MacIntyre eagles seventeenth, has 4-shot lead in Canada

HAMILTON, Ontario — Robert MacIntyre made a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 seventeenth to cap a late surge Saturday and take a four-stroke lead into the ultimate spherical of the RBC Canadian Open.

Tied for the second-round lead with Ryan Fox, MacIntyre shot a 4-under 66 to get to 14-under 196 at Hamilton Golf and Nation Membership. The 27-year-old Scottish left-hander is winless in 44 profession PGA Tour begins.

“I feel it is my perspective now,” MacIntyre stated. “I’ve spoken about all of it week. I have been in a superb mindset from the get-go and had zero expectation at first of the week.”

Mackenzie Hughes, making an attempt to turn out to be the second straight Canadian to win the nationwide championship, was tied for second with Fox and Ben Griffin.

“Clearly, loads of it would rely upon what Robert does,” Hughes stated. “I imply, if he performs an important spherical of golf tomorrow he’ll be virtually unattainable to catch. That is why we play 4 days. You by no means know, bizarre issues have occurred earlier than.”

From close by Dundas, Hughes shot a 67. He missed a 9-foot eagle putt on 17, then bogeyed the par-4 18th.

“Beginning the day, I knew Saturday’s more durable than Friday, and Sunday might be more durable than Saturday,” Hughes stated. “So actually going into it figuring out that I type of ready myself to be in the best mindset. For me it was not making an attempt too laborious, not forcing issues. For probably the most half I’d say I did a reasonably good job.”

Final yr at Oakdale in Toronto, Nick Taylor made a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth gap of a playoff in opposition to Tommy Fleetwood to turn out to be the primary Canadian to win the occasion since 1954.

Fox had a 70 on Saturday. He performed the primary 5 holes in 4 underneath with an eagle and two birdies, then made 4 bogeys on the ultimate 13 — three in a four-hole span in the course of the again 9.

Griffin bogeyed the 18th in a 65.

Fleetwood (64) was 9 underneath together with Sam Burns (67), Trace Crowe (67) and Joel Dahmen (69).

“It’s a must to simply take what the golf course offers you,” Fleetwood stated.

Two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy was tied for eleventh at 7 underneath after a 65. He received in 2019 the final time the match was in Hamilton and once more in 2022 at St. George’s in Toronto.

“I really feel like an honorary Canadian at this level,” McIlroy stated. “The help I get right here is superb. I preserve saying it, however only a pleasure to play in an environment like that.

Taylor missed the minimize with rounds of 72 and 71.

MacIntyre performed the primary 13 holes in 1 over, making three birdies and 4 bogeys. After a bogey on the par-3 thirteenth, he started the late cost with a 13-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th. He ran in a 50-footer on the par-4 fifteenth and a 10-footer on the par-3 sixteenth earlier than holing the eagle putt on 17.

“I simply caught in there,” MacIntyre stated. “I did not have it nice at first, however I really feel like each time I dropped a shot I bounced again with perhaps two good photographs into the inexperienced, and I’d choose up a shot again. I simply, it by no means bought away from me. A little bit of luck, a little bit of myself being staying within the second, staying calm. I bought my reward with the putter ultimately.”

The previous McNeese State star performed on Europe’s successful 2023 Ryder Cup crew and has two European tour victories, the 2020 Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown and 2022 Italian Open.

His father, Dougie, is working as his caddie this week.

“He is been by means of thick and skinny with me,” MacIntyre stated. “He taught me how one can play the sport of golf.”