Golf gets another moment in the sun as the U.S. Open comes to L.A.

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Basketball and hockey normally dominate the North American sports news cycle this time of year. But, as the Denver Nuggets and Vegas Golden Knights marched toward frictionless five-game victories in their respective finals, golf grabbed everyone's attention over the past week with a pair of dramatic stories.

First came last Tuesday's bombshell announcement from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's Saudi backers that they'd agreed to merge their warring tours under the umbrella of a new company heavily financed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. We still know next to nothing about how it will all work as the deal is still being ironed out, but there's been talk of allowing defectors such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson to return to the PGA Tour next year if they agree to certain penalties. The future of the unloved LIV tour beyond this season remains completely up in the air.

While everyone was still digesting that stunning news — and players were screaming at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan for taking the Saudi money after shaming them into not doing the same — Nick Taylor authored one of the greatest moments in Canadian golf history. The 35-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., sank a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff on Sunday in Toronto to become the first Canadian in 69 years to win the men's Canadian Open.

WATCH | Taylor converts long putt to capture RBC Canadian Open:

A few days later, golf is ready for another moment in the sun as the U.S. Open — the most demanding of the four men's majors — tees off Thursday at the