The standout of the 2025 RBC Canadian Open will not be in action during the weekend. Rory McIlroy’s performance at TPC Toronto deteriorated on Friday, following an opening-round 71 with a second-round 78, causing him to miss the cut by 12 shots. McIlroy’s struggles culminated in a quadruple bogey on the par-4 5th hole after he mishit an approach shot. Reflecting on his game, he admitted, “I was resigned to missing the cut.”
While McIlroy faltered, Cameron Champ surged to the top, scoring a remarkable 66 on Friday to lead the tournament at 12 under. Champ, who narrowly stepped into the tournament as the ninth alternate, is two shots ahead of Andrew Putnam, who delivered a stellar 62 on the same day.
“I’m proud of myself and how I played… I felt like I played well even not hitting my best shots, sticking to my game plan,” said Champ.
Despite being a three-time PGA Tour winner, Champ’s last trophy was in 2021. However, this top performance signifies a potential comeback, especially while maintaining excellent play off the tee.
Current Leaderboard
- Cameron Champ (-12)
- Andrew Putnam (-10)
T3. Thorbjørn Olesen, Richard Lee, Nick Taylor, Victor Perez (-9)
T7. Ryan Fox, Jake Knapp, Shane Lowry, Cristobal Del Solar, Sam Burns, Matteo Manassero (-8)
As McIlroy dives further down the leaderboard, others like Putnam are stepping into the limelight, edging toward strong finishes as players like Thorbjørn Olesen and Nick Taylor remain in close pursuit.
Noteworthy Missed Cuts
Among the names who missed the cut are Max Homa (-2), Justin Rose (-1), Sungjae Im (E), and Rory McIlroy (+9).
Current Odds
- Cameron Champ (5-1)
- Andrew Putnam (9-1)
- Nick Taylor (9-1)
- Shane Lowry (9-1)
With many players vying for inches on the leaderboard, the weekend promises excitement.
