LISTOWEL — Even casual golf fans in Listowel, Ont., were invested in Corey Conners's run at the Masters.
Brian Hare and Brian Paulmert were sharing a beer at Crabby Joe's on Main Street in Listowel as Conners teed off in the final round of the Masters on Sunday, four shots back of Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy for the lead. Although neither bar patron know Conners personally or follow golf closely, they were rooting for their hometown's star.
"It's always good to see someone from a small town doing well or prospering, doing what they love to do," said Hare.
"Listowel's a bump, eh?" added Paulmert. "When I'm in the States people ask where I'm from and I say 'an hour and a half from Toronto' because no one knows Listowel."
"You talk about Corey, he's a small-town boy doing good."
Conners shot a 3-over 75 on Sunday to finish the tournament tied for eighth at 5 under.
It's the fourth time he has finished in the top 10 at Augusta National. He tied for 10th in 2020, tied for eighth in 2021 and tied for sixth in 2022.
McIlroy beat England's Justin Rose in a one-hole playoff for his first-ever Masters title.
Conners was the top ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour heading into the Masters, the first major of the men's golf season, sitting sixth in the FedEx Cup standings. His eighth-place finish will drop him down to No. 7 in the rankings.
The 33-year-old has built his professional reputation on consistent play with remarkable ball-striking ability.
He shot a 68 in the first round, then back-to-back 70s to enter Sunday's final round in sole possession of third. McIlroy was the third-round leader at 12 under, American Bryson DeChambeau was second at 10 under, and Conners was 8 under.
"Like I said, I'm not a big golfer, but I've heard he's made a fight to win this tournament," Hare said.
Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., is the only Canadian male to ever win a major. He claimed the green jacket as Masters champion in 2003, inspiring a generation of Canadian golfers including Conners.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., has won two majors on the women's schedule: the Women's PGA Championship in 2016 and the Evian Championship in 2022.
Winnipeg's George Knudson, who is tied with Weir for most PGA Tour wins by a Canadian at eight, was the closest to winning a major before Weir's triumph. He lost the 1969 Masters by a single putt.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the other Canadian to make the cut at Augusta this year. He shot a 1-over 73 on Sunday to finish a 3-over overall, good for 40th.
Around the corner from Crabby Joe's was the Back 9 Sports Bar, a golf-themed spot where a half-dozen people were watching the action from Augusta National but also keeping an eye on the Toronto Blue Jays game out of Baltimore, Canada's national women's hockey team at the world championships in Czechia, and anticipating that evening's Toronto Maple Leafs game in Carolina.
Conners himself often stops by the Back 9 when he's in Listowel and in one corner, near the twin golf simulators, is a wall filled with memorabilia from his career including signed golf flags from the Masters and the Valero Texas Open, which he won in 2019 and 2023 for his two PGA Tour victories.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2025.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
