Morning 9: Nick Taylor wins | Claude defends Rory | Hadwin tackled

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Good Monday morning, golf fans, as Nick Taylor revels in the glory of winning the Canadian Open in stunning fashion.

1. From 72 feet!

AP report…”Nick Taylor became the first Canadian in 69 years to win his national open, holing a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to beat Tommy Fleetwood in the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday.”

• “Taylor tossed his putter into the air and jumped into the arms of his caddie after the longest made putt of his PGA Tour career, and fellow Canadian players Mike Weir, Corey Conners and Adam Hadwin were among those who ran out to the green to congratulate him.”

• “I’m speechless. This is for all the guys that are here. This is for my family at home,” Taylor said with tears in his eyes. “This is the most incredible feeling.”

2. Meanwhile, in Scandinavia

BBC report…”England’s Dale Whitnell claimed his first DP World Tour win with a three-shot victory at the Scandinavian Mixed.”

• “Whitnell, 34, led by six shots after two rounds, but saw his advantage cut to just two by charging American Sean Crocker at one point on the final day.”

• “However, a birdie on the 17th eased the pressure for the Englishman who finished on 21 under.”

3. Buhai takes ShopRite

AP report…”As she entered her 30s, Ashleigh Buhai was frustrated with consistently contending but never winning on the LPGA Tour. There was nothing wrong with her swing, so she began working with a mental coach.”

• “Now at the cusp of 35 on a tour dominated by players a decade or more younger, the South African is playing the best golf of her career.”

• “Buhai seized the lead early with four birdies in her first five holes, got up and down for one last birdie for a 6-under 65 and held off Hyo Joo Kim for a one-shot victory in the ShopRite LPGA Classic on Sunday.”

4. Strick wins at home

AP report…”Stricker already has six Champions majors, including the two played this year. This tournament was one his foundation began before he turned 50, and he finally got it.”

• “Tied with Paul Broadhurst to start the final round, Stricker seized control with two straight birdies to close out the front nine at University Ridge Golf Club.”

• “He won by five shots over Broadhurst (74) and Steve Alker (70).”

5. Hadwin tackled by security while celebrating Taylor’s win

Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine…”Adam Hadwin…He grabbed a bottle of champagne, shook it up, popped it and went sprinting onto the green.”

• “But as a bubbly-spraying Hadwin approached Taylor, an overzealous security guard – and perhaps former aspiring CFL linebacker – quickly ran interference, executing a textbook tackle of Hadwin. The PGA Tour winner and two-time Presidents Cupper, who also had thrown out the first pitch at a Blue Jays game earlier in the week, didn’t stand a chance as the guard squared him up and took him down with force, sending Hadwin flying backward into the putting surface.”

6. A premature victory lap?

Tom D’Angelo for the Palm Beach Post…”As more details emerge of the transformational deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns LIV Golf, it appears Norman, the controversial public face of LIV Golf, is on the outs.”

• “It was enough the man known as The Great White Shark was cast aside during seven weeks of negotiations between PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan’s team and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Kingdom’s PIF. Norman, 68, was clueless as to what was happening and wasn’t told of the deal until minutes before the two sides went public.”

• “Now we’ve learned Monahan will oversee both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf when the agreement is finalized.”

7. Claude Harmon speaks out for Rory

Mike Hall for Golf Monthly…”Speaking on his podcast, Son of a Butch with Claude Harmon, he said: “On a personal note, I feel sorry – I really do – I feel sorry for Rory McIlroy. You could see last year how much him being the spokesperson for the PGA Tour, for the PGA Tour’s stance against LIV, against the Saudis, against the money, all that, you could see that it was wearing him.”

• “McIlroy appears to be finding of his best form again after a rocky period that included missed cuts at The Players Championship and The Masters, and Harmon thinks the time he put into defending the PGA Tour had an impact.”

• “He continued: “It’s my opinion, and I don’t have any facts around this, but I think it has affected him as a person and I think it’s affected him as a player. I think it’s affected his game. I think he volunteered but I think the Tour asked Rory to do a lot last year and he did that job unbelievably well.”

8. Golf photo of the year?

9. Taylor’s Winning WITB

Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Blue Tour Spec 6 X

3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees)

Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Blue Tour Spec 6 X

5-wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max (18 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei AV 85 TX

Hybrid: Titleist TSR2 (21 degrees)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 95 X

Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)

Shafts: Temper Dynamic Gold S400

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (46, 54), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks (58)

Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour

Grip: SuperStroke

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x