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.

ALBANY, N.Y. — A total of 21 individuals completed their first round in the Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY before the rains hit Capital Hills at Albany Golf Course hard on Friday afternoon, suspending play for the day at 2:35 p.m. ET.

The low Canadian, Elizabeth Tong, was not able to finish her round but sits 4-under with a share of the lead after 17 holes. Tong was having a bogey free round before play was suspended. Tong has career top-10 finish in 2016 of T-9 at the Symetra Tour Championship and finished T41 at last year’s Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY

Playing in her first and only event of the season, Katie Kempter (Albuquerque, New Mexico) holds the overnight lead. She fired a bogey-free, 4-under par 67 before storms moved into the Capital Region today, surprising even herself along the way.

“It would be not fair to say that I didn’t,” Kempter said with a grin. “My only goal this whole week is to go enjoy being out here, seeing some friends and catching up with them. The golf shots and the putts and the score, that’s just all icing on the cake. Whatever happens the next 36 holes, honestly it doesn’t really matter. I’m just happy to be out here.”

After playing competitively last year, Kempter got to a point where she was ready to move on and make a regular paycheck. It just so happened that the University of Denver (DU) alumna received a job offer she couldn’t refuse.

A friend from her days at The Club at Admirals Cove in Jupiter, Fla., by the name of Steve Hosack reached out to the seven-year Symetra Tour veteran, who also played one full season on the LPGA Tour. Hosack is the Head PGA Golf Professional at Burlington Country Club in Burlington, Vt., where Kempter is now the Pro Shop Manager, also assisting with junior clinics.

“Basically, my job is to make sure our membership is happy and enjoying golf. They have someone to chat with when they come in and talk about their round,” said Kempter. “I love the game of golf so much that it’s fun to see other people enjoy it, so that is my position. That has been a nice change in my life.”

The opportunity kept her in the game she loves and brought back the little things she missed, from cooking dinner to spending time with her wife Libby Smith—the Director of Instruction at Burlington Country Club—more than once every five weeks. Kempter still has aspects of competition and travel that leave her wanting to get back, but only for a short time.

“The friendship and camaraderie that’s built around here, girls work their butts off to get to the LPGA and I think what’s so great about the Symetra Tour is a lot of girls support one another getting to that goal,” Kempter said. “You make lasting friendships. Yeah, I miss a lot of my host families and a couple of my volunteer caddies. That stuff I miss. I don’t miss the grind, the practicing.”

First round action will resume tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. ET with second round play to begin shortly after all players complete 18 holes

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Yealimi Noh shot even par 71 to capture the Duchess of Connaught Gold Cup at the 105th playing of the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship on Friday at Marine Drive.

It was another beautiful sunny day and Noh carded a single birdie and a single bogey to shoot her only round in the 70s.

Noh and Dylan Kim duked it out all day. Noh made the turn even after recording her only birdie and only bogey and Kim made the turn also firing a birdie and bogey but still sat one shot ahead.

It wasn’t until Kim bogeyed hole 11 where the duo sat tied through the next 6 holes.

Coming up to the 18th tee the two sat tied at even par. Kim pulled her tee off to the left in the rough and hit her second shot fat and it landed only about 20 or 30 yards ahead, that’s when Noh knew she had a chance to take the lead and decided to change her club.

“I changed clubs, I was about to hit the yardage but then I just wanted to be safe and I’m just going to hit it on the green. I clubbed up and just hit a short shot, I was just going for the green,” said the 17-year-old.

Noh hit her ball off the fairway on to the left of the green and successfully pared the hole where Kim bogeyed it.

“I didn’t think at the beginning of the day I would win. I thought I would shoot at least a couple under, because there was also the other group in front of us. I never try to let my guard down. I think coming through 16, 17, 18 I wasn’t really thinking about it, just wanted to get through each hole.” said Noh.

Just this month Noh has won the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and the Girl’s Junior PGA Championship, as well as celebrated her 17th birthday on July 26.

“This month has been a whirlwind, the beginning of the year I set my goals for the three this month and this summer, since I’m not playing as much this summer,” said the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion. “The biggest goal of mine was to win, well, all of them, but I didn’t think I would win all of them. I would have been really happy to just win one out of three. Winning three in a row is just crazy.”

Kim finished 2-over for the day and a total score of 10-under 274 for the tournament. The 21-year-old from Sachse, Tex. took home the silver medal as well as the Marlene Stewart Streit trophy which, after almost 15 years, was reinstated this year.

Tiffany Kong remained the low scoring Canadian. She finished the tournament 2-over 286 with a share of 14. The Vancouver B.C. native has earned exemption into this year’s CP Women’s Open in August.

Kong is excited at opportunity to play this year at the CP Women’s Open and feels better equipped to play this year than she did three years ago, at age 14, when she played in the CP Women’s Open at Vancouver Golf Club.

“Well, three years ago I was hitting decent for my age but compared to the pros I was like 60 yards behind — hi, I’m way back here.  I had to hit 3-woods onto some greens. There were some holes where I couldn’t even reach it with a 3-wood. So now I think I have a better chance of playing better.” said Kong.

Three players walked away with a share of third after carding 9-under 275: Lilia Kha-Tu Vu from Fountain Valley, Calif., Allisen Corpuz from Waipahu, HI. and Gina Kim from Chapel Hill, N.C.

Noh’s victory earns her an exemption into both the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship and the CP Women’s Open at Wascana Country Club on August 20-26, 2018.

For full results click here.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Miguel Angel Jimenez and Stephen Ames were sharing the lead on 9-under when darkness ended play early in the second round of the Senior British Open on Friday.

Ames is among 18 players who must return on Saturday morning to complete their rounds. The golfer form Calgary has one hole to go.

Earlier, pony-tailed Spaniard Jimenez fired a 5-under 67 for a total of 135, one better than American pair Jeff Sluman (68) and Kirk Triplett (71), and defending champion Bernhard Langer (69).

Among three players in the clubhouse on 137 was three-time winner Tom Watson, who remarkably shot his age by posting a 68. On the same 7-under overall mark were Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden and Vijay Singh of Fiji.

“I have been playing well and I attribute it to practicing quite hard before I came here,” Watson said. “I shot 68 on the Old Course under pretty good conditions and I’m very pleased.”

Jimenez’s round was highlighted by an eagle-birdie-birdie run from the 14th.

“I played … super golf,” he said. “It was very difficult with very strong winds on the first nine holes, and then on the back nine I played solid. It would mean a lot to win the Senior Open, especially here at St. Andrews, but some of the top players in the world are here.”

Triplett said he had no strategy for the historic links layout and simply planned to react according to the daily conditions.

“You can take the yardage book and throw it away most of the time”, he said. “Whatever comes, you’ve got to figure out how to play it. I really enjoy links golf. I just haven’t ever been very good at it.”

To the delight of the crowd, Scottish pair Sandy Lyle (66) and Colin Montgomerie (68) were among a group on 5-under 139.

“Yesterday, my putter let me down badly,” said Lyle. “I had chance after chance after chance. Today, though, I played very tidy golf.”

Montgomerie was less pleased with his performance.

“I was 4-under through eight,” he said. “Had 10 more chances, missed them all. So very poor really. No positives at all. It’s all negative in my world.”

Play was delayed for 85 minutes at the start of the round due to thick fog.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – After any PGA TOUR round Kevin Tway calls his longest-serving coach: his dad Bob. That pipeline of advice will be especially handy as the Tways try to become the first father-son duo to win the Canadian Open.

Tway birdied the par-5 18th hole to take the clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the RBC Canadian Open on Friday. He fired a 7-under 65 to finish his day at 13-under overall at Glen Abbey Golf Club. No one caught him in the afternoon, putting him in a prime position to win this weekend.

After signing his scorecard and grabbing a meal in the clubhouse Tway expected he would phone his dad.

“I talk to dad every day, no matter if I’m home, here,” said Tway, who is from Edmond, Okla., but resides in Jupiter, Fla. “We talk about every round. He can probably tell you what kind of shots I’m hitting just by like watching on TV. He knows what the swing looks like. He’s been there throughout, so he’s a big key for me.”

Bob Tway won the Canadian Open in 2003 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, which will host the national championship in 2019. The elder Tway won eight PGA TOUR events over his career with his best finish coming in 1986 when he won the PGA Championship, two years before Kevin was born.

“It would be great to match (Canadian Open titles),” said Kevin. “He’s given me insight on this course. Although he won (in Hamilton), he’s played here many times.”

Your leaders heading into the weekend at the #RBCCO

A post shared by RBC Canadian Open (@rbccanadianopen) on Jul 27, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

Bob Tway twice finished in a tie for ninth at Glen Abbey, in 1986 and 1995.

Although no father-son duo has won the Canadian Open, brothers Charles and Albert Murray of Montreal both won the national title twice during their Canadian Golf Hall of Fame careers. Charles won his first in 1906, while Albert won the brothers’ final title in 1913.

Keegan Bradley was in Tway’s pairing on Friday morning and made birdie-eagle-birdie-eagle on the final four holes to launch himself into a tie with South Korea’s Whee Kim for second at 12 under.

After sinking a 21-foot, two-inch putt on No. 18 Bradley turned to Tway and excitedly said something along the lines of “I’m coming.” Neither could remember the specifics because they were so excited.

“That was crazy,” said Bradley, who also had an eagle on the second hole. “I’ve never had anything close to that happen in my career.”

South Korea’s Byeong Hun An (67) and Johnson Wagner (65) were tied for fourth at 11-under. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson shot a 6-under 66 to enter a four-way tie for sixth with fellow American Zac Blair, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, and New Zealand’s Aaron Baddeley at 10 under.

Robert Garrigus, the leader after the first round, shot an even par on Friday but was in a tie for 10th on the strength of his 9-under performance to start the TOURnament.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian. He fired a 5-under 67 on Friday to move to 9 under at the US$6.2 million PGA TOUR event.

“I hit it great off the tee, which set me up for a lot of short irons, and I gave myself a lot of chances,” said Taylor. “I actually missed a couple chances that I had on the back, as well, so I had a lot of chances and it was nice to make a bunch of them.”

Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was one stroke behind Taylor after a torrid second round of 9-under 63. Silverman had a chance to tie the course record, but missed a 39-foot putt for eagle on the 18th hole and sits in a tie for 15th.

Silverman didn’t know that he was close to the course record at Glen Abbey, which is shared by many golfers but was most recently matched by Garrigus last year.

“I had no idea, I didn’t know what the course record was,” said Silverman. “I was just trying to keep going lower.”

Amateur Chris Crisologo (69) of Richmond, B.C., and Roger Sloan (69) of Merritt, B.C., are tied for 23rd at 7 under. Mackenzie Hughes (69) of Dundas, Ont., was in a group at 35th sitting at 6 under. Calgary’s Ryan Yip and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot identical 72s to tie for 61st.

The cut line was projected at 4 under.