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CTV News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- CTV News
McIlroy tumbles out of Canadian Open with a 78. Champ takes 2-shot lead into the weekend
Rory McIlroy approaches the green during the RBC Canadian Open Golf Pro Am in Alton, Ont., Wednesday, June 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power CALEDON, Ont. — Masters champion Rory McIlroy tumbled out of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday with his worst round in nearly a year, with Cameron Champ taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend in the final event before the U.S. Open. McIlroy shot an 8-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey 8 in his highest score since also shooting 78 last year in the first round of the British Open. He had a double bogey on No. 11, four bogeys and two birdies. 'Of course it concerns me,' McIlroy said. 'You don't want to shoot high scores like the one I did today. Still, I felt like I came here obviously with a new driver thinking that that sort of was going to be good and solve some of the problems off the tee, but it didn't.' At 9 over, the two-time Canadian Open winner was 21 strokes behind Champ on the rain-softened North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. 'Obviously, going to Oakmont next week, what you need to do more than anything else there is hit fairways,' McIlroy said. 'Still sort of searching for the sort of missing piece off the tee.' Champ had four birdies in a 68 in the morning a day after opening with a 62. He was at 12 under, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey. 'It's firmed up a little bit, but fairly similar to yesterday,' Champ said. 'The fairways I feel like were firming up a little bit. The greens slightly, but pretty close to how they were yesterday.' The three-time PGA Tour winner got one of the last spots in the field after being the eighth alternate Friday when the commitments closed. 'I definitely didn't think I was getting in,' Champ said. Andrew Putnam was second after a bogey-free 62 on the course hosting the event for the first time. He won the 2018 Barracuda Championship for his lone tour title. 'I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of good iron shots, too, and my putter was on fire,' Putnam said. 'Pretty much did everything right. Didn't really make many mistakes.' Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 drop into a tie for third at 9 under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65) and France's Victor Perez (65). Taylor won the 2023 event at Oakdale. 'Hung in there,' Taylor said. 'Making a birdie on the last was important to end the day nicely.' Del Solar was 8 under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was 8 under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). The Associated Press
CBC
4 hours ago
- Sport
- CBC
Champ takes 2-shot lead, Canada's Taylor and Lee tied for 3rd heading into weekend at Canadian Open
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: Canadians Nick Taylor and Richard T. Lee tied for 3rd midway through RBC Canadian Open 1 hour ago Duration 2:31 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.
Washington Post
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
McIlroy tumbles out of Canadian Open with a 78. Champ takes 2-shot lead into the weekend
CALEDON, Ontario — Masters champion Rory McIlroy tumbled out of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday with his worst round in nearly a year, with Cameron Champ taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend in the final event before the U.S. Open. McIlroy shot an 8-under 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey 8 in his highest score since also shooting 78 last year in the first round of the British Open. He had a double bogey on No. 11, four bogeys and two birdies.
Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Rory McIlroy's post-Masters hangover continues after dismal second round at Canadian Open
Rory McIlroy's US Open plans are in absolute tatters. Watching his torment in Toronto on Friday night, it was hard to equate the player who missed the cut by 10 shots with the golfer who so magnificently won the Masters just eight weeks ago to become the sixth player in history to complete the grand slam. From immortal to backmarker. Golf is cruel. Out of the 156 players competing at the Canada Open in Toronto – an event McIlroy has won twice – the world No 2 only had three beneath him (although three did withdraw). This was a low point, his eight-under 78 a golfing atrocity. In tournaments he has finished, McIlroy has never endured such a poor placing. Whatever way one looks at it, it has been a kick in the teeth, so shortly after he was all pearly white smiles. It is his only missed cut of the year and his first in 11 months. Granted, hangovers happen. But McIlroy's headache going into the US Open, which begins on Thursday, now appears to be verging on the insufferable. Especially as the American national championship is being hosted at the major venue that implodes craniums perhaps more than any other – Oakmont. A competitor has to be able to drive it accurately at the notorious Pittsburgh layout, with fairways so narrow and rough so thick. McIlroy hit only four fairways in this second round. He just about managed to break 80, but only because TPC Toronto is a par 70. In truth, it is not a tough track. The leader, Cameron Champ, is on 12 under, 21 strokes ahead of McIlroy. Perhaps his motivation after achieving his lifelong dream is a factor. But technically, it cannot be doubted that his driver woes are to blame. McIlroy's tee-shot game defines him and it was a huge blow for his TaylorMade Qi10 to be deemed non-conforming in the practice days at last month's US PGA. He switched to the Qi35 for this tournament, but he is struggling. If only it was just the driver letting him down. He was plagued by a two-way miss and this was marked most emphatically with his quadruple-bogey eight on the fifth. At the start of the week, he acknowledged that motivation is a problem after achieving his lifelong dream. Yet Oakmont is no place to head when the technique is off and the mind is not sharp. In his absence, Champ takes a two-shot lead into the weekend over fellow American Andrew Putman. Irishman Shane Lowry is only two further off the pace on eight-under, after a 68. England's Danny Willett is on seven-under on a congested leaderboard.
Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
McIlroy tumbles out of Canadian Open with a 78. Champ takes 2-shot lead into the weekend
CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Masters champion Rory McIlroy tumbled out of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday with his worst round in nearly a year, with Cameron Champ taking a two-stroke lead into the weekend in the final event before the U.S. Open. McIlroy shot an 8-under 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey 8 in his highest score since also shooting 78 last year in the first round of the British Open. He had a double bogey on No. 11, four bogeys and two birdies. 'Of course it concerns me,' McIlroy said. 'You don't want to shoot high scores like the one I did today. Still, I felt like I came here obviously with a new driver thinking that that sort of was going to be good and solve some of the problems off the tee, but it didn't.' At 9 over, the two-time Canadian Open winner was 21 strokes behind Champ on the rain-softened North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. 'Obviously, going to Oakmont next week, what you need to do more than anything else there is hit fairways,' McIlroy said. 'Still sort of searching for the sort of missing piece off the tee.' Champ had four birdies in a 68 in the morning a day after opening with a 62. He was at 12 under, playing the first 36 holes without a bogey. 'It's firmed up a little bit, but fairly similar to yesterday,' Champ said. 'The fairways I feel like were firming up a little bit. The greens slightly, but pretty close to how they were yesterday.' The three-time PGA Tour winner got one of the last spots in the field after being the eighth alternate Friday when the commitments closed. 'I definitely didn't think I was getting in,' Champ said. Andrew Putnam was second after a bogey-free 62 on the course hosting the event for the first time. He won the 2018 Barracuda Championship for his lone tour title. 'I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of good iron shots, too, and my putter was on fire,' Putnam said. 'Pretty much did everything right. Didn't really make many mistakes.' Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 drop into a tie for third at 9 under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65) and France's Victor Perez (65). Taylor won the 2023 event at Oakdale. 'Hung in there,' Taylor said. 'Making a birdie on the last was important to end the day nicely.' Del Solar was 8 under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was 8 under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). ___ AP golf:
