RORY MCILROY IS three shots off the lead heading into the turn at the Canadian Open, while Shane Lowry is a further three shots back following the second round Oakdale.
Two-time defending champion McIlroy, the world number three and a four-time major winner, closed with back-to-back birdies to fire a bogey-free 67 and stand in a pack on 138.
“I feel pretty good with where I’m at,” McIlroy said. “Would have been nice to be one or two closer to the lead, but I thought today went well.”
Lowry enters Sunday sitting in the top 20 after recording six birdies in a second-round, three-under-par 69.
Chinese rookie Carl Yuan birdied three of the last four holes to grab a one-stroke lead after Friday’s second round of the US PGA Tour event.
Yuan, who missed the cut in eight of his prior 10 tour starts, fired a five-under par 67 to stand on nine-under 135 after 36 holes at Oakdale.
“Definitely played some great golf,” Yuan said. “I had the exact same mindset as yesterday. Just go out, play freely, let the result take care of itself and have fun. It works out good so far. I think I’m going to keep that rolling.”
England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who reeled off five birdies in a row, fired the event’s low round with a 64 to match countryman Aaron Rai, Taiwan’s C.T. Pan and Canada’s Corey Conners for second on 136. Rai and Conners both shot 69. Pan fired a 66.
“I just hit a lot of good shots,” said Pan, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist. “I gave myself a lot of good opportunities on the greens.”
Conners, in the best 36-hole spot by a Canadian since 2004, hopes to be the first host-nation winner of the event since Pat Fletcher in 1954.
“Having a lot of fun,” Conners said. “Hopefully can keep hitting it well and get some more putts to fall in over the weekend.
Free-swinging golf was Yuan’s plan this week rather than a specific score.
“I try to make the swing. Just let the body take care of itself,” he said. “Normally that works out great. I’ve been way too technical in past events on tour this year.”
World number 164 Yuan made only five cuts in 16 prior season events, but produced his best 36-hole start since placing 21st in January at Hawaii. His best PGA finish was a share of 17th at Shanghai in 2019.
