NAPA, Calif. – Tyler Duncan may not sleep well and he’ll likely be nervous. But it’s understandable for the PGA Tour rookie and unlikely leader after three rounds of the Safeway Open.

Playing is his first tournament as a PGA Tour member, Duncan parred the 18th hole and scrambled to a 1-under 71 to maintain a one-stroke lead Saturday in the season-opening event.

“I feel OK now, but I’m not sure it’s sunk in yet,” said Duncan, whose only previous PGA Tour event was the 2015 U.S. Open as a sectional qualifier. “But it probably will after dinner when I’m laying in bed. I’m sure I’ll be nervous tomorrow, but I am looking forward to it.”

Duncan had five birdies and four bogeys to reach 14-under 202 at Silverado Resort and Spa. He hit his tee shot in the water on the par-3 15th hole en route to a bogey.

“The shot on 15 was probably the worst shot I’ve hit in a long time,” Duncan said. “But I made a nice bogey and then made a nice par save on 18.”

Chesson Hadley, a one-time PGA Tour winner who had a course-record 61 in the second round, was a stroke back after a 70.

“I was very pleased with my round,” Hadley said. “I thought the course was playing very difficult and I didn’t get off to a very good start. I was two over through four or five holes. But I hung in there and didn’t panic.”

Bud Cauley, winless in five PGA Tour seasons, shot a 66 to join defending champion Brendan Steele (72) at 12 under. Emiliano Grillo, the 2015 tournament winner in his first start as a member of the PGA Tour, shot 68 to match Canadian Graham DeLaet (69) at 11 under.

DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., shot a 3-under 69. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is 9 under after a 68, Corey Conners (70) of Listowel, Ont., is 7 under while Ben Silverman (71) of Thornhill, Ont., and David Hearn (69) of Brantford, Ont., are 4 under. Conners and Silverman are making their debuts as full PGA Tour members.

Phil Mickelson, seven shots behind Duncan entering the round after consecutive 69s, had a 68 to join Bill Haas (69), Tony Finau (71) and Andrew Putnam (69) at 10 under.

Mickelson has seven consecutive rounds in the 60s in the event. He finished eighth last year and is seeking is first title since the 2013 British Open.

“Well, I am going to win, It’s a matter of time,” Mickelson said. “I don’t know if it’s tomorrow. I don’t know if it’s in China, but it’s going to happen. It’s going to happen soon because I’m starting to play well enough to do it.”

After a bogey on the second hole, the 47-year-old Mickelson birdied five of his last six holes on the front nine to move to 11 under and within two shots of the lead.

But Mickelson, playing in his 91st PGA Tour event since his last victory, missed a short putt for birdie on the 16th and short putt for par on the 17th. He made a short birdie putt on the 18th.

Three more Canadians advanced through the first stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School on Friday at various locations across the United States, bringing the total to 11.

Team Canada Amateur Squad member Hugo Bernard fired a tournament-low 63 (-9) at the Dayton Valley Golf Club in Dayton, Nev., to finish the event tied for seventh. Bernard, a Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., product, was one of 22 to advance in Nevada.

Ryan Yip of Calgary finished T15 at 10 under par at Sun River Golf Club in St. George, Utah. Team Canada graduate Matt Hill of Brights Grove, Ont., finished T22 at 1 under par at The Breakers Rees Jones in West Palm Beach, Fla.

There are now 11 Canadians who have advanced to the second stage of qualifying:

• Ryan Yip (Calgary) – SunRiver Golf Club, St. George, Utah
• Matt Hill (Brights Grove, Ont.) – The Breakers Rees Jones, West Palm Beach, Fla. 
• Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.)  – Dayton Valley Golf Club, Dayton, Nev.
• Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.) – Southern Dunes Golf Course, Maricopa, Ariz.
• Seann Harlingten (Vancouver) – Southern Dunes Golf Course, Maricopa, Ariz.
• Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver) – Southern Dunes Golf Course, Maricopa, Ariz.
• Riley Wheeldon (Comox, B.C.) – Southern Dunes Golf Course, Maricopa, Ariz.
• Lucas Kim (Toronto, Ont.) – Arborlinks, Omaha, Neb.
• Stephane Dubois (Brantford, Ont.) – Arborlinks, Omaha, Neb.
• Derek Gillespie (Oshawa, Ont.) – Arborlinks, Omaha, Neb.
• Aaron Cockerill (Gunton, Man.) – The Crosby, San Diego, Calif.

The second stage of qualifying will run from Oct. 31 – Nov. 10 at various locations across the United States. The third and final stage will commence from Dec. 7-10 in Chandler, Ariz.

Round one of the Symetra Tour Championship resumed Friday at 2 p.m. in Daytona Beach, Fla., and was suspended at 6:46 p.m. due to darkness. The morning wave finished first-round play on Friday, with the afternoon groups still to complete the first round. No. 8 on the Volvik Race for the Card Yu Liu had a stretch of five birdies from holes 15-1 and holds the unofficial lead on Friday at 5-under par.

“Since this is our last tournament of the season, and I haven’t secured my card yet, I’m really excited and pumped to go. I think anything can happen,” Liu said on Friday evening.

The first-round of the Symetra Tour Championship will resume on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 9:00 a.m.

The Symetra Tour Championship has been shortened to a 54-hole tournament with a Monday finish due to significant rain and saturated course conditions at LPGA International.

While still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Irma, LPGA International received 2 1/2 inches of rain on Thursday, to total more than 6 1/2 inches of rain in the past week. Rain is also forecasted for the Daytona Beach area through the weekend and into early next week.

“Our staff is working tirelessly alongside the LPGA International crew to make the course playable,” said Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer of the Symetra Tour. “We want to ensure we have a fair, competitive tournament to determine our final champion of the year, as well as the 10 players who graduate to the LPGA next season.”

The cut will be made after 36 holes with the top 60 players and ties advancing to the final round. The final two hours of play will be broadcast on Facebook Live, with specific timing to be announced.

OF NOTE:

The top 10 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list at the conclusion of the Symetra Tour Championship will earn LPGA Tour membership for the 2018 season. The top 23 on the current money list have a mathematical chance to earn their LPGA card this week. There are five players – No. 1 Benyapa Niphatsophon, No. 2 Celine Boutier, No. 3 Hannah Green, No. 4 Nanna Koerstz Madsen, No. 5 Erynne Lee – who have already secured their Tour cards. There are five spots up for grabs.

Six of the current top 10 players in the Volvik Race for the Card sit inside the top-6 on the leaderboard at the end of play on Friday, including the top three players.

NAPA, Calif. – Tyler Duncan chipped in from the fringe for eagle on the par-5 18th hole Friday to take the second-round lead in the season-opening Safeway Open.

Making his second career PGA Tour start, Duncan shot a 6-under 66 for a one-stroke lead over defending champion Brendan Steele at Silverado Resort and Spa.

Duncan, the Web.com Tour graduate who shared the first-round lead with Steele and Tom Hoge, also had seven birdies and three bogeys to reach 13-under 131.

“It’s crazy, it’s nothing I could have ever dreamed of,” said Duncan, whose only other PGA Tour event was as a regional qualifier in the 2015 U.S. Open. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, to be honest. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for a long time. I’m just happy to be playing here and to be in the lead is something special.”

Steele had six birdies and a bogey in a 67. He’s 30 under is his past six rounds in the event.

“It was really a solid day, very similar to yesterday,” Steele said. “I hit a lot of good shots, rolled and a lot of good putts and was able to watch Chesson go crazy.”

Chesson Hadley, who began the second round seven shots behind the leaders, broke the course record with a career-best 61 to get within two strokes. He parred the final two holes.

“It’s just one of those days everything was going my way,” said Hadley, the 2014 Puerto Rico Open winner who regained his tour card through the Web.com Tour. “I was hitting great shots, good putts and got some good breaks. When you get that of momentum, things just go your way.

He had an eagle, 10 birdies and a bogey. His previous career best was a 64 in the opening round of the 2015 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., is five shots back after a second round 67. Nick Taylor (68) of Abbotsford, B.C., and Corey Conners (69) of Listowel, Ont., are five under while Ben Silverman (71) of Thornhill, Ont., is 3 under and David Hearn (72) of Brantford, Ont., is 1 under.

Conners and Silverman are making their debuts as full PGA Tour members.

Mackenzie Hughes (74) of Dundas, Ont., and Jamie Sadlowski (71) of St. Paul, Alta., both missed the cut.

Zac Blair (66) and Tony Finau (65) were 9 under, and Brian Davis (66) was another stroke back.

“I just had a lot of good looks,” said Blair, who doesn’t have a bogey through 36 holes. “I made 17 greens out there, left myself in some good spots, made a few of them and it was just kind of easy out there.”

Emiliano Grillo, who won the event two years ago, was 7 under after a 70

Phil Mickelson, seeking his first win in since 2013, shot his second 69 to reach 6 under.

“I expected to score a little bit better today, but I had some good chances today,” said Mickelson, who had six birdies, one bogey and a double bogey. “I drove it a lot better, I hit quite a few more fairways and gave myself some good birdie chances. But I let a few opportunities slide.”

Mickelson, playing in his 91st PGA Tour event since his last win, finished eighth in the tournament last year and has six straight rounds in the 60s at Silverado.

“A low round is out there,” said Mickelson, who birdied three straight holes after double-bogeying the 14th – his fifth hole of the day. “I feel like I’m getting close to it.”

John Daly, the two-time major winner who in May won his first PGA Tour Champions title and is playing via a sponsor exemption, birdied the 18th for second-round 69 to make the 1-under cut at 143. Daly had missed the cuts in his past 12 PGA Tour events.

The Symetra Tour Championship has been shortened to a 54-hole tournament due to significant rain and saturated course conditions at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. The tournament, which has been suspended since one hour and 55 minutes into first-round play, is now scheduled to finish on Monday, Oct. 9.

The first round started on time at 8 a.m. on Thursday. Weather intensified around 9:30 a.m. and play was suspended at 9:55 a.m. While still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Irma, LPGA International received 2 1/2 inches of rain on Thursday, to total more than 6 1/2 inches of rain in the past week. Rain is also forecasted for the Daytona Beach area through the weekend and into early next week.

“Our staff is working tirelessly alongside the LPGA International crew to make the course playable,” said Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer of the Symetra Tour. “We want to ensure we have a fair, competitive tournament to determine our final champion of the year, as well as the 10 players who graduate to the LPGA next season.”

Round one is currently scheduled to resume Friday at 2 p.m. local time. The starting times for the groups in the original second wave of round one will now begin no earlier than 4:45 p.m., with the last time being 6:13 p.m. Second-round starting times will be on Saturday and published later today. 

The cut will be made after 36 holes with the top 60 players and ties advancing to the final round. The final two hours of play will be broadcast on Facebook Live, with specific timing to be announced at a later time.

NAPA, Calif. – Brendan Steele opened his Safeway Open title defence Thursday with a 7-under 65 for a share of the lead with Tyler Duncan and Tom Hoge in the PGA Tour’s season opener.

Lucas Glover, Chez Reavie, Emiliano Grillo and Jamie Lovemark were two shots back at 67.

Steele had an eagle, six birdies and a bogey. Last year at Silverado, he birdied the final three holes to overcome a four-shot deficit and beat Patton Kizzire by a stroke for his second PGA Tour title.

“A little bit of everything worked for me today,” Steele said. “I had a really good ball-striking day. I don’t think I missed a green, so that really helps. And then I had a good putting day as well, so you put that together and it’s going to be pretty good.

Duncan, making his first start as a PGA Tour member, also had six birdies, an eagle and a bogey.

“I thought the course would fit my game because hitting the fairways is important,” said Duncan, whose only other PGA Tour event was the 2015 U.S. Open. “There are a lot of sections in the greens that you’ve got to hit into and to hit it into those sections from the rough is pretty challenging.”

Hoge, beginning his fourth PGA Tour season, had seven birdies. He had a back-nine 30 with six birdies.

“I played really well the whole day,” said Hoge, whose PGA Tour career best is a tie for fourth in August at the Barracuda Open. “I was in a lot of fairways, on a lot of greens and the made a few putts.”

Steele didn’t miss a green in regulation.

“The greens are not holding very well, you have to be in the fairway,” Steele said. “I think this is the way that it’s meant to be played. It plays really nicely this way.”

Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., was the low Canadian at 3 under after a 69. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., who are both making their debuts as full PGA Tour members, shot 70’s and are 2 under.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., are 1 under while Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., is 2 over and Jamie Sadlowski of St. Paul, Alta., is 5 over.

Zach Johnson, the 12-time PGA Tour winner playing the event for the first time, had a 68 with five birdies and a bogey.

“I love it. I liked to the moment I stepped foot on it,” said Johnson, whose last title was the 2015 British Open. “You can’t fake it around here. It’s right out in front of you. There are a couple of tee shots and a couple of approaches where you have to pay attention. It’s a very classic golf course.”

Phil Mickelson, the 42-time PGA Tour winner beginning his 27th PGA Tour season, birdied the 18th from 7 feet for a 69. The 47-year-old Mickelson, playing in his 91st PGA Tour event since his last title at the 2013 British Open, had five birdies and two bogeys.

Sang-moon Bae, the 2014 tournament winner, shot 73. He’s playing in his first tournament since a mandatory 21-month military stint in South Korea.

John Daly, the two-time major winner who won the PGA Tour Champions’ Insperity Invitational in May, had a 74. Daly has missed the cut in 12 straight PGA Tour events.

À propos du Championnat de la PGA du Québec TaylorMade joué les 2 et 3 octobre au club Château Bromont, commençons par le volet sportif très bien réussi.

En vertu de sa fiche de -12 pour les deux jours, Pierre-Alexandre Bédard (63-69), du club Cap Rouge, a ravi le titre, un seul coup devant Dave Lévesque (65-68), du club hôte, pour repartir avec le chèque de 6 000 $ pour la première place versus 4 000 $ au suivant.

Un ex-gagnant provincial, Lévesque a scellé birdie-birdie, mais il a néanmoins fini par manquer de temps lorsque Bédard a sauvé une normale au 18e.

La lutte en fut une à deux, Martin Plante, du Balmoral, ayant pris la troisième place à -8.

MOINS CINQ EN DEUX TROUS

Un ancien du Rouge et Or, Bédard devient le premier golfeur à avoir appris son golf à Chibougamau à inscrire son nom sur le même trophée que les Adrien Bigras, Phil Giroux, Daniel Talbot, Carlo Blanchard et Jean-Louis Lamarre qui ont tous enlevé la palme plus d’une fois.

Sa victoire s’est dessinée le jour un en vertu de sa spectaculaire carte de 63, laquelle égalait le record. Elle a été le résultat plus exactement de son brio au premier neuf alors qu’il a réussi un rarissime albatros en logeant son deuxième coup dans le fond de la coupe au 6^e trou, une normale cinq de 488 verges. Il a enchainé peu après avec un aigle au 9e, une normale cinq de 510 verges.

Respectivement champion de la PGA du Canada et des adjoints au pays cette année, Jean-Philip Cornellier de Knowlton, et Marc-Étienne Bussières, de LongChamp, ont pris les 9^e et 6^e échelons.

QUE RÉSERVE LA SUITE?

Il y aura du gros travail à faire pour relancer la PGA du Québec, longtemps un fleuron du sport.

Une chance que le fabriquant TaylorMade est resté fidèle (très gros merci à Michel Normand fils), mais la participation a un immense besoin d’être stimulée.

Ils étaient 30 inscrits en classe ouverte, ce qui suscite la question à savoir si la PGA du Québec va se remettre de ses misères financières qui ont fait et font encore si mal.

Agé de 23 ans, le nouveau titulaire provincial arrive du Rouge et Or.

Son papa a été directeur du golf de Chibougamau et de la montagne de ski aussi avant de se lancer en affaires.

Le gaucher était auparavant sorti victorieux au Tournoi des maîtres disputé au club Bic.

Tentez sa chance au circuit PGA Tour Canada est dans les cartes et c’est donc un grand pas qu’effectue Pierre-Alexandre Bédard.

Golfers from across the country will be treated to a legendary golf trip next week at Cabot Links for the National Final of the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company.

Taking place Oct. 12-14 at the world-famous Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs in Inverness, N.S., this once-in-a-lifetime national final features 22 teams—comprised of four amateurs and one PGA of Canada professional—playing in a 54-hole Ambrose-style format.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be heading to Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs for the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company National Final,” said PGA of Canada President Steve Wood. “It’s widely known the golf at both Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs is world-class, however, the entire Cabot Links resort experience—lodging, dining, east coast charm—is also a second-to-none experience.”

Located in Inverness, N.S., Cabot Links is Canada’s first and only authentic links golf resort. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the picturesque town of Inverness, the Cabot Links course represents a dramatic departure from the typical golf excursion. With six holes playing directly alongside the water and every hole offers an ocean view, Cabot Links is where traditional links-land golf comes to life against the spectacular Nova Scotia landscape.

The Cabot Cliffs course, designed by the decorated team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is the newest addition to Cabot. Exquisitely carved out of the breathtaking Cape Breton landscape, with postcard-worthy panoramas vying for your attention and every hole calling out to the sea, it is links-land golf at its best.

“There’s no place more fitting for the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company to finish than the distinguished Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs,” said Matt McGlynn, Vice President of Brand Marketing for RBC. “With the special guests attending, top-notch east coast hospitality being provided and two first-rate golf courses on hand, the national final promises to be the perfect finale.”

Cabot Cliffs ranked No. 1, while Cabot Links ranked No. 4 on SCOREGolf’s 2016 Best Golf Courses in Canada list. Cabot Cliffs also debuted 19th on the World’s Top 100 Courses list by Golf Digest.

“We here at Cabot are thrilled to host the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company National Final,” said Cabot Links’ General Manager Andrew Alkenbrack. “We plan on putting on a fantastic show for the winning amateurs and their PGA professionals from around the country.”

The RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company National Final promises to be a golf trip of a lifetime and will include a festival of special events, prizing, meals, activations and much more.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and golf media personality Bob Weeks will be on site during championship week to handle emcee duties at the opening ceremonies. Weeks will also moderate a special Q&A on the opening night and act as the honorary starter during the second round at Cabot Cliffs.

In addition to the opening ceremonies, participants in the national final will be treated to two RBC dinners at the Panorama restaurant, as well as two receptions by The Lincoln Motor Company and a closing ceremonies event.

Those not playing in the RBC PGA Scramble of Canada presented by the Lincoln Motor Company National Final can still take part in all the action throughout the week at Cabot Links through social media. Watch on Facebook Live with multiple live streams—which include player interviews, behind-the-scene looks, drone flyovers, opening and closing ceremonies, and more. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram as well for great social content.

The RBC PGA Scramble presented by the Lincoln Motor Company saw thousands of golfers from across the country participate in the series of events this summer. The 22 teams participating at Cabot Links made it through local and regional qualifying events.

For more information about the RBC PGA Scramble presented by The Lincoln Motor Company, visit the website by clicking here.

The Angus Glen team of amateurs Patrick O’Leary, Dan Mesley, Mike Asselin, David Fotheringham and PGA of Canada professional Terry Kim won by a mere 0.2 shots last year over the team from Lookout Point to capture the inaugural edition in 2016.