At the time, it was the biggest win of Nick Taylor’s life, a victory he credits with providing the confidence and inner belief that ultimately helped propel him to the PGA TOUR.

Taylor won the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship in 2007 and he’ll never forget the crazy final day he endured en route to the title. It lasted nearly 10 hours and 38 holes. Taylor would be the first to tell you it should have been over much sooner than that.

Taylor, then 19, was playing Michael Knight of Calgary in the 36-hole final of that 2007 Canadian Men’s Amateur at Riverside Country Club in Saskatoon. That was the last year the championship was decided via match play.

“I remember the morning match I kind of hung in there, lost on 18 to go one-down, and then I played really well in the afternoon and was three-up with three to play,” the Abbotsford, B.C., native said in a recent interview. “What sticks out to me is those last three holes.”

The adventure started on the par 5 16th hole at Riverside.

“I three-putted 16 for par to lose the hole and that is when they blew the horn because of an electrical storm,” Taylor said. “We went in for an hour or so and it felt like it was forever. Having had that opportunity to win and three-putt and then have to sit on that for a while wasn’t great. When we went back out there, the wind was blowing 30 miles an hour. It was crazy the way the conditions had changed.”

On the par 3 17th hole, Taylor once again had a chance to close out the match, but again three-putted.

Things got really crazy on the 18th hole, where Knight hit his drive way left down a steep embankment. Knight managed to find his original tee shot after hitting a provisional, but it didn’t look like he had much of a shot.

“So Mike is down there and he has a buddy caddying for him and they are laughing because they found the ball and it wasn’t in a good place,” Taylor said. “They were like ‘oh well, let’s just take a swing at it’ and it comes out perfectly. It almost comes up close, but rolls over the ridge and he’s about 20 feet away. He almost makes it, but gets his par.”

Taylor, meanwhile, is just 12 feet away in the fringe. He knows he can two-putt and win. So you can guess what happens next.

“It was such a fast putt,” Taylor said. “I hit it out of the fringe and it ripped by about six feet and I missed that. So my head was really spinning at that point for doing that.”

The match finally ended on the 38th hole. Both players had ended up in the same greenside bunker. Knight hit first and bladed his shot out of bounds. He had to take a drop into the same bunker and hit his next shot long into another bunker. Taylor then blasted out onto the green and Knight conceded.

“I played great that week, but if I had lost it would have been devastating,” Taylor said. “I remember trying to register what had happened and thinking that really I should have won that on the 16th hole. And then with the delay and everything that happened it was just kind of crazy.”

Taylor’s win at the 2007 Canadian Amateur followed his 2006 victory at the Canadian Junior Boys Championship and he became just the second player to win the Junior and Amateur back to back. Vancouver’s Brent Franklin first accomplished the feat in 1985, also at Riverside in Saskatoon.

Taylor said that win in Saskatoon meant so much to him, both at the time and in the years that followed. After closing out the match, Taylor and his family drove through the night to Calgary for a flight to California.

“I flew down to the U.S. Amateur to San Francisco and ended up playing really well down there, too.”

Taylor made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the U.S. Amateur, which was being played at Pebble Beach. “So it was a crazy couple of weeks.”

But his Canadian Amateur win also had more long-lasting effects.

It helped get Taylor selected to the national amateur team, which provided him with all sorts of opportunities, and got him into his first Canadian Open. His confidence soared.

“I think it really helped my amateur career and my confidence going back for my second year of college (at the University of Washington),” Taylor said. “I struggled a bit in my first year at Washington. I was in and out of the lineup and didn’t play great.  That Canadian Amateur win was big for a lot of reasons.”

This year’s Canadian Amateur returns to Taylor’s home province of British Columbia. The 114th playing of the championship goes Aug. 4-9 at Duncan Meadows Golf Course and Pheasant Glen Golf Resort on Vancouver Island.

The field will include all four members of the national amateur team Taylor used to be a part of: Hugo Bernard of Mount-Saint-Hilaire, Que., Joey Savoie of La Prairie, Que., Josh Whalen of Napanee, Ont., and Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C. Team Canada Development Team members Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., Nolan Thoroughgood of Victoria, Thomas Critch of Hamilton, Johnny Travale of Stoney Creek, Ont., and Peyton Callens of London, Ont., will also be in the field.

Competitors will each play one round at Duncan Meadows and Pheasant Glen before the field is cut to the low 70 and ties for the final two rounds at Duncan Meadows.

The winner will receive an exemption into the 2019 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club and the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship.

The Willingdon Cup inter-provincial team competition, which was won by Quebec in 2017, will be contested during the first two rounds of the event.

Taylor still keeps an eye on amateur golf in Canada. Chances are, he will be checking the scores on his computer and his mind will go running back to Saskatoon and that crazy day in 2007.

CALGARY – While iconic golfer Phil Mickelson is currently having a stellar season, making birdies isn’t the only thing on his mind: Mickelson is also heavily involved in creating a championship golf course of his own in Calgary, Alta.

Phil Mickelson Design has teamed up with Windmill Golf Group to build a remarkable golf course: Mickelson National Golf Club. The new course is located just west of Calgary at Harmony, a roughly 1800-acre real estate development by Qualico Communities and Bordeaux Developments.

Seeding at Mickelson National Golf Club began in August 2017 and the course’s construction will be completed by the end of August this year. After construction is complete, the course will mature for a period-of-time, so it can be in world class condition when it opens. Some of the first holes, however, are nearly ready to play.

Barry Ehlert, President of Mickelson National Golf Club and Managing Partner, commented, “The community of Harmony is outstanding, and the golf course is looking fantastic. People ask all the time when it will open. Our opening-date goal remains the same as it has always been: to open the course for some golf in 2019 with an official grand opening in 2020. Additionally, construction on the clubhouse will begin in 2019. There’s a lot of progress and work ongoing.”

Because the Mickelson National Golf Club will be a completely private club, many people will have limited opportunities to actually play the course. To allow more people the chance to get out on this unique course, Ehlert and his team have decided to open four holes to anyone who tours this one-of-a-kind course between August 1 and September 19. People can visit tourandplaymickelsonnational.com to register. Then in September they’ll get to play it with the chance to win some great prizes too.

Ehlert continues, “Because of the overwhelmingly-positive responses of people touring the golf course to-date, we have decided to do something that I don’t believe a private course of this magnitude has ever done before: give the public the chance to play a few holes of the course well before the grand opening.”

The opportunity to participate in this exclusive event is limited and is a unique chance for golf enthusiasts to sample this amazing course before opens.

Adam Hadwin is optimistic he’ll return for the PGA Championship next week after dropping out of the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational with a hip injury.

The top-ranked Canadian golfer made the call to bow out of this week’s event in Akron, Ohio on Wednesday, deciding that rest is best heading into the final major of the year next week in St. Louis.

Hadwin’s agent, George Sourlis, told The Canadian Press that the injury was due to femoroacetabular impingement, a condition that causes bones to rub together and something the Abbotsford, B.C., golfer has been dealing with since he was young. It flared up again early this week in Ohio following a missed cut at the Canadian Open.

The pain was intense enough that Hadwin couldn’t hit all the shots needed to compete in a tournament. For example, the 30-year-old couldn’t hit balls out of a bunker because of the way his hips are positioned.

Hadwin plans to work with his doctor to prepare for the PGA Championship next week.

Historically, when Hadwin has dealt with hip problems, he has been back to normal within a week after rest.

Hadwin is coming off a disappointing Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. He missed the cut by one stroke and described his frustration level afterward as “100 out of 10.”

Hadwin is the only Canadian scheduled to play in the PGA Championship.

TSAWWASSEN, B.C. – Lauren Kim carded a 3-under-par 69 to lead by one stroke after the first round of the Canadian Junior Girls Championship at Beach Grove Golf Club.

After playing the third round of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Marine Drive in B.C. last week with a bug bite on her arm causing her pain to bend her arm; Kim was healthy and bug bite free heading into the first round on Tuesday.

“I feel confident after doing well today, I feel confident heading into the week,” said Kim.

The 12-year-old carded four birdies and one bogey to jump in front of Céleste Dao who had the clubhouse lead after the morning wave.

“I didn’t hit a lot of fairways today, it was actually hard, my swing was off, and I was just trying to par my way in, I was like try to keep it even, make your pars and do what you can,” said the Surrey, B.C., native. “I had a good start to my back nine, I started with a birdie and hit more fairways, it was easier.”

Kim has already tasted the winners circle this season, after she played up a division – against girls 15-18 years old – winning the Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour’s Ford Seres Tournament in May and was T5 at the Future Links, driven by Acura Pacific Championship later that month.

Céleste Dao, member of the Team Canada Development Squad, came in with a 1-under-par 71, to sit one stroke back of Kim.

“My birdies came mostly on the par 5s. I was reaching them in two or doing up and downs from the bunkers. Otherwise, I was sticking it close to the pin with my wedges on the other holes I birdied. I did have one chip-in.” said the Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot, Que. native.

Dao – the 2018 Mexican Junior Girls Champion – was two under on her front nine. When she made the turn she recorded two bogeys, then two birdies to recover, but fired one last bogey on hole 16 to finish her round 1-under.

“You have to take advantage of the par 5s. You just need to be patient, there are some holes that may look like they are birdie opportunities, but you need to identify the holes where you need to play safe,” said the 17-year-old. “The front nine is tighter for the drives, the back nine is longer and I think the greens are harder on the back nine, more elevation.”

Emily Zhu from Richmond Hill, Ont. and Hannah Lee from Surrey, B.C. both came in at even par 72.

Zhu sat tied with Dao at 1-under throughout her entire round until she recorded a bogey on her last hole to finish T3.

Team Quebec is leading the inter-provincial team competition at even par and defending champions, Team B.C., sit in second at 6-over-par.

Click here to view the full leaderboard for the 2018 Canadian Junior Girls Championship.

After a tough summer, Brooke Henderson is hoping a change of scenery will do her some good.

The native of Smiths Falls, Ont., took last week off of the LPGA Tour to prepare for this week’s Women’s British Open. The break came following a rough stretch that began with Henderson’s withdrawal from the U.S. Women’s Open in June to be with her ailing grandfather, who passed away.

Four weeks later, Henderson fell out of the lead at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after shooting a final round of 2-over 74. She told The Canadian Press in mid-July her other grandfather is now sick as well.

But she said she feels good about her game this week after finishing third at her last event, the Marathon Classic. And she said golf is a nice way for her to stay focused and ignore outside distractions.

“Once I’m between the ropes, I can flip that switch and work towards my goals for that week,” said Henderson, who has won six times on the LPGA Tour.

Although Henderson is no stranger to having to play the type of bad weather that often accompanies the British Open, it hasn’t yet translated into a good finish at the third major of the year. Her best result at the event is a tie for 49th.

But the 19-year-old won in New Zealand last year, and it came during rough weather conditions on a links-style course. She said she’s hopeful she can parlay that into success this week at Royal Lytham & St. Annes GolfClub in Lancashire, England.

“The style of golf is different, but I’ve learned that it really is about patience and just trusting your swing over there,” said Henderson.

“As is the case with any major, you just need to stay focused and be able to bounce back through tough breaks, weather delays, and harsh conditions.”

Henderson, who’s ranked 16th in the world, said she’ll keep all the same clubs in her bag like a usual, but said the Women’s British Open forces her to use them in different ways. She may end up using a fairway wood around a green for a short shot, or will try to fly her irons lower than usual, she explained.

Henderson is one of the statistical leaders on the LPGA Tour in driving, but her putting has been her weakness this year. She said she can’t pinpoint one specific thing she’s been working on mechanically, but she’s tested a few different putter options and has stuck with one for the last two months.

She said she’s enjoyed coming up with a different kind of strategy for this week versus a normal LPGA Tour tournament.

Annika Sorenstam, who won the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham in 2003, said it takes time to learn to play links golf. She said Henderson would need a little luck with the weather, as sometimes you can get “all four seasons in one day.” But she said Henderson’s creative game plan is a solid one.

Sorenstam said she is a “big fan” of the young Canadian.

“She has a great mind and is a true competitor. She certainly knows how to win tournaments and even majors,” she said. “It seems to me when she is driving the ball well, she gets good momentum and rest of the game falls into place.”

Henderson is just two wins away from tying the all-time record for wins by a Canadian professional _ male or female _ and is hopeful one of those wins comes in three weeks at the CP Women’s Open in Regina.

Although her main focus is on this week in Europe, she admitted she’s got the Canadian event “circled on her calendar.”

“(The course) looks like it will be set up really well for our national championship and I’m excited to see how the fans out there embrace the LPGA,” she said. “I can’t wait to get there and try to put on a show for the fans.”

LANCASHIRE, England – Brooke Henderson will have some Canadian company at the Women’s British Open.

Brittany Marchand of Orangeville, Ont., earned the 17th and final spot in qualifying in a playoff on Monday at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club.

Marchand was one of 12 golfers battling for seven spots in a playoff after those dozen players shot 3-under 69 in the 18-hole qualifier.

It came down to Marchand and Paula Creamer for the final spot on the fourth playoff hole. Marchand parred the hole, while Creamer bogeyed, giving the spot to the Canadian.

Alena Sharp of Hamilton missed the playoff by one shot, settling for a 70. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., carded an 80.

Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Marchand will be the lone Canadians in the field for the fourth major on the LPGA Tour schedule, which starts on Thursday.

The USGA and The R&A are proposing regulations regarding the use of green-reading materials, reaffirming the need for a player to read greens based on their own judgment, skill and ability.

Following a six-week period of feedback and consultation with interested parties that begins today, the regulations will be finalized in a published “interpretation” of Rule 4.3 (Use of Equipment) and adopted Jan. 1, 2019, when golf’s new rules take effect.

“Both the USGA and The R&A are committed to the position that a player’s ability to read their line of play on the putting green is an essential skill that should be retained,” said Thomas Pagel, Senior Director, Rules of Golf and Amateur Status for the USGA. “The focus of the interpretation is to develop an approach that is both effective and enforceable.”

David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “We have looked carefully at the use of these green-reading materials and the extremely detailed information they provide and our view is that they tip the balance too far away from the essential skill and judgment required to read subtle slopes on the greens. It is important to be clear, however, that we still regard the use of yardage books and handwritten notes to be an entirely appropriate part of the game.”

The key elements of the proposed interpretation are as follows: 

• Minimum Slope Indication Limit – A minimum slope indication limit of 4 percent (2.29 degrees) is proposed (this includes lines, arrows, numbers or any other indicators); this will have the effect of eliminating such indicators of slope from those areas of the putting green where the hole is most likely to be positioned (which tend to be cut on reasonably flat sections of the putting green with a degree of slope of less than 3.5 percent – or 2 degrees). This proposed limit also equates roughly with the amount of slope that is readily visible to the naked eye.

• Maximum Scale Limit – A maximum scale of 3/8 inch to 5 yards (1:480) is proposed; this will limit the size in print form to a pocket-sized publication and has the effect of restricting the space for handwritten notes (also referenced below).

• Indicative Information – General information that is included in traditional yardage books or course guides, such as basic illustrations that show the outline of the putting green and include indicative information like the tops of ridges or general slopes, will continue to be permitted.

• Handwritten Notes – Handwritten notes will continue to be allowed, but such notes cannot be used to create either a direct copy or a facsimile (replica) of a detailed green map.

Interested parties are encouraged to contact the USGA at rules@usga.org or The R&A with questions, feedback or suggestions for improvement prior to Sept. 14, 2018.  The draft interpretation and illustrations can be viewed here.

The governing bodies will issue the regulation by no later than Oct. 15, 2018 for its planned Jan. 1, 2019 adoption.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Mackenzie Hughes buried his face in his hands after his 14-foot putt on the 18th hole slowed to a stop short of the hole by a few inches.

The 27-year-old from Dundas, Ont., finished in a season-high tie for eighth place at the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, and captured the Rivermead Cup as the top Canadian for the second consecutive year.

But that last oh-so-narrow miss on 18 at Glen Abbey was a fitting ending to a week he’d “sniffed” golf greatness, but fallen just short.

“Talking to me right now, I’d say I’m a bit disappointed, just because right at the end there, those par 5s coming in (16 and 18) were both playing downwind, and if you’re out here playing with your buddies, probably birdie them both, but a little tougher in this pressure,” Hughes said.

“Just to kind of get sniffing around the lead here, I know Dustin (Johnson) is a little bit ahead, but if he was to have faltered, and you were to have posted 18 or 19, which wasn’t that out of the question, all of a sudden it looks like a pretty good chance.”

World No. 1 Johnson won the Canadian Open’s final appearance at Glen Abbey, shooting a 66 to go 23 under for the tournament.

Hats off to @MacHughesGolf, who won the Rivermead Cup as the low Canadian at 15 under par ????#RBCCO #OurOpen pic.twitter.com/odPGMUHHVE

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) July 29, 2018

Hughes, with wife Jenna and nine-month-old son Kenton watching on, began the day in a tie for 13th, and climbed up to fifth before a bogey on 15. He recovered with a birdie on 16, prompting a roar from the crowd when his 21-foot putt rolled in.

The Rivermead Cup was the original Canadian Open trophy, awarded to the tournament winner from 1920 to 1935, until Seagram’s took over sponsorship and wanted its own cup.

Hughes’ strong week is great timing with only two events left on the season to secure a PGA Tour card. Needing to finish in the top 125 in the FedExCup standings, he began the week at 174, but was projected to climb 22 spots to No. 152.

But the Canadian, who grew up about half an hour’s drive down the Queen Elizabeth Way from Glen Abbey, said, with the tour card looming, he felt the pressure on every hole.

“A birdie on 18, and every shot coming in really meant a lot because once you get up to that top five, top three kind of echelon, the points really ramp up,” Hughes said. “I kind of sensed that opportunity coming in and maybe got a little bit tight at the end, I don’t leave that putt (on 18) short ordinarily, so that’s just maybe getting a bit tight.

“I’ve got two weeks left . . . next week I can hopefully keep building on it.”

Fans along the course Sunday hollered “Go Leafs go!” at Hughes, a nod partly toward the Maple Leafs jerseys he wore all week walking up to No. 7. Known as “The Rink,” the seventh hole is circled with hockey boards. Officials wear hockey referee sweaters.

“The Rink’s been awesome, it’s a great addition to this tournament, you kind of feel the additional support, the cheers for myself seemed just a hair notched up, which is pretty cool, and not something we experience very often,” Hughes said. “I had some fun there this week with a chip-in and handing out some Leafs jerseys, so all in all it was a fun week on No. 7.”

Calgary’s Ryan Yip (70) finished at 12 under and tied for 22nd. Roger Sloan (68) of Merritt, B.C., finished at 10 under, one shot ahead of Chris Crisologo (69) of Richmond, B.C., Canada’s only amateur to make the cut. David Hearn (72) of Brantford, Ont., finished at 7 under and in a tie for 61st.

It was a rough day for Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., who both finished a 4 under and tied for 71st place. Taylor (77) went into the week ranked No. 127 in the FedExCup standings, and needing to improve two spots by season’s end to maintain his PGA Tour card. But he plummeted 42 spots down the leaderboard Sunday, and finished with a double bogey on No. 18, eliciting a groan from the crowd when he hit the ball into the water.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Stephen Ames was in the top three after all four rounds this week at The Senior Open presented by Rolex, including T1 after 36 holes. He carded a final-round 69 and finished T3, his best finish and third top-10 in a senior major.

Miguel Angel Jimenez became the first Spaniard to win The Senior Open presented by Rolex on Sunday, edging defending champion Bernhard Langer by one shot.

Jimenez dropped only one stroke en route to a final round 3-under 69 and ended on 12-under 276 at the historic Old Course.

Jimenez was following in famous footsteps as the second Spaniard to win at St. Andrews after Seve Ballesteros won The Open in 1984.

“This is the place where everyone wants to win and the place where Seve won his second British Open,” Jimenez said. “It has always been my ambition to win here. It feels like I am part of history.”

The 54-year-old Jimenez played the sort of round every professional golfer dreams of on the final day at St. Andrews, and often in unpleasant — occasionally vicious — weather conditions.

Langer shot a 68 to come second.

Americans Kirk Triplett (69) and Scott McCarron (68) tied for third alongside Canada’s Stephen Ames (69). All three finished on 10 under.

Jimenez won the Regions Tradition in May, holding off a hard-charging Steve Stricker for his first senior major title.

On Sunday, in the immediate aftermath of his second major title of the year, the self-styled “most interesting man in golf” played down his celebrations but the prolonged raising of his arms was evidence enough of his delight.

And relief. Only by making a vital nine-foot putt for par on the penultimate green had Jimenez held onto his overnight lead.

“I didn’t play too good over the last few holes,” Jimenez said. “I didn’t hit many solid shots. And I missed short putts on both the 14th and 15th. At that stage I was feeling the stress. My heart was really pumping very fast.”

In search of a fourth victory in this event, Langer had cause to regret a couple of lapses, most notably the three-putts he needed to complete the par-4 13th hole. It was his only bogey of the day, but it was enough to give Jimenez a three-shot edge that proved just too much to overcome.

“Miguel played an awesome four days of golf, and he’s a very well-deserved winner,” said Langer, who closed with a 4-under 68. “I was pretty happy overall. It wasn’t easy in some of the conditions that we had.”

The leaders made their share of mistakes down the stretch into a diminishing wind but their problems were nothing compared with earlier in the day. At its height, the wind and rain transformed the back-nine into a succession of par-5s. Despite the late improvement in the conditions, the 72-man field was a collective 136-over par.

Former Australian Open champion Peter Fowler – not exactly the shortest hitter in the field – was short of the 465-yard 13th after a good drive and full-blooded 3-wood. Even worse, two holes later he was unable to reach the fairway on the 455-yard 15th with his best drive. Around three hours later, Jimenez comfortably found both greens with mid-irons.

There was ultimate disappointment for Tom Watson. Playing what could be his final competitive round at St. Andrews, the 68-year old American — five times a British Open champion and three-times a winner of this event — had a closing 77 that left him in a lowly tie for 21st place at 1 under.

Watson was still afforded a rousing send-off.

“As ever, the fans were really very good to me,” Watson said. “I gave it right back to them. I appreciate what they do for me. This is a unique setting in golf, probably the most unique. You come into the town on the last hole and finish amongst all the buildings with the people hanging over the rail up there. There’s no other place like it.”

OAKVILLE, Ont. – As Dustin Johnson was leaving the clubhouse at the Glen Abbey Golf Club, he paused, looked around at the assembled media, and smiled.

“I hope to see y’all tomorrow,” said Johnson, laughing.

The world No. 1 was in a four-way tie with fellow American Kevin Tway and South Koreans Byeong Hun An and Whee Kim atop the leaderboard after three rounds at the RBC Canadian Open. Johnson surged up the standings on Saturday behind a 7-under 65 performance to reach 17 under overall.

Followed by massive crowds wherever he went, Johnson set the pace for the rest of the field, firing seven birdies and an eagle. Five of those birdies came in the opening six holes. Despite playing so well, Johnson thinks he’ll need to be even more aggressive to win the tournament.

“I like the golf course, I feel like my game’s in really good form, I’ve got a lot of confidence in it,” said Johnson, who tied for second in the Canadian Open at Glen Abbey in 2013 and 2016 but has yet to win the event. “I’m going to have to go out and play really well tomorrow. There’s definitely low numbers out here.

“There’s a lot of guys right around the lead and somebody’s going to go shoot low. Hopefully it’s me.”

.@DJohnsonPGA is in with a 7-under 65 ?#RBCCO pic.twitter.com/9tQGnwMZX6

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) July 28, 2018

An (66) climbed three spots up the leaderboard, while Kim shot a 67 at the US$6.2-million PGA Tour event. Second-round leader Tway, who was paired with Kim, birdied on the par-5 18th hole to shoot a 68 and split the tie a fourth way.

Tway’s father Bob won the Canadian Open in 2003 at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club. The younger Tway said on Saturday that he was aware he had to play catch-up with Johnson.

“Yeah, I looked (at the leaderboard) a little bit. He started off really hot,” said Tway, noting that the key to Glen Abbey is to attack the front nine and final three holes, but play more conservatively on Nos. 11-15 because they sit in a deep valley with a ravine and plenty of rough.

For his part, Kim isn’t intimidated by Johnson’s popularity and isn’t concerned with whether he’s chasing or holding a lead.

“Chasing the lead or holding the lead, it doesn’t matter. Just play your game,” said Kim. “Everybody’s going to say the same thing. It doesn’t matter.”

It will be difficult for the rest of the field to catch the top two pairs on Sunday.

Known for its small greens and narrow fairways, pinpoint accuracy is necessary to stay out of the rough at Glen Abbey. Players have benefited from daily rain showers or storms this week that have kept things soft. No rain is predicted on Sunday, however, firming up the greens and making it more likely balls will find their way into the rough.

Hudson Swafford and Rory Sabbatini are tied for fifth, four shots back of the leaders.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was the low Canadian after a 5-under 67 put him into a tie for 13th at 11 under overall. Calgary’s Ryan Yip (66) moved 40 spots up into a tie for 21st, seven shots back of Johnsonand Co.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., eagled on 18 to save par to tie for 29th at 9 under. He was paired with Johnson for the round.

“There’s a lot of camera clicks,” said Taylor. “I think I only had one putt where it somewhat bothered me. I should have backed off. But no, it was fun to have that many people. It’s definitely electric, and when I can chip in like that and make a putt on 18, it’s fun.”

Even though he’s the top player on the PGA Tour, Johnson insists he’s only popular in Canada by proxy – his fiancee Paulina Gretzky is the daughter of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky.

“Well, I can thank Wayne for that,” said Johnson. “There’s a lot of Gretzky fans out there, and so they tend to pull for me, which thanks, Wayne, I appreciate that. I do get a lot of love up here, and the fans have been great this week.”

David Hearn (69) of Brantford, Ont., and Ben Silverman (73) of Thornhill, Ont., are tied for 43rd at 7 under. Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., and Chris Crisologo of Richmond, B.C., Canada’s only amateur to make the cut, are tied for 53rd, at 6 under.