Ryan Fox, Matteo Manassero share Canadian Open one-shot lead

Straits Times

3 days ago

Ryan Fox hitting his tee shot at the ninth hole during the third round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament on June 8. PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES
– New Zealand's Ryan Fox is in position for a second victory on the PGA Tour, and this time he feels like he belongs.
He goes into the final round of the RBC Canadian Open tied with Italy's Matteo Manassero after they both shot six-under-par 64s on June 7 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley's North Course in Caledon, Ontario.
'I always felt like I was on the outside looking in at Myrtle Beach but then kind of chipped in, and it was a bit of a whirlwind. I just feel a bit more comfortable in my own shoes. I feel like I belong a bit more out here, and just stuff doesn't seem to matter quite as much after getting that first win,' Fox said.
Fox and Manassero are at 14-under 196, holding a one-shot lead on the trio of Americans Matt McCarty (64) Lee Hodges (63) and Chinese Taipei's Kevin Yu (63) going into June 8.
United States duo Andrew Putnam (68) and Jack Knapp (66), and Canadian Mackenzie Hughes (64) are two strokes back, while seven others are at 11 under. Putnam, who was in the day's final pairing, rolled in a birdie putt on the last hole.
With 15 golfers within three strokes of the lead, the possibilities appear endless.
'It's anyone's game at this point. No one has been able to totally light this place on fire yet,' Hughes said.
There was a six-way tie for first place at 13 under late in the afternoon.
'It's hard to say anything wasn't how I wanted it because I need to look at the bigger picture and I'm going to be standing in a really nice position,' Manassero said.
Manassero, who has never won on the PGA Tour, held the lead until his only bogey of the day when he used three putts on No. 17. He got the stroke back with a birdie on the closing hole.
'So I don't want (the bogey) to get in my head, and I don't want that to ruin anything or my attitude going towards the next shot,' Manassero said.
Fox, whose lone PGA Tour victory was in the Myrtle Beach Classic in May, was 5 under through nine holes, capping his round with a birdie. Hughes was in the play-off when Fox won the Myrtle Beach Classic.
Yu likes his position, too.
'I feel like (Sunday) everybody has still got to play good... I have to bring my A-game out and still have to be reasonably aggressive,' Yu said.
McCarty said he'll keep the same approach.
'Just keep on doing what I'm doing and take advantage of the opportunity,' he said.
The golfers from Canada receive huge support from the galleries in the annual tournament. Fox said he remembered a 2024 round with Hughes.
'I got to play with (Hughes) in the last round, and the support for him out there is amazing. You can see it out there now,' Fox said.
Hughes said he embraces the attention and the support, something he'll aim to use to his advantage for the last 18 holes.
'I can use them for energy. I can use them for momentum,' Hughes said of the crowds.
'We don't get that very often. If I go play anywhere else in the world and I'm playing the last round with anyone that's notable, I'm not the favourite. I'm not someone they're going to be rooting for. Here I have that going for me, and it's important to try and use it.'
Second-round leader Cameron Champ shot 71 without a birdie, saving par from the rough on the 18th hole to stick with the group at 11 under. Champ is a longshot given that when the week began he was the eighth alternate to even gain a spot in the tournament field.
Other contenders at the halfway mark tumbled down the leaderboard. Canada's Richard Lee (70) and Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen (71) and were knocked from their top-three spots and now are tied for 25th and 29th, respectively.
Only 11 golfers had over-par scores Saturday.
The third round was played without Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who missed a cut for the first time since last July. REUTERS
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