Cameron Champ wasn’t even supposed to be here today.
Champ shot a 4-under 66 to climb atop the leaderboard on Friday at 12-under overall at the RBC Canadian Open for a two-stroke lead over fellow American Andrew Putnam. A week ago, Champ was the eighth alternate for the only PGA Tour event in Canada, but enough golfers withdrew from the tournament that he made the field.
“I definitely didn’t think I was getting in, especially as eighth,” Champ told media after leaving the scorers’ room at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. “I know the deadline, some guys will withdraw over the weekend but as eighth, I was like, ‘yeah, probably not getting in.’
“Luckily, I actually brought my passport. I don’t know why I brought it. I was like ‘I’m just going to bring it in case’ for whatever reason, not even thinking about the tournament. So it all worked out nicely.”
It’s been five years since Champ last won on the PGA Tour and he’s been bouncing back and forth between the top-flight circuit and the second-tier Korn Ferry Tour this season.
“It’s been a grind. It’s been a mental battle, that’s for sure, going back and forth and having limited starts,” said Champ, who has played in five PGA Tour events this year and eight on the Korn Ferry Tour. “For me now, it’s just more so embracing it.
“Embracing the situation I’m in and just try to take advantage of every opportunity I can.”
Putnam shot an 8-under 62, the best round of the day, to take sole possession of second at 10-under overall.
Vancouver’s Richard T. Lee (64), Nick Taylor (65) of Abbotsford, B.C., Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen (70) and Italy’s Victor Perez (65) were tied for third at 9 under.
WATCH l Canadians Taylor, Lee tied for 3rd midway through Canadian Open:
2023 champion Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Toronto’s Richard T. Lee, who plays on the Asian Tour, are at 9-under par, three shots back of the leader, following the second round of the RBC Canadian Open in Caledeon, Ont.
Taylor was grouped with Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont. The all-Canadian trio was easily the most popular pairing on Friday, with fans going wild for each made shot.
“The fans are phenomenal. The ovation on the first hole alone, we had the national anthem, it felt like, almost every tee box,” said Taylor, who had five birdies on the front nine. “It was fun. The Rink Hole was buzzing. It was a fun day.”
McIlroy struggles
Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy struggled mightily, dropping an 8-over round to easily miss the cut at 9 over. The par-4 fifth hole was particularly costly, as the No. 2 player in the world scored an eight.
McIlroy said his poor showing is a concern ahead of next week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Corinth, Texas.
“You don’t want to shoot high scores like the one I did today,” said McIlroy, who has been trying out a new driver after his go-to was disqualified by the USGA at the PGA Championship. “I came here with a new driver thinking that that was going to be good and solve some of the problems off the tee, but it didn’t.
“Obviously, going to Oakmont next week, what you need to do more than anything else there is hit fairways. Still sort of searching for the missing piece off the tee.”
Lee and Taylor headlined a group of eight Canadians who made the cut at the national men’s golf championship, matching the record previously set in 2023 at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto and again at Hamilton Golf and Country Club last year.
A special air quality advisory was in the area due to wildfires in Manitoba and parts of Ontario. An Air Quality Index of 164 — considered unhealthy — was recorded in the Greater Toronto Area.