Rory McIlroy (78) tumbles out of Canadian Open, as Cameron Champ takes two-shot lead into weekend
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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.
"I think there's still learnings that you have to take from a day like today."
Rory reflects on missing his first cut since
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR)
'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.'
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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.
From 8th alternate to solo leader 😳
Cameron Champ is defying the odds
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR)
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).
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