Owning a share of the lead after 36 holes, Johnson finished with a one-under 71 for the second day in a row.
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After nearly falling out of contention with a 4-over 76 on Friday, Day fought back with a birdie on the second hole Saturday, but dropped a shot at the 5th before closing the front nine with a birdie at the par-4 9th.
But du Toit wasn’t pleading nervous breathlessness.
As du Toit has kept pace with a largely professional field that includes Johnson and world No. 1 Jason Day, Burke has tried to keep the 21-year-old Arizona State University player on an even keel.
Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 1-under 71 for a three-round total of 1-under 215. He was that close. And Mickelson, like du Toit and all amateurs who enter tour events, was not the recipient of prize money for his impressive labours. Super surprised when nobody got to 12. Everything from now (on) is just cream on top. It was a solid, yet unspectacular week for Day that should have him sharp for Baltusrol.
Jon Rahm knows du Toit’s golf game just about as well as anyone.
Snedeker is a course victor with eight US Tour victories under his belt, but the prices do not seem to factor in how unsettling he could find it with the whole of Canada willing him to miss every putt he lines up.
Snedeker, the 2013 victor at Glen Abbey, shot a 71 to tie for fifth at 10 under.
“I played frightful today, I really did”, Durant said. Actually, it would be great. He is now a two-time victor on the PGA Tour in his career.
“It would be extremely fun for both of us”.
Canadian amateur Jared du Toit is +1 through 11 holes. A triple-bogey 8 effectively put the kibosh on those plans. More than 40 years before du Toit was born.
“Unbelievable”, said du Toit.
“I’m excited. I know I’ve been playing really well”, Wheatcroft said. “I didn’t make many putts”, Kraft said. He’s just a genuine guy. “We became really good friends”. 11 and 15 but birdied No. 16 and wrapped up with an eagle on No. 18.
Canadian Olympic players Graham De Laet and David Hearn missed the cut.
While Rahm has quietly gone about his business in his second pro start and given himself a chance to win it, du Toit has made plenty of noise in his national championship.
“We kinda just gelled nearly right off the start on Tuesday”, said Burke, who has played professionally.
Then…disaster. Or, what looked like disaster at the time.
Idoki had a 77 to drop into a tie for 18th at 2 under. So is du Toit.
But dammit, the kid is resilient, if not talented.
Vegas’s eight-under par 64 included plenty of fireworks, starting with five straight birdies from the second through the sixth holes.
“That was very cool”, said du Toit, when asked about the support from fans. “The putter heated up at the right time, and it was all good. Nothing but good things to say”.
Coming into the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, the 21-year-old amateur was claimed – quite proudly, I am told via email – by the tiny B.C., town of Kimberley and, maybe, Calgary, where he was born and has spent the last couple of summers.
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No Canadian has won the Canadian Open since Pat Fletcher in 1954. Make a stop at Tim Hortons, natch. “I know what he’s capable of and I’ve seen what he’s done in college”.
