Tour pro shoots 66 after changing putter 5 minutes before round at Canadian Open
A Tour pro shot one of the lowest rounds of the day after adding a new putter to his bag at the RBC Canadian Open.
A tour pro playing in this week's RBC Canadian Open shot a 6-under par 66 Friday after changing his putter five minutes before his round.
This week the PGA Tour is at Oakdale Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Canada for the RBC Canadian Open.
With a win this week, Rory McIlroy, 34, would accomplish the impressive three-peat at the event. The Northern Irishman won the tournament in 2019 and then again in 2022 after it was cancelled for two years due to the pandemic.
McIlroy shot a 5-under par 67 on Friday for the second round and will safely make the cut at 6-under par after 36 holes.
Fellow European Ryder Cup hopeful Tyrrell Hatton is also playing the tournament in southern Ontario this week.
Hatton, 31, had the low round of the day after recording an 8-under par 64 on Friday. He was one stroke back of leader Carl Yuan, who was at 9-under par after 36 holes.
Climbs 68 spots and ties the formal course record at Oakdale @TyrrellHatton was all about making moves today @RBCCanadianOpen. pic.twitter.com/EMZzpUvY0E
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 9, 2023
The 26-year-old rookie shot rounds of 68 and 67 at Oakdale this week.
Yuan credited his comfort and experience in wet and cold conditions while speaking to media after Friday's second round.
"I think this is right in my alley," he told reporters. "I went to school in Seattle at the University of Washington. That's exactly what we deal with in the wintertime. Definitely gave me plenty of opportunity to practice when I was in college. It really helped me a lot being out here in the similar conditions."
Twenty-one Canadians are in the field this week for their national PGA Tour tournament.
It's been nearly 70 years since a Canadian won the PGA Tour's Canadian Open and over 100 years since a Canadian-born player won.
Wil Bateman, the 29-year-old from Edmonton, took a gamble on Friday as he looks to be the national hero this week.
After a 74 on Thursday, Bateman, who plays primarily on the Korn Ferry Tour, followed it up with an impressive 6-under 66 Friday.
And afterwards, Bateman told reporters that a last-minute putter change might've been the reason for the eight-stroke overnight improvement.
No. 1 @PGATOURCanada T15 @RBCCanadianOpen @Wil_Bateman with an impressive 6-under round in his home country. pic.twitter.com/6iWLkvH5Zm
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 9, 2023
"I made a quick putter change there five minutes before my tee time," Bateman said. "I felt like that was the difference. I felt like I struck it pretty well yesterday, just couldn't get anything going. Then I made a couple putts there early and that kind of kept the momentum going."
Bateman, who's playing in his first Canadian Open this week, said he knew he was "doing something right" when he saw the cameras and the microphones out following him.
Last season he was No. 1 on @PGATOURCanada.
Now he’s in contention in his @RBCCanadianOpen debut.
It’s been a dream start for @Wil_Bateman in his home country pic.twitter.com/qZSkqUMFNm— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 9, 2023
He said he likes to "dabble" with a lot of putters, but it was his first round putting with the one he switched to on Friday.
"Honestly, I felt like I hit it great yesterday and just, I didn't make anything at all," he told reporters, adding:
Bateman was five strokes back of Yuan after 36 holes Friday.
Corey Conners, who held a share of the lead after 18 holes, was the low Canadian again Friday after shooting a 3-under par 69. He was one stroke back of Yuan at 8-under par.
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