and PGA TOUR newbie Luke Clanton ($9,000).

Englishman Harry Hall ($9,200) trails only McIlroy this week in the average scoring column. The frequent flier on TOUR will make his 17th start, owning 13 paydays from his previous 16 attempts. Already a winner on TOUR, he is trending fantastically upon his third visit. Cashing in his last eight, he ran T20 at Myrtle Beach, a brand-new venue on TOUR, T19 at the PGA Championship, and T6 at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. Sign me up!

While Wyndham Clark ($8,600) and Max Homa ($8,200) are the more familiar names, their recent form doesn’t match Matt Wallace ($8,000). The Englishman cashed T17 in Charlotte at his first major of the season and backed it up the following week with T22 at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He’s cashed in five of his last eight starts, and all have resulted in T26 or better. Davis Riley ($7,900) owns three top-10 paydays in 2025 and Ryan Fox ($7,700) is a recent winner, but I’ve found a couple of sneaky horses for courses in this range.

Johnny Keefer ($7,800), recently of Korn Ferry Tour adulation, is one of the few who have played TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in a tournament since the 2023 renovation. Posting rounds of 68-68 to close the Fortinet Cup Championship in September 2024, he shared third in the final event of the PGA TOUR Americas season-ending event. Jake Knapp ($7,800), the 2024 Mexico Open at Vidanta champion, played this course twice in 2018 and 2019 on PGA TOUR Canada. After T69 on debut, he returned and earned a solo third. He will have familiarity on the greens.

Alex Smalley ($7,600) ranks ninth in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green, 13th in SG: Off the Tee, 40th in SG: Putting, and EIGHTH in SG: Total. What am I missing? The Rochester, New York, native won’t be bothered by this climate or grasses. Vince Whaley ($7,400) is on a run of five straight events cashing a check highlighted by T7, T15, and T11. After posting four rounds in the 60s at Colonial Country Club two weeks ago, I took notice. With bigger greens this week, putters who can find GIR should be in the mix.

Grasping on to a few who should not upset the ownership applecart, I’m looking at Antoine Rozner ($6,900), who has made 10 consecutive cuts on TOUR, and Canadian Ben Silverman ($6,500), who has made the cut in three of his last four starts in Canada. John Pak ($6,500), who sat T3 after 36 holes at the Charles Schwab Challenge, has produced six consecutive paydays. Canadian Sudarshan Yellamaraju ($6,500) is local and won on the Korn Ferry Tour in The Bahamas in January.

Here's how I would devise a six-man lineup this week, staying within the $50,000 salary cap for DraftKings contests:

• Taylor Pendrith ($9,600)
• Sam Burns ($9,300)
• Harry Hall ($9,200)
• Matt Wallace ($8,000)
• Antoine Rozner ($6,900)
• Brandt Snedeker ($6,700)