On Wednesday, McIlroy played in the tournament pro-am with MLSE top boss Keith Pelley, who gifted the five-time major champ a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey. More on that in a minute. “I haven’t hidden my sort of aspirations for national Opens and where I would like them to be, what their standing is in the professional game of golf. So this has meant a lot,” McIlroy said. “I first came here in 2019, once the date changed. It used to be that week after the Open Championship, which wasn’t ideal for a lot of players. I honestly love the date change. I love that it’s the week leading into the U.S. Open. “Playing in front of the Canadian fans and everything that goes along with that and the enthusiasm, you guys only get to see this sort of golf once a year, so I think once it does come along, it’s really appreciated.