The 2025 RBC Canadian Open offered a $9.8 million purse at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. Ryan Fox took home $1.764 million after a four-hole playoff, while Kevin Kisner missed the cut with rounds of 70 and 71. Yet, his story is more heartfelt. For several years, Kisner stayed at a local Canadian farm, helping with chores after dinner, and was never charged for his stay.

The details first emerged during Fore Play Podcast Episode 867. Jeff Bey, a longtime associate of Kisner from the RBC circuit, met the Fore Play team at Darren Clark’s Harbor Bar during their stop in Portrush. Bey relayed information from a Canadian homeowner who had hosted Kisner during several editions of the event. On the podcast, Kisner explained what made the property unique and why he never wanted to leave.

“I’m on this beautiful farm in Canada with turkeys around. And he’s like, ‘Yeah, you can go kill whatever you want, kids.’ And I was like, ‘I will stay here and do dishes for the rest of my life.'”

Bey described the homeowner to the Fore Play team as a man with long gray hair and a strong loyalty to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The homeowner sent a message through Bey, relayed from his wife.

“My wife thinks Kiz is like the nicest guy in the world.”

The explanation was straightforward. Kisner cleared the table and did the dishes every night while he was there. The Fore Play hosts asked Bey if the homeowner had charged Kisner anything for the week. The answer was no. One host quickly pointed out on air, “Well, no wonder he’s doing the dishes.” According to the hosts, the homeowner’s crew had been raving about Kisner, calling him the classiest guest for always helping out. As one host said, it felt almost like a billet family situation.

The arrangement was organized. Bey provided catered dinners each night, and the group gathered before Kisner and Snedeker left for early tournament mornings. Several guests stayed throughout the week, and the hot tub was available after rounds. Kisner was clear in his assessment of Bey as a host.

“He’s the ultimate host. He would have dinners catered in every night and we’d just sit around and eat and then Sneds and I’d wander off to bed when it was time for us to go play a tour event.”

The connection was established through Snedeker’s sponsorship with Royal Bank of Canada, the Canadian Open’s title sponsor since 2008, where Bey chaired the board. Snedeker introduced Kisner and Bey at a ProAm. Bey had previously offered Kisner access to his duck club in Canada. The Canadian Open provided the opportunity for both players to be in the same city, and the farm served as their base. Kisner viewed the arrangement as a result of shared interests.

Kisner finished ninth at the Canadian Open in 2014. He has played in the event several times since then. He has four PGA Tour wins, with the most recent being the 2021 Wyndham Championship. In March 2026, he joined Fore Play as a full co-host. The podcast focuses on the everyday golfer. Kisner is set to play the 2025 Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial on a sponsor’s invite. The farm stay is not new to golf. It has always been part of the sport, though rarely shown on camera.

The host family culture in professional golf

Host family arrangements are a standard part of the developmental golf structure and nothing new to Canadian golf alone. The LPGA Tour has these formal housing programs listed at its events, which match players with local families who are offering free accommodation. At the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan, players often choose to stay with families instead of in hotels. The Epson Tour, which feeds into the LPGA, uses similar systems at its events, presenting host families as partners who help reduce the financial burden of constant travel. That broader culture shows up in player reactions too: Carlota Ciganda has described the arrangement as a “home away from home,” while other LPGA players have called host families a source of comfort, economic relief, and even “my American family.”

The Korn Ferry Tour has adopted the same approach on the men’s side. In 2024, The Landings Golf and Athletic Club was recognized as Host Facility of the Year, partly for its private housing program using club members during tournament week. The PGA Tour does not have a similar system. Players on the main tour are responsible for their own accommodation. Kisner’s experience on a Canadian farm reflected this tradition, but it relied on personal connections instead of an organized program.

At a $9.8 million event, Kisner’s only way to thank his host for the free accommodation was to leave the place clean. That was sufficient.