Rory out, 8 Canadians in, Champ leads, player interviews at RBC Canadian Open

 PGA Tour: RBC Canadian Open. Tee Times  Leaderboard

A -3 cut of 58, will contest the championship at this years RBC Canadian Open, and for once Rory will not be the story.

To my eye, the world #2 did not have  his A game since he got up at 4am Thursday morning in the gloom and rain that had settled over the GTA. He didn't look chipper at all that day, he always has that spring in his step when playing well.

Much has been said about his snowman (8) at the 5th yesterday, but his real problem. and he has a week off to rectify it before Oakmont, was his vaunted driver off the tee, it is what separates him from the rest. 

Both he and Scheffler had new prototypes rejected by the rules makers two weeks ago, and he brought a new one to Osprey Valley without much success, hitting just 4 fairways on Friday.

Meanwhile their are 8 of the 21 Canadians in play for the weekend, most of them you know, more on that in a minute, but  what about the leader Cameron Champ Cameron Champ

He is American from Sacramento, 29 owgr #420 and has 3 wins in 158 starts, and was the 8th alternative going into the week. He has more cuts than makes this year, but with the late draw on Thursday he found something on the soft North course to his liking with an opening 62, and backed that up with 66 for a 2 shot lead at -12.

American Andrew Putnam 68 62 -10 is 2nd.

Enter the Canadians !  with interviews

T3, 2023 winner Nick Taylor 66, 65 -9 Nick Taylor, Asian Tour veteran Richard Lee 67 64 -9 Richard T. Lee lead the contingent. Dane Thorbjorn Olesen 61 70 join them.

Taylor Pendrith T13 65 68 -7   Taylor Pendrith

Mac Hughes T18 68 66 -6       Mackenzie Hughes

Adam Hadwin T30 67 68 -5    Adam Hadwin

Matthew Anderson T30 70 65 -5

Corey Conners T38 70 66 -4

Ben Silverman T53 68 69 -3    Ben Silverman

Game Plan

The book out on TPC Toronto North is make your scores on the front 12, with the longer par 4's in the final 6 holes. Play begins at 8am in pairs off the 1st tee on Saturday.

The weekend weather for Toronto is sunny and warm, while the greens aren't fast, the fairways will be firmed up and hitting them according to Nick Taylor is the key. "to score well you have to hit the fairways here, with the rough being so wet and lush. If you do, you have wedges in hand for the approaches."

If Champ has a slow start or poorer round, the rest of the field back at -5,6 &7 have 36 holes to get into contention.

Proven champions like Shane Lowry, Sam Burns and in form Ryan Fox are all lurking at -8.

Bryan Angus