Cameron Champ backed up his opening 62 with a bogey-free, 4-under 66 on Friday to reach 12-under and take a two-shot lead at the RBC Canadian Open.
“The round today, definitely didn’t hit it my best compared to yesterday. Yesterday felt pretty easy, pretty easy flowing. Today kind of hit a couple squirrelly iron shots,” said Champ.
“Again, I feel like my game plan and how I was approaching the holes — playing to the right sides, moving the ball to the hole, again, not trying to hit the perfect straight ball all the time — is kind of working out. I’m very proud of myself for that.
“The couple up-and-downs were huge. The big putt on, I think I made a 15-footer on 7 for par that just kept it going. Made a good up-and-down on 17 as well.
“Like I said, just kind of stayed even keel, just kind of played my game, and it’s nice to see it come together.”
Champ is bogey-free through 36 holes for the first time in his 159th start on the PGA Tour and the only player bogey-free through 36 holes.
128 marks his lowest 36-hole total on Tour (previous 130/2023 Shriners Children’s Open).
The American holds his third 36-hole lead/co-lead on Tour. He is 1-for-2 in converting to victory (T18/2023 Shriners Children’s Open, Won/2018 Sanderson Farms Championship).
Champ has won three times on Tour, most recently at the 2021 3M Open. His best finish in five starts on this season was T15 at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
He was the eighth alternate when commitments closed on the Friday deadline and joined the field Tuesday after RBC Ambassador Sahith Theegala withdrew due to injury.
“I definitely didn’t think I was getting in, especially 8. I know the deadline, some guys will withdraw over the weekend, something like that, but 8, I was like, yeah, probably not getting in,” added Champ.
“Luckily I actually brought my passport. I don’t know why I brought it. I was like you know, I’m just going to bring it in case for whatever reason, not even thinking about the tournament. So it all worked out nicely.”
American Andrew Putnam shot a bogey-free 62, the low round of the day, to move into second place at 10-under.
18-hole co-leader Thorbjørn Olesen carded an even par 70 having made five birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 10th. He is aiming to become the first player from Denmark to win on the PGA Tour.
Canadians Richard Lee and Nick Taylor carded rounds of 64 (bogey-free) and 65 respectively for a share of third place at 9-under alongside France’s Victor Perez who closed with a 65 for a new career low 36-hole total (131).
2023 champion Taylor seeks his second Tour title this season (Won/Sony Open in Hawaii) and aims to become the second multiple winner of this event since Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy, the 2019 and 2022 RBC Canadian Open winner, missed the cut for the first time since the 2024 Open Championship and carded his highest round in a non-major since the 2021 Players Championship (79/R1).
Three qualifying spots are available for the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush through the Open Qualifying Series. The leading three finishers, not otherwise exempt, from the RBC Canadian Open will earn spots in the field.
Through 36 holes the leading non-exempt players are Cameron Champ (1st/-12), Andrew Putnam (2nd/-10), with Richard Lee and Victor Perez tied for third at 9 under.
