|
 [May 31, 2024]
David Skinns of England is the unlikely first-round leader at
the RBC Canadian Open after he fired an 8-under 62 in the first
round Thursday at Hamilton (Ontario) Golf & Country Club.
A 42-year-old journeyman who has yet to win his first PGA Tour
title, Skinns is joined by 41-year-old Sean O'Hair near the top of
the leaderboard. O'Hair is tied for second with Sam Burns at 7-under
63.
This is Skinns' first career 18-hole lead on tour, although he has
held at least a share of the lead after 54 holes twice this season.
He had top-10 finishes at the Cognizant Classic and the Texas
Children's Houston Open, the first two top-10s of his PGA career.
"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,"
Skinns said. "Yeah, not particularly uncomfortable right now."
Skinns started his round on the back nine and made his move at the
turn, when he strung together six birdies in a seven-hole stretch
between Nos. 17 and 5. He stuck his approach at the par-4 18th
inside 3 feet of the cup and later drained a 35-foot birdie putt at
No. 3 and a 47-foot birdie at No. 8.
It may be premature, but Skinns was asked what a win would mean to
him.
"I think everyone knows the answer to that," he said. "I've been
working at it for 20-something years. I've got to play (Friday)
first, though."
O'Hair made a 27-foot eagle putt at the par-5 17th hole to ensure
he'd tie his lowest career round on tour. He was originally the
sixth alternate for the event and was the last player added to the
field Tuesday after a series of withdrawals.
"I like to be prepared. I just, I didn't have an option," O'Hair
said. "I think when you don't really have an option and you're kind
of making a big deal about it, it almost hurts you, so I kind of
just said, look, 'I don't really expect a whole lot today, I haven't
really been playing that great either,' so to come out here and
shoot the score I did today was definitely kind of a shocker for
me."
[to top of second column] |
Burns, though a five-time winner on tour, hasn't
had the best season so far. Luckily for him, he got two eagle putts
to go Thursday, a 37 1/2-footer at No. 17 and a 10-footer at the
par-5 fourth.
"I think with all the rain we had early in the week the greens are
still pretty receptive," he said. "It makes a big difference on
par-5s when you have a long iron or a wood coming in there to be
able to stop the ball pretty quick. That makes a huge difference. So
I think that was really the difference in my round today. Making two
eagles kind of kickstarted me and it was overall a solid round."
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre is fourth at 6-under 64, and Ryan Palmer
is fifth after carding a 65. Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory
McIlroy of Northern Ireland is part of a tie for sixth at 4-under
66; he opened with nine pars before pouring in four birdies on his
inward nine.
The low Canadian through one round is David Hearn at 3-under 67.
Mike Weir, the 54-year-old former Masters winner, opened with a
2-under 68.
Defending champion Nick Taylor of Canada opened with a 2-over 72 and
is in danger of missing Friday's 36-hole cut.
--Field Level Media
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely
responsible for this content.
|
