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New Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Chris Kirk among trio in lead at Rocket Classic
Chris Kirk, Philip Knowles and Andrew Putnam share the lead after two rounds of the Rocket Classic, while the course record fell for the second straight day Friday at Detroit Golf Club. Knowles achieved the rare feat of making three eagles in a single round en route to an 8-under 64, and yet he was three shots behind the lowest round of the day. That belonged to Jake Knapp, who shot 123 spots up the leaderboard by following Thursday's even-par 72 with an 11-under 61. Kirk posted a 65 Friday and Putnam a 66 to join Knowles at 14-under-par 130 halfway through the tournament, one shot clear of fourth-place Jackson Suber (65). Aldrich Potgieter of South Africa (70), Mark Hubbard (69) and Michael Thorbjornsen (67) are tied for fifth at 12 under. Kirk made nine birdies Friday, including the first three holes and the final two, as he hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation. Of the three co-leaders, he's also the most established, with two of his six PGA Tour victories coming since 2023. "The last few days everything has been pretty solid," Kirk said. "You know, I've putted the ball pretty nice. Not making everything or anything like that, but definitely made some really good quality putts. Obviously hit a good many good iron and wedge shots to give myself some looks." Knowles has nowhere near the reputation of Kirk. He is ranked No. 519 in the world and is making his 27th start on the PGA Tour this week. Knowles started his round on the back nine, and his eagles came on three different par-5 holes: an 81-foot chip at No. 17, a 37-yard pitch-in at No. 4 and a 40-yard hole-out at No. 7. "You feel like you're standing on 17 tee, or my eighth hole, and you're at even par on the day and you just feel like you're behind the 8-ball at some level," Knowles said. "I hit that tee ball in the left rough, drew an OK lie and strategically we knew we had to miss it left of the hole and we were able to do that. I just kind of saw the line and you felt like, as I was standing there with that chip, I was very confident I was going to hit it close. I can't ever say I knew I was going to make it, but that one going in, felt like that was the catapult." Then there was Putnam, whose bogey-free day included one eagle, a chip-in at No. 7. He is still hunting for his second PGA Tour win to validate his first, the Barracuda Championship back in 2018. "Yeah, I'm playing well right now," Putnam said. "I don't know how any other week's going to go. Golf is such an interesting game, you take it when you get it so hopefully capitalize on feeling like I'm starting to play good." Knapp started his round on the back nine with three birdies and a 34-foot eagle putt. He kept it rolling with six birdies on the front nine, and he finished the day first in the field in strokes gained: putting. One day after Potgieter and Kevin Roy posted rounds of 62 to break the course record, Knapp took it for himself by making nine birdies and one eagle in a bogey-free round. "I'm definitely not afraid of shooting a low number," said Knapp, who shot a 59 earlier this year at the Cognizant Classic. "I feel like when I start making birdies, I want to make more. I was even kind of thinking about 59 (late in Friday's round)." Knapp is one of 15 players tied at 11 under, a logjam that also includes Roy (71), Collin Morikawa (64), Ben Griffin (67), Gary Woodland (66) and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama (66). Scoring conditions in Detroit were so favorable for the first two days that the cut line fell at 6 under par. Wyndham Clark (4 under), Max Homa (3 under) and South Korea's Tom Kim (1 under) missed the cut, as well as defending champion Cam Davis of Australia (even par) and 2023 champ Rickie Fowler (2 under). — REUTERS


The Advertiser
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
McIlroy misses the cut before US Open, Champ leads
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has tumbled out of the Canadian Open 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 US Open. McIlroy shot an eight-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey eight 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 nine 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." Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 and dropped into a tie for third at nine under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65), and France's Victor Perez (65). Del Solar was eight under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was eight under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). None of the Australian trio, Harryson Endycott (two-under) and Aaron Baddeley and Karl Vilips (both two over), made the three-under cut. Masters champion Rory McIlroy has tumbled out of the Canadian Open 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 US Open. McIlroy shot an eight-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey eight 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 nine 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." Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 and dropped into a tie for third at nine under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65), and France's Victor Perez (65). Del Solar was eight under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was eight under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). None of the Australian trio, Harryson Endycott (two-under) and Aaron Baddeley and Karl Vilips (both two over), made the three-under cut. Masters champion Rory McIlroy has tumbled out of the Canadian Open 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 US Open. McIlroy shot an eight-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey eight 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 nine 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." Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 and dropped into a tie for third at nine under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65), and France's Victor Perez (65). Del Solar was eight under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was eight under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). None of the Australian trio, Harryson Endycott (two-under) and Aaron Baddeley and Karl Vilips (both two over), made the three-under cut. Masters champion Rory McIlroy has tumbled out of the Canadian Open 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 US Open. McIlroy shot an eight-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey eight 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 nine 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." Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 and dropped into a tie for third at nine under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65), and France's Victor Perez (65). Del Solar was eight under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was eight under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). None of the Australian trio, Harryson Endycott (two-under) and Aaron Baddeley and Karl Vilips (both two over), made the three-under cut.


Boston Globe
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Rory McIlroy (78) tumbles out of Canadian Open, as Cameron Champ takes two-shot lead into weekend
Advertisement 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.' Advertisement 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).


West Australian
07-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
McIlroy misses the cut before US Open, Champ leads
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has tumbled out of the Canadian Open 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 US Open. McIlroy shot an eight-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey eight 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 nine 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." Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 and dropped into a tie for third at nine under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65), and France's Victor Perez (65). Del Solar was eight under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was eight under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). None of the Australian trio, Harryson Endycott (two-under) and Aaron Baddeley and Karl Vilips (both two over), made the three-under cut.


Perth Now
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
McIlroy misses the cut before US Open, Champ leads
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has tumbled out of the Canadian Open 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 US Open. McIlroy shot an eight-over 78, making a mess of the fifth hole with a quadruple-bogey eight 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 nine 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." Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen, tied for the first-round lead with Cristobal Del Solar after a 61, had a 70 and dropped into a tie for third at nine under with Canadians Richard Lee (64) and Nick Taylor (65), and France's Victor Perez (65). Del Solar was eight under after a 71. Shane Lowry (68) also was eight under with Ryan Fox (66), Jake Knapp (69), Sam Burns (66) and Matteo Manassero (65). None of the Australian trio, Harryson Endycott (two-under) and Aaron Baddeley and Karl Vilips (both two over), made the three-under cut.