Instead, du Toit made a birdie on the 13th hole, and hit a 364-yard drive on the 18th hole.
Advertisement
DENVER – Jonathan Kaye of Boulder fell to a four-way tie for fifth place in the Colorado Open after shooting a 2-under par 70 Saturday. “I’ve never been there”, du Toit said with more honesty than expected.
“Very disappointing”, said Snedeker, the 2013 victor at Glen Abbey. Rahm, du Toit’s former Arizona State teammate, birdied 16 and 18 in a 67.
And Canadian golf fans agree-but a fairy tale ending in du Toit’s PGA Tour debut would make the story that much sweeter. Straining to be heard over the cheers and applause, a growing section of fans belted O Canada.
Du Toit said that he’s not putting any pressure on himself Sunday. “The atmosphere out here has been unbelievable”.
Du Toit, an Arizona State senior from Kimberley, British Columbia, was trying to become the first Canadian victor since Pat Fletcher, born in England, in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver, British Columbia. An amateur hasn’t won the Canadian Open since American Doug Sanders at Montreal’s Beaconsfield Golf Club in 1956.
Martin Laird of Scotland, tees off on the seventh hole during the final round of the Canadian Open golf tournament, Sunday, July 24, 2016, in Oakville, Ontario.
“I have no idea. Super surprised when nobody got to 12”. Great players. I knew, if I got lucky, it was going to be a playoff.
Snedeker is having a good year, with a win and four Top 10 finishes.
Brandt Snedeker will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the RBC Canadian Open after firing a 66 on Saturday.
“I’m just there to give him some confidence and slow him down when I need to”, said Burke shortly after du Toit’s third round finished.
“For a 21-year old kid to be playing golf here is awesome, let alone to do it at your national open”.
Johnson also fared better than his co-leader from Friday, Luke List, who’s tied for 28th after going five over for the round.
American Steve Wheatcroft and German Alex Cejka were tied for fourth, two shots off the lead. A birdie at 18 resulted in a round of 5-over 77 and dropped him 27 spots down the leaderboard, leaving him seven off the lead.
Johnson is slight favourite with 18 holes to play, the pre-tournament 11-2 chance into 9-5. I’m looking forward to playing with him and I’m going to do everything I can to help him have a great day tomorrow. “I don’t really know what to expect”.
“The day was pretty tough in itself and then I really didn’t have anything going well”, Day said. “Tomorrow, hopefully, get some putts to roll in”.
Advertisement
Du Toit, who only had 15 fans following his trio in Thursday’s opening round, had nothing but praise for the Canadian fans who rallied to support him after 5-under 67 in the first round thrust him to the top of the standings. Amateur Garrett Rank from Elmira, Ont., is tied for 71st, while fellow Ontarian Corey Conners of Listowel is 78th.
