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Tournaments

Here’s what you missed from Round 2 of the RBC Canadian Open

Josh BerhowBy Josh Berhow
June 7, 2019

Brandt Snedeker set the pace on Friday morning but Matt Kuchar and others picked apart Hamilton Golf & Country Club in the afternoon. Here’s what you missed in the second round of the RBC Canadian Open.

Kuchar, Brown lead

Kuchar and Scott Brown shot matching seven-under 63s to get to 12 under and share the 36-hole lead.

Snedeker and Nick Taylor are just one back at 11 under. Snedeker had the low round of the day, blitzing the course on Friday morning for a 10-under 60. He’s now shot 59, 60 and 61 in PGA Tour events.

Webb Simpson (64) is in 5th and two back.

Oh, Canada!

A handful of Canadians are threatening atop the leaderboard in their national Open. Taylor is just one off the lead, and Adam Hadwin is nine under and three back. Mackenzie Hughes and Ben Silverman are among a group of six at eight under, four off the lead.

Royal Portrush watch

While the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach may be next week, this week has big implications for the British Open at Royal Portrush as well. One of those players eyeing a trip to Northern Ireland is Graeme McDowell.

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McDowell grew up in Portrush but has yet to qualify for this year’s British Open. Luckily for him the RBC Canadian Open is a qualifying event, meaning the top-three players inside the top 10 who have not already qualified receive Open bids. McDowell is T7 at eight under after his second-round 67.

“I could be [at Portrush] and miss a cut and think, Well, what was all the fuss about?” he said. “I would rather play well this weekend and let Portrush take care of itself.”

There’s a lot of golf yet to be played, but so far there’s only a few players (Brown, Taylor, Hadwin and Hughes) ahead of McDowell who haven’t earned Open bids. McDowell at least knows he’s playing next week. The last time the U.S. Open was at Pebble Beach, in 2010, he won his first and only major.

Don’t forget about…

Rory McIlroy (66) is T13 and seven under, Justin Thomas (65) is five under, and Brooks Koepka (66) and Dustin Johnson (65) are both four under.