HAMILTON, Ontario — David Skinns had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch and shot an 8-under 62 on Thursday at Hamilton Golf and Nation Membership to take the first-round lead within the RBC Canadian Open.
Taking part in within the afternoon with the greens nonetheless principally receptive after rain earlier within the week, Skins pulled forward with a 47-foot birdie putt on his seventeenth gap — the par-3 eighth. The 41-year-old Englishman was a stroke forward of morning starters Sam Burns and Sean O’Hair.
“Drove it fairly properly. I left myself in lots of good spots,” mentioned Skinns, winless on the PGA Tour. “Round right here, it looks like that’s half the battle, to provide your self birdie seems. I used to be capable of assault some pins that possibly if I wasn’t in such a great place, I wouldn’t have been capable of. ”
Robert MacIntyre of Scotland had a 64 within the afternoon. Ryan Palmer opened with a 65, and two-time Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy was one other shot again with Ryan Fox, Andrew Novak, Erik van Rooyen, Nick Hardy and Hint Crowe.
Defending champion Nick Taylor shot a 72, taking part in alongside fellow Canadian Taylor Pendrith and McIlroy. Final 12 months at Oakdale in Toronto, Taylor made an 80-foot eagle putt in a playoff to turn into the primary Canadian to win the occasion since 1954.
“Often the morning spherical for me on a Thursday there’s not that many individuals there,” Taylor mentioned. “The vitality was excessive, which was nice, will get the adrenaline going, which is enjoyable that early within the morning, will get you targeted on what you must do. Sadly, it didn’t go my approach, however the crowds have been superb.”
McIlroy gained the Canadian Open in 2019 the final time it was in Hamilton and once more in 2022 at St. George’s in Toronto.
“One of many most important causes I like coming again right here is due to that environment,” McIlroy mentioned. “Taking part in with two Canadians at present, it was precisely what I anticipated.”
Pendrith opened with a 72.
“We had enjoyable,” Pendrith mentioned. “Rory performed, scored, actually properly. It was enjoyable to play with Nick.”
Skinns is a former Canadian tour participant.
“I had a few nice years up right here.” Skinns mentioned. “It’s considered one of my favourite nations to return go to. I’ve seen it from West Coast to East Coast and type of beloved each a part of it.”
Skinns birdied the par-4 twelfth — hitting a wedge from 104 yards to 4 ft — and started his huge run on the par-5 seventeenth. He adopted with a 189-yard shot to 2 1/2 ft on the par-4 18th and made a 14-footer on the par-4 first. He holed a 35-footer on the par-4 third and added birdies on the par-5 fourth and and par-4 sixth.
“The golf up right here is fairly cool,” Skinns mentioned. “The bentgrass and the best way this golf course seems, it’s probably the greatest trying programs I’ve seen. Positively, a pleasure to be again.”
Burns eagled the par-5 seventeenth and fourth.
“I believe with all of the rain we had early within the week the greens are nonetheless fairly receptive,” Burns mentioned. “It makes an enormous distinction on par-5s when you may have an extended iron or a wooden coming in there to have the ability to cease the ball fairly fast.”
David Hearn was the low Canadian after a 67.
“Hey, how about that?” the 44-year-old Hearn mentioned. “Perhaps expertise nonetheless has one thing.”
Fifty-four-year-old Mike Weir shot 68.
