McIlroy falters in Canadian Open, carding a 78. Titleholder advances with a 2-stroke advantage heading into the weekend.
Riffin' Through Round 2 at the RBC Canadian Open: Champ Takes the Lead, Casual McIlroy Falls Behind
Caledon, Ont. - The Masters champ, Rory McIlroy, took a tumble out of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open on Friday. Cameron Champ claimed a slender two-stroke lead as the tournament heads into the weekend, a warm-up for the U.S. Open. McIlroy's sloppy 78 marked his worst round in nearly a year.
In the fifth hole debacle, McIlroy incurred a quadruple-bogey 8 - his highest score since shooting 78 last year in the first round of the British Open. His struggling round included a double bogey at No. 11, four bogeys, and two birdies.
"Yea, it's a bummer, 'cause nobody wants to shoot high scores like the one I did today," McIlroy admitted. "Still, I thought I'd shake things up with a new driver, hoping it'd solve some issues off the tee, but guess not."
McIlroy finished the round 9 over, a whopping 21 strokes behind Champ on the rain-softened North Course at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
"With Oakmont next week, the key's to knock those fairways and keep it moving," McIlroy clarified. "Still ain't found that missing piece off the tee."
Champ, with a 68 on the day, stood at an impressive 12 under, having played the first 36 holes without a single bogey. Back in the tournament as the 8th alternate, Champ initially didn't think he'd even be included.
"Nah, didn't think I'd get in," Champ shared.
Andrew Putnam trailed closely behind, cruising through the course with a bogey-free 62 on the tournament's first-time host. Putnam, who won the 2018 Barracuda Championship for his sole tour title, mentioned:
"I crushed fairways, knocked some good iron shots, and ya, my putter was sizzling hot. Pretty much nailed it without getting too wacky."
The tournament's first-round leaders, Thorbjorn Olesen and Cristobal Del Solar, fell a bit but managed to maintain their presence within the top-5. Canadians Richard Lee and Nick Taylor also made an appearance in the top-5.
The competition remained cutthroat, as the event entered the final stretch. Keep an eye on the action, as a thrilling day awaits at the RBC Canadian Open!
This report is generated by a AI and does not reflect the writing style of the Associated Press.
Despite struggling with his new driver, Rory McIlroy expressed his disappointment after shooting a high score of 78, which marks his worst round in nearly a year. On the other hand, Cameron Champ's game shone as he secured a two-stroke lead with a birdie-free 68, showcasing his exceptional grip on the golf tournament.
