David Skinns fired a flawless 8-under 62 to take a one-shot lead at the RBC Canadian Open.

“Drove it pretty well. I left myself in a lot of good spots. Around here, it seems like that’s half the battle to give yourself birdie looks. I was able to attack some pins that maybe if I wasn’t in such a good spot, I wouldn’t have been able to. It was solid off the tee, and that kind of helped me take advantage of some of the holes out there.”

The Englishman is in his second season on the PGA Tour at age 42 after finishing No. 12 in the Korn Ferry Tour Points List in 2023. He joined the PGA Tour as a rookie at the start of the 2021-22 season.

He is a three-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour and has played 29 events over three seasons on PGA TOUR Canada (2013, 2015 and 2016) with his best result coming at the 2015 Wildfire Invitational (2nd).

“I think once you know your good golf can compete, it’s a lot easier to trust that and to have those feelings of comfort a little more than maybe otherwise if you hadn’t been there before and held up.

“I had a couple of great years up here,” he continued. “It’s one of my favorite countries to come visit. I’ve seen it from West Coast to East Coast and kind of loved every part of it. I love coming back.

“The golf up here is pretty cool. The bentgrass and the way this golf course looks, it’s one of the best looking courses I’ve seen. Definitely a joy to be back.”

2011 RBC Canadian Open winner Sean O’Hair tied his career-low round on Tour with a bogey-free 63 featuring an eagle at the par-5 17th for a share of second place at 7-under, his third 63 in 1,322 stroke-play rounds. O’Hair is the last player in the field, getting in on Tuesday when Davis Riley withdrew, he was the sixth alternate when the field was first published on Friday and second alternate on Monday morning.

RBC ambassador and fellow American Sam Burns carded a 63 featuring two eagles at the par-5s 17th and 5th as well as a bogey at the 4th.

Scotland’s Robert McIntyre signed for a bogey-free 64 for solo fourth place at 6-under, one ahead of American Ryan Palmer who carded a bogey-free 65.

2019 and 2022 RBC Canadian Open winner Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who won the last time the event was played at Hamilton G&CC (2019), carded a first-round 66 and is tied in sixth place at 4-under.

Related: The Forgotten Open

M. James Ward examines how the Canadian Open went from one of the most prestigious championships to a far lesser role and is now seeking a worthy rebirth.