Caledon, Ont. – The field is now set as the final four players locked up their spots in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open on Sunday following the Final Qualifier at The Pulpit Club in Caledon, Ont.
Americans Christian DiMarco of Tampa, Fla., and Josh Goldenberg of Scarsdale, N.Y. claimed the top two spots on Sunday’s leaderboard to earn their exemptions, while Yi Cao of Beijing, China (Delta, B.C. resident) finished in a tie for second with Goldenberg to secure his exemption.
Team Canada NextGen member, Matthew Javier of North York, Ont., battled out with fellow Canadian Mark Hoffman of Toronto, Ont. for the final spot in the 2025 RBC Canadian Open field.
The two played the 18th hole to decide the winner with both finding the green on their approach. Putting from distance, Javier placed his birdie putt five feet left of the hole, while Hoffman laboured to a bogey finish. Javier converted on his par putt to secure the tournament’s final spot and end a dramatic Final Qualifier at The Pulpit Club.
“It’s been a lifelong dream to play an event on the PGA TOUR,” commented Javier following his playoff win on Sunday. Javier started his round at 9 a.m. and wrapped up play nearly 11 hours later, taking to a Matchplay mindset to secure the playoff victory over Hoffman.
DiMarco – who made his professional golf debut two weeks ago on the Korn Ferry Tour – led the group of players to earn an exemption on Sunday with a three-under par performance. A pair of early birdies at the first and third holes vaulted DiMarco into red figures to begin his round before adding two more birdies at the 11th and 12th to nab the top spot on the leaderboard. DiMarco is the son of golfer Chris DiMarco, who currently plays on the PGA TOUR Champions.
“I think it’s a testament to the work I’ve put in over the years and know that I just keep doing the right things and good things will happen,” said DiMarco who admitted to not having his sharpest game amid the afternoon’s windy and cool conditions.
DiMarco’s countryman, Josh Goldenberg of Scarsdale, N.Y., carded five birdies on his round to help secure his spot in next week’s field at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. Goldenberg entered the final three holes of his round at four-under par, but was reeled into a T2 finish alongside Cao after bogeys at holes 16 and 18. Teeing off at 7:40 a.m. local time, Goldenberg was forced to wait nearly eight hours to confirm his spot in next week’s Canadian Men’s National Open and passed the time by studying for one of his exams.
“At the end of the day it was totally out of my control and whatever was going to happen, I just tried accepting that,” said Goldenberg. “This is a dream come true, something I’ve thought about for my entire life. I just can’t believe it’s happening.”
Like the Americans ahead of him, Cao birdied the par-four 12th to get to his round back to even par before going on a decisive scoring run to punch his ticket to the RBC Canadian Open. Adding back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14, Cao worked his way to a two-under par performance to join Goldenberg with the clubhouse lead after both headlined the morning wave.
The 2025 RBC Canadian Open will run from June 4 – June 8 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course) in Caledon, Ont.
The post DiMarco, Goldenberg, Cao and Javier pick up final exemptions to RBC Canadian Open field amid dramatic finish to Final Qualifier first appeared on Golf Canada.