David Hearn is 18 holes from history.
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One Canadian who won’t have a shot is Weyburn, Sask.’s Graham DeLaet, who withdrew from the tournament after four holes saying he’d injured his thumb. He followed his opening 65 with a 67.
Hearn stated he wasn’t making an attempt to let his thoughts wander to the chances of what Sunday may maintain.
“What anybody else does, it boils down to me”, Hearn said.
Playing partner Jason Day understood that DeLaet was frustrated and disappointed but also pointed out that this isn’t the end. With large crowds out in the handsome weather at Glen Abbey Golf Club, undoubtedly there will be a significant focus on Hearn and an increase in the large galleries that have already been following him.
“I know exactly how he’s feeling when he walked into the locker room after he had pulled out”. It didn’t work, so he’s hoping to get the injury looked at by doctors in Arizona. He has been battling vertigo recently. But he considers the high expectations for Canadians in the Canadian Open a self-created thing.
When asked about his game plan on Friday, Johnson Wagner responded: “The par-5s were playing kind of downwind. Nos. You just have to take advantage”. He was five under on the four Glen Abbey par-5s, including an eagle on the 18th, en route to a 66.
Villegas fired a 67, while Day rallied with six birdies in his final seven holes for 69. He had to be an early riser, though, teeing off at 7 a.m.
Greg Norman set the course record of 62 in 1986 and John Merrick matched it in 2013.
Campbell said he was unaware of what sinking that putt would have meant. Day said before the tournament he was hoping DeLaet could stay healthy get picked by worldwide team captain Nick Price.
All eyes might have been on veterans Hearn and DeLaet, but amateur Austin Connelly put on a pretty good show himself. “I’d like to tuneup the iron shots, but overall I’m hitting it good”.
“It’s pretty exciting to think of a Canadian Open with no rain, isn’t it?”
“He may play, if he’s lucky, 10 to 20 Canadian Opens, so this is not the last one for him”, Day said.
“I’m sure I’ll be nervous tomorrow, without a doubt”. I putted today, but I haven’t played the full course.
Adam Hadwin, a two-time victor of the Rivermead Trophy as low Canadian at this tournament, got to three under after firing a 67. He won the last of his four PGA Tour titles in 2007. (He missed the cut.).
Ricky Barnes had a memorable day.
Defending champion Tim Clark dropped 15 spots on the leaderboard to a tie for 48th, after an even-par 72. They each shot 68. The Richmond Hill native owned the longest drives of both Thursday and Friday’s rounds, hitting 390- and 396-yard bombs, respectively. Spectators, staff and media were all encouraged to wear the colours to show national pride. “Everyone wants a Canadian to do well here”. “The fans have been incredibly supportive”, Hearn said. “So we’ll see how we do”, he said. “You just come up here and they’re so polite”, Day said, shamelessly trafficking in stereotypes. “It’s an important tournament to me”. “But I just didn’t have any kind of game going out there, and then (the thumb) was hurting”.
David Hearn of Canada reacts to his tee shot on the second tee during the third round of play at the Canadian Open golf tournament in Oakville, Ontario, on Saturday, July 25, 2015.
Pat Fletcher, born in England, was the last Canadian victor in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver, British Columbia.
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However he gave a stroke back with a bogey at 17 and settled for a par at the par-five 18th. “I couldn’t be happier with where my game’s at and I’m excited about the weekend. I had a couple of really nice pitches and bunker shots”. “I’m looking forward to embracing it”.
