If there’s one word that describes this year’s Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship, it’s history.

Hosted by The Royal Ottawa GC in Gatineau, Que., and co-hosted by Eagle Creek GC in Dunrobin, Ont., it marks the first time the renowned championship — any of Golf Canada’s national championships, actually — has taken place in two separate provinces.

“It’s also interesting in that it’s the first time the drinking age has been different at both clubs too,” says Adam Helmer, Golf Canada’s director of rules and competitions, with a hearty chuckle.

Joking aside, Helmer says he is thrilled to have this year’s Canadian Amateur at such a historically important club like The Royal Ottawa. He’s eager for this year’s championship to begin.

“It’s such a storied club. This is where the Canadian Amateur began, and where Golf Canada began. We’re really excited to return,” he explains.

The history of The Royal Ottawa is robust, and it’s no wonder the club will be hosting a number of events to celebrate its 125th anniversary throughout the summer. It will have a kick-off event on April 15 (it’s around that date the club was founded in 1891), and over Canada Day weekend, the club will host its reciprocal clubs and ‘Royal’ affiliate clubs from around the world (there are five in Canada).

First established as the nine-hole Ottawa GC near the city’s current downtown core, the club moved to the Quebec side of the border not long after that, quite close to where a casino now stands. It moved to its current spot in 1903 and opened in 1904. It received its Royal designation from King George V in 1912.

Head professional Paul Carrothers says he approached Golf Canada (then the Royal Canadian Golf Association) in 2006 to say that the club’s 125th anniversary was approaching and they wanted to host the Canadian Amateur. The club also hosted the inaugural Canadian Amateur in 1895.

“At the time they were booked up to 2012, but we got slotted in for 2016. At the same time, we took the 2010 Canadian Mid-Amateur as part of the deal,” Carrothers explains.

Meanwhile, Eagle Creek — a Ken Venturi design (the Hall of Famer’s only Canadian layout) — is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

“It’s the biggest event in Canada for amateur golf, and we’re proud to co-host,” explains Ryan Little, Eagle Creek’s director of operations. “It’s the signature event for our 25th anniversary.”

Built through 230 acres of forest, the course features large greens and challenging, yet receptive holes. Water is a big part of the challenge at Eagle Creek, while the course sits just over 7,000 yards in length.

“Eagle Creek is one of the top courses in the region and this is an awesome opportunity to get the name out there and put on a good show for the players,” says Little. “I think the players are going to see a completely different course then what they’re seeing at The Royal Ottawa. It’s very remote, parkland-style. It’ll be really exciting.”

The Royal Ottawa, which also hosted the 1906 and 1911 Canadian Opens, sits at just over 6,600 yards, and although it’s not long by modern standards, it boasts some of the toughest greens in the area.

This year’s Canadian Amateur champion, according to Carrothers, will likely be a wizard around the greens.

“They have to be a putter, and they need to have a good short game. You’re dealing with very fast, small greens that are subtle in their breaks, but can play havoc if you don’t put the ball in the right spot,” he explains. “You could easily have four or five putts.”

Both clubs are also excited to offer opportunities to their members to play in the championship.

Golf Canada has given The Royal Ottawa three automatic entries, one of which is going to its current club champion. It will host an open event for members in June, along with another event in the summer that will reward both winners with a spot in the championship.

The Royal Ottawa is also hosting a pre-qualifier for the event, and “hopefully there will be some local representation there as well,” according to Carrothers.

There is one exemption from Eagle Creek already locked in, and the club is hosting a qualifier for all ClubLink members this summer for another spot.

“We want to really get our membership behind all of this. It’s a great opportunity for them,” says Little.

The field expanded to 240 players in 2010 as part of an effort to get an ‘A’ ranking for the event, according to Helmer. The ranking was established at the same time the World Amateur Golf Rankings were formalized, and Helmer says the Canadian Amateur is “pretty close.”

“The exemptions are the big carrot. Having the RBC Canadian Open exemption helps, and our U.S. Amateur exemption helps too,” he explains.

The Canadian Amateur is sandwiched between the Western Amateur and the U.S. Amateur, and right before that is the Porter Cup. That makes four huge amateur events in North America all happening around the same time.

“We’re hoping our combination of The Royal Ottawa/Eagle Creek, and Toronto Golf Club in 2017 will help translate our championship into an ‘A’ ranking,” Helmer states.

Whatever the ranking, the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship continues to play an important role in Canadian golf history. And this year’s championship will no doubt provide another chapter.

Capital city clash This article was originally published in the May 2016 edition of Golf Canada Magazine. To view the full magazine, click the image to the left.

HAMILTON – The third and final RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifying event saw a field of 144 players combat heat and humidity at King’s Forest Golf Course in hopes of gaining entry into Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship. Branson Ferrier finished 4-under 68 to claim medallist honours and earn an exemption into the 107^th playing of the RBC Canadian Open to be contested at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 18-24.

Ferrier, who began the day on the 10^th hole, opened with a 1-under 35 across the back nine. The Barrie, Ont., product finished his round with four birdies across his final six holes to secure the victory amidst rising temperatures and gathering winds.

“It was quite difficult out there,” said the 22-year-old. “I was off at 8:30 a.m., so I definitely give a lot of credit to being on the right end of the draw with the weather we had this afternoon. Even this morning towards the end of my round, the winds were picking up and it was very hot and sticky. There were a lot of crosswinds, so it was very difficult to judge.

“I had it going right out of the gate. I was making birdies and I knew that they were out there, so I just had to clean up a few things around the greens. I knew that there were two par-5s coming in my last six; my goal was just to get those two and play steady coming in.”

The former Alabama State University Hornet had trouble finding the right words when looking ahead to playing at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open. “I’ve only been playing professional golf for a few weeks. This is my fourth event as a professional, so this comes as a bit of a shock to me. I had been playing well at school and my game just kind of carried over. I’ve been to the Open at Glen Abbey a few times, and I’m beyond excited to be on the other side of the ropes this time.”

Matthew Scobie of Ajax, Ont., was the only other player to card a round under-par. The 21-year-old collected four birdies en route to a 1-under 71 showing. Peter Campbell of Windermere, Fla., Donnie Trosper from Canton, Mich., as well as, Ontarians Brian Hadley (Sarnia) and Will Mitchell (Bowmanville) finished with shares of third-place at even-par.

A total of 25 competitors, excluding the low medallist, shot 4-over 76 or better to advance to the Final Qualifier in which a minimum of four players will gain entry into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.

The two-stage qualifying procedure for Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship is comprised of a trio of regional qualifying events held in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario, followed by the final qualifying competition on July 18.

The previous two qualifying events at Victoria’s Bear Mountain Resort and Club de golf La Vallée du Richelieu in Sainte-Julie, Que., awarded 14 players with spots into the Final Qualifier.

Additional information and full results from the RBC Canadian Open Regional Qualifier in Ontario can be found here.

OAKMONT, Pa. – All the chaos and confusion couldn’t stop Dustin Johnson from proving he had the head to be a U.S. Open champion.

One year after the most devastating of all his close calls in the major, Johnson endured two hours of not knowing the size of his lead while the USGA questioned whether he should be penalized one stroke for his ball moving on the fifth green.

Johnson said it didn’t. The USGA said it would wait until after the final round to decide.

America’s most powerful golfer took matters into his own hands Sunday at Oakmont with a 10-foot par save on the 16th hole, a tee shot he smashed down the middle of the 18th fairway and an approach to 5 feet for birdie that left no doubt who won the toughest test in golf.

Only after he was guaranteed that silver trophy did the USGA assess him a one-shot penalty, turning his final score into a 1-under 69 for a three-shot victory.

The lingering question was whether this U.S. Open was tougher than it needed to be.

Johnson had a short par putt on the fifth hole, took a few practice strokes and as he placed the putter behind the ball, it moved slightly – backward. Johnson stepped back and called over the rules official, told him it didn’t move and he tapped in for par.

The USGA later decided to review it, and the timing was peculiar.

Johnson was in deep rough left of the 10th fairway when he was given relief from a television tower in his line-of-sight to the flag. He was able to move left toward the 11th fairway and drop it in the first cut of rough, and he powered it over the tower and onto the green, setting up a par. It was a huge break – within the rules – the kind that major champions often get.

One hole later, the USGA informed they had questions about the ball moving on No. 5.

“After looking at video, the actions he took could have caused the ball to move,” said Jeff Hall, director of rules and open championships for the USGA. “We asked if there was some other reason the ball could have moved. He didn’t state a reason.”

The USGA wanted him to know that a one-shot penalty was likely so he could play accordingly, but it led to confusion over the back nine – for Johnson and for the players trying to catch him.

Shane Lowry, who began the final round with a four-shot lead that he lost on the front nine, caught him when Johnson made his only bogey on the back nine. Were they tied? Was Johnson one shot behind? No one knew.

Johnson played through it all, thinking only of that silver trophy that got away from him at Chambers Bay last year when he had a 12-foot eagle putt to win and then three-putted for par to lose by one to Jordan Spieth.

Lowry, the first player since Payne Stewart at The Olympic Club in 1998 to lose a four-shot lead in the final round of the U.S. Open, lost his putting touch that had carried him to the lowest 54-hole total at Oakmont. He three-putted from long range on three straight holes, and Johnson was flawless at the end.

Johnson finished at 4-under 276.

He gave three quick fist-pumps when the birdie putt fell on the 18th, hugged his brother, Austin, who caddies for him and scooped up his son Tatum on Father’s Day.

Among the first to greet him was Jack Nicklaus, who won his first major at Oakmont in 1962. The gold medal for the winner is named after Nicklaus.

BELMONT, Mich. – Sei Young Kim won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday for her second victory of the year, beating Carlota Ciganda with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

After bogeying the 18th in regulation to drop into the playoff, the 23-year-old Kim rebounded on the par-4 hole in the playoff.

“I just angry on myself,” Kim said. “I just, ‘Oh, I have to bounce back because today before I play, I setting my goal no bogey play.’ But last one I missed with bogey. If I bounce back, yeah, it is a good work, so I did it well today.”

On the extra hole, the South Korean player hit a 124-yard shot from the deep left rough – so deep that she momentarily lost her ball after looking away – that ran onto the green and settled at 3 1/2 feet.

“I realize really a lot of release, so I try to (hit) before the 10 meter to the front,” said Kim, projected to remain fifth in the world ranking. “It was good and I hit great hit. And my ball position was a little settled down, so I tried a cut shot. It was a, yeah, good work.”

She finished with a 3-under 68 at Blythefield to match Ciganda at 17-under 267.

Ciganda, from Spain, parred the final five holes in a bogey-free 67. She’s winless on the tour, with four runner-up finishes – two in playoffs.

“One can win, and if you can’t win, second is the best,” Ciganda said. “I’ll keep trying and just keep playing golf.”

She also drove into the left rough in the playoff, then hit a 156-yard shot through the green and couldn’t get up-and-down for par.

“It’s been a really good week,” Ciganda said. “I played very solid, especially my putting was really good, so I’m very happy with the week. I made only two bogeys in 72 holes, so I think that’s really good with this rough. And a playoff, only one can win and, obviously, I hit it to the rough. It wasn’t an easy shot and she hit a really good one. Congratulations to her. She was better.”

Kim has five career victories, going 3-0 in playoffs. She also won the Founders Cup this year in Phoenix, shooting 63-66-70-62 to match Annika Sorenstam’s LPGA Tour scoring record of 27 under. Last year, she won three times and was the rookie of the year.

On 18 in regulation, Kim drove left into the rough under trees, hit her second into thick rough left of the green and missed a 15-foot par putt. She didn’t immediately know she was in a playoff.

“I didn’t know that until I finished 18 hole,” Kim said.

Her father, Jung Il, was with her on Father’s Day.

“I’m very happy to on the Father’s Day give it to my dad this trophy,” Kim said. “My dad really want to win this week.”

South Korea’s In Gee Chun, tied for the third-round lead with defending champion Lexi Thompson, had a 71 to finish third at 15 under. The U.S. Women’s Open champion bogeyed two of the first four holes.

Thompson, fighting back pain, shot a 72 to tie for fourth with top-ranked Lydia Ko at 14 under.

“The back is better the last two days,” Thompson said. “I had it taped up, so that wasn’t the issue. … I just didn’t putt well today. I had like 36 putts, I think, so that never helps out a scorecard. I still hit it pretty well, I thought. Just didn’t give myself too close birdie chances, but still didn’t hit that many good putts.”

Ko, coming off a playoff loss to Canada’s Brooke Henderson last week in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship outside Seattle, closed with a 68.

“I needed to have a really low one to try and catch up,” Ko said. “I just tried to focus on my game and just try and stay patient. All you can do is try the best you can and if the girls, like last week, if somebody plays good, you can’t do much about it.”

Ariya Jutanugarn, third last week after winning her previous three starts, tied for 18th at 7 under after a 68.

Alena Sharp led the Canadian contingent with a 71 to claim a share of 13th at 9 under. Henderson matched the Hamilton native’s score to tie for 21st at 6 under, and Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., finished T50.

Michelle Wie shot a 75 to tie for 56th at 1 under. She’s winless since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open and hasn’t had a top-10 finish in 38 events.

CALGARY – Amateur Squad member Jared du Toit, 21, added another accolade to his resume on Saturday, winning the Glencoe Invitational by two strokes to take home the Crystal Keeper trophy.

du Toit, a Kimberley, B.C. product, opened the 54-hole event with a 2-under 70 to jump out to the early lead at the Glencoe Golf & Country Club. The Arizona State Sun Devil followed with matching rounds of 74 to close at 2-over for the tournament, securing the wire-to-wire victory over hometown native Emmett Oh. The 2015 B.C. Men’s Amateur Champion certainly made it interesting down the stretch, posting four bogeys and three birdies in his final nine.

With the win, du Toit adds to an impressive junior season at Arizona State, which saw him post five Top-10 NCAA Div I finishes. The victory also earns him exemptions into the final qualifier of the upcoming RBC Canadian Open on July 18 and a spot in the 2016 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship. As Team Canada’s lowest ranked male on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) at No. 67, du Toit is likely to have a few options into Canada’s open next month.

Click here for full scoring.

OAKMONT, Pa. – Shane Lowry kept his cool after a careless penalty and walked off Oakmont after a marathon Saturday with a two-shot lead in the U.S. Open.

Stalled by rain in the first round, the U.S. Open is nearly back on schedule and poised for a big finish.

Lowry, looking to give Irish golf its 10th major in the last 10 years, came within inches of his sixth birdie of the round on No. 14. He tapped in for par and headed back in when play was suspended by darkness.

He was at 5-under par and had to return Sunday morning to play the final four holes.

Two shots behind was 28-year-old Andrew Landry, in his first U.S. Open and playing like he knows how to cope with the toughest test in golf. Landry hasn’t flinched, even after tumbling down the leaderboard in his second round, and playing alongside Dustin Johnson in the third round. He had five holes left.

Right behind was a trio of players who feel overdue to win their first major.

That starts with Johnson, who had the 36-hole lead and started out like he wanted to run away from the field when he stuffed his approach to 5 feet below the hole for a birdie. But a chip that came back to his feet on No. 3 and led to double bogey stalled him, and Johnson started dropping shots.

He was at 2 under through 13 holes, still very much a factor as he tries to atone for his gaffe on the 18th hole at Chambers Bay last year in the U.S. Open. Also three shots back were Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, who between them have played 142 majors without winning.

After two of the longest days, Sunday becomes somewhat of a sprint.

Jason Day began his big run early. The world’s No. 1 player opened with a 76 and first had to worry about making the cut. He did, with one shot to spare, and then went on a tear of four birdies in five holes to start his third round. Day posted a 69 in the morning and a 66 in the afternoon and at one point was within in four shots of the lead.

He was at 1-over 211 and left the course six shots behind.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth looked as though he might join him when he ran off three straight birdies. But the 22-year-old Texan fell back with a double bogey on No. 2 (his 11th hole) and had to settle for a 70 and was nine shots behind Lowry.

“Come out tomorrow and try to pull a Johnny Miller,” Spieth said.

Miller famously closed with a 63 at Oakmont to win the 1973 U.S. Open, which remains the greatest final round by a major champion. But the course was drenched that Sunday, and that won’t be the case now.

Even though Oakmont absorbed nearly 3 inches of rain on the opening day and remain soft enough for shots to spin ever so slightly, it was clear the hot sun began to bake it out and it likely will be fierce as usual for the final round.

The leader in the clubhouse when the day ended was Branden Grace, who last year at Chambers Bay was tied for the lead until he hit 3-wood onto the train track and out-of-bounds for a double bogey that cost him. Good news for the South African: A train can be heard from Oakmont, but not hit.

Grace pieced together a 66 to reach 1-under 209, four shots behind Lowry.

Lowry picked up his biggest win last summer a few hours away at Firestone when he won the Bridgestone Invitational. Now he’s primed for more Irish success. The run began with Padraig Harrington claiming three majors in 2007 and 2008, and has been carried by the Northern Ireland trio of Rory McIlroy (four majors), Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke.

“We all know that this course can jump up and bite you in a split second,” Lowry said. “So year, I’m two ahead with 22 holes left. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. These are the best golfers in the world behind me. I have to go out there and do what I’ve been doing all week. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. This is exactly where you want to be. I’ve been beating myself up over the last six months trying to get in this position.

“I’m here now. I might as well enjoy it while I’m here.”

It wasn’t so enjoyable earlier in the day when he was lining up a 30-foot birdie putt and nudged the ball with his putter. It moved ever so slightly, enough for Lowry to see, and he turned in disgust to call over an official, then held the putter behind his neck as if he wanted to snap it.

He took the one-shot penalty and then saved his mood with an 8-foot bogey putt.

“To hole that second putt was massive for me and massive for my whole day,” Lowry said.

Some of the best players weren’t around for the afternoon. McIlroy needed a par on the final hole to make the cut and took double bogey. Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose also missed the cut.

BELMONT, Mich. – Her ailing back a bit better after treatment, defending champion Lexi Thompson shot a 5-under 66 on Saturday for a share of the Meijer LPGA Classic lead with In Gee Chun.

“I got a lot of work done to it last night,” Thompson said about her back. “It was hurting quite a bit, but I have it all taped up and it helped out out there today, and took my pain pills. It was better today than yesterday.”

Thompson birdied five of the first 13 holes at Blythefield in her bogey-free round to match Chun at 15-under 198. The 21-year-old American birdied three of the four par-5 holes and is 9 under overall on the par 5s.

“I just hit a lot of drivers and, if my game’s on, it comes together,” said Thompson, possibly in danger of missing the Olympics if the back problem lingers into the busy summer. “It’s just a nice setting and atmosphere. It’s one of our best tournaments.”

Chun had a bogey-free 65, making four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine. The U.S. Women’s Open champion sat out a month this year because of a back injury after she was struck by a suitcase that rival South Korean player Ha Na Jang’s father dropped down an escalator at the Singapore airport.

“My iron shot great,” Chun said. “I was putting very well. I was so good at rolling the ball on the line. … I’m always excited to play in the last group so I’m ready. I enjoy it. … I play with Lexi. It’s very exciting.”

Thompson’s father, Scott, is with her – setting up a possible Father’s Day victory present Sunday.

“That’s what I’m going to try to do, but just to have him out here supporting me and basically along the way for my journey my whole life always means a lot to me,” Thompson said. “No more pressure because then I won’t perform to my best. I’m just going to go out here, have fun, be relaxed, just how I have been the last three days. It’s been a very relaxing week so far.”

Thompson won the Honda LPGA Thailand in February for her seventh LPGA Tour title. The long-hitting Florida player, ranked fourth in the world, also won a Japan LPGA event last month.

Sei Young Kim was a stroke back after a 65. The South Korean player eagled the par-5 11th and parred the final seven holes. She won this year in Phoenix, shooting 63-66-70-62 to match Annika Sorenstam’s LPGA Tour scoring record of 27 under. Last year, she won three times and was the rookie of the year.

“The greens are holding very well so we can play second shot very aggressive and then make a lot of birdie chances. That’s a lot of help,” Kim said. “Great score, yeah. The fairways are little narrow, but if I keep it in the fairway, pretty sure I make birdie a couple holes.”

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was 13 under after a 66, and China’s Shanshan Feng had a 65 to get to 12 under.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 67 to reach 11 under, starting the back nine with four straight birdies.

“I’ve just got to focus on my game,” Ko said. “The girls are going low so I know all I’ve got to do is have fun out there, be patient and hopefully make birdies. But you just never know what’s going to happen, and especially with the girls going low, there could be a very low number tomorrow.”

The 19-year-old New Zealander won the Kia Classic and major ANA Inspiration in consecutive weeks this year in Southern California.

No. 2 Brooke Henderson, coming off a playoff victory last week over Ko in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship outside Seattle, had a 72 to drop into a tie for 21st at 6 under. The 18-year-old Canadian had three straight bogeys late in the round.

Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was even on the day and holds a share of 11th. Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., is 1-under and is tied for 60th.

Michelle Wie shot a 67 to move into a tie for 28th at 5 under. She’s winless since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open and hasn’t had a top-10 finish in 37 events.

Ariya Jutanugarn, third last week after winning her previous three starts, was 4 under after a 72.

OAKMONT, Pa. – One year after Dustin Johnson let the U.S. Open slip away from him at Chambers Bay, he drove his way to the top of the leaderboard Friday at Oakmont.

Immaculate from tee-to-green, Johnson endured a marathon day of 36 holes with a game that makes him look tough to beat. He didn’t make a bogey in his opening round of 3-under 67, and he dropped only one shot in his 69 that ended just as the siren sounded to stop play because of darkness.

Johnson was at 4-under 136, two shots ahead of anyone else who completed the second round in the rain-delayed U.S. Open.

More than just his long ball, one of Johnson’s greatest assets is a short memory. He already has squandered chances in four majors, none more crushing than last year when he was a 12-foot eagle putt away from winning and three-putted to finish one behind Jordan Spieth.

Asked if he was motivated by Chambers Bay, Johnson deadpanned, “What happened last year?”

Andrew Landry had a much shorter day.

The 28-year-old qualifier only had to hit one shot Friday when he returned in the morning to make a 10-foot birdie putt for a 66 and the lead. It was the best opening round in 10 majors at Oakmont, beating a record shared by Ben Hogan and Tom Watson.

Landry also became the first player in 30 years to have the sole lead after his first U.S. Open round.

Three storm delays Thursday left a disjointed schedule and no clear picture of who’s in control. The nine players who completed the opening round Thursday, including 19-year-old Scottie Scheffler and his 69, had the entire day off Friday.

Those who had to return to finish the first round initially were given tee times deep into the evening until the USGA decided it best that everyone from that half of the field – including Spieth at 2 over – start Saturday morning.

Johnson went 27 holes without a bogey in a U.S. Open held on its toughest course.

The streak finally ended when he found a deep bunker left of the first fairway, advanced only 40 yards and narrowly missed a 20-foot par putt. He missed plenty of other birdie chances along the way, not alarming because Oakmont’s greens are difficult to putt.

Far more impressive was his accuracy.

Johnson missed only three fairways in the second round, and he has missed only five greens through two rounds. If the lead stands after the second round is over, it would match the lowest 36-hole score in a U.S. Open at Oakmont. And he still hasn’t made a birdie on a par 5 in two rounds.

“It was a long day today, but I felt like I played really solid all day for all 36 holes,” he said. “I drove it really well.”

Sergio Garcia, who also knows his share of heartache in the majors, stayed with Johnson as best he could. He made a tough par on No. 4 by playing his third shot from the fifth fairway. And he finished his round with a 50-foot par save for a 70.

Garcia was at 2-under 138, along with Scott Piercy, who also went 68-70.

“I’m too old for this,” the 36-year-old Spaniard said. “We know how difficult the U.S. Open is, and here at Oakmont even tougher.”

On the leaderboard, they were one shot behind Lee Westwood, who closed with two birdies in the morning for a 67.

“It was good, one of the best starts I’ve ever had,” Westwood said. “I felt confident out there and hit a lot of good shots. I was shaping it both ways, which you need to do in U.S. Opens to get at a lot of the flags.”

Daniel Summerhays, who got into the field as an alternate, had a tournament-best 65 and joined Andy Sullivan (68) at 1-under 139. Jim Furyk, a runner-up at Oakmont in the 2007 U.S. Open, also was at 1 under and faced the ninth hole Saturday morning to finish his round.

Spieth, who finished off a round of only one birdie for a 72, returned to Oakmont in the afternoon to putt. Rory McIlroy, who matched his worst score in a U.S. Open with a 77, came back to work on his swing.

On the course, other stars were struggling.

Jason Day, the No. 1 player in the world, opened with a 76 and was at 5 over with three holes remaining. Phil Mickelson was in danger of missing the cut for the second straight time at Oakmont. He was at 7 over with two holes remaining.

For Johnson, it’s time to put up his feet and contemplate another run at a major.

“He played awesome,” Garcia said. “It’s impressive. He drove the ball great, very far. I don’t think he missed many fairways at all. Out of 36 holes here at Oakmont with only one bogey, it shows you have to play really, really well. He’s going to be tough to beat, but I’ll give it a shot.”

BELMONT, Mich. – Defending champion Lexi Thompson fought through back pain Friday to take the second-round lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic.

“It just came on last weekend and it was really bad today,” Thompson said. “I’m not really one to complain about pain because I just fight through it, but yeah, it’s hurting. I’m going to go and get a rubdown and see if it goes away.”

The 21-year-old Thompson shot a 4-under 67, rebounding from bogeys on 15 and 16 with birdies on the final two holes to reach 10-under 132 at Blythefield.

“It was definitely important to come back from the two bogeys,” Thompson said. “I just hit a few errant drives there toward the end and made bogeys, but I played 17 and 18 well.”

Canada’s Alena Sharp bogeyed her final hole to drop into a tie for second at 9 under with South Korean players In Gee Chun, So Yeon Ryu and Q Baek. They all shot 67.

“We just finished major tournament last week and the golf course was quite narrow and a really, really tough golf course,” Ryu said about the KPMG Women’s PGA last week outside Seattle. “We really had to deal with all the trees. After last week, this golf course feels more wide open, I feel more comfortable, felt like be able to play more aggressive.”

Thompson won the Honda LPGA Thailand in February for her seventh LPGA Tour title. The long-hitting Florida player, ranked fourth in the world, also won a Japan LPGA event last month. The back pain could be a major concern heading into the busy summer schedule and golf’s return to the Olympics.

“I just try not to pay attention to it,” Thompson said. “It was hurting just getting into posture for my golf shot, so it is what it is. Took a few ibuprofens and waited for it to kick in. I didn’t really want to pay attention to how bad it was hurting because then it brings more attention to it and it becomes a mind game. I just tried not to focus on it and I just tried to stick to what I did yesterday.”

The 35-year-old Sharp is winless on the LPGA Tour, with six top-10 finishes in 11 seasons.

“I’m going to just keep playing my game, hit fairways and go at pins when I can,” Sharp said. “My putting has been really good the last two tournaments, so I’m kind of relying on it.”

Amy Yang (67) was 8 under along with Sei Young Kim (69), Minjee Lee (67), Haru Nomura (67), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (68), Amelia Lewis (68) and Carlota Ciganda (69).

Top-ranked Lydia Ko and No. 2 Brooke Henderson, coming off a playoff victory over Ko in the KPMG Women’s PGA, were together at 7 under after matching rounds of 68.

Ko birdied three of her last five holes. The 19-year-old New Zealander won the Kia Classic and major ANA Inspiration in consecutive weeks this year in Southern California. She has 12 LPGA Tour victories.

“I’m happy with the way I played,” Ko said. “I was pretty consistent and I just got to keep playing like this. My ball striking wasn’t as good as yesterday, so hopefully it can get better progressively on the weekend.”

Henderson played her final nine holes in 4 under. The 18-year-old Canadian, up to No. 2 in the world, has 10 top-10 finishes this season. She also won last year in Portland, Oregon.

“It was much warmer out today, a beautiful day,” Henderson said. “I started out not as well as I would have liked, 1 over for the front nine, but I made a lot of birdies on the back and go 4 under, so overall it was a pretty steady day. I know I have some work to do on the weekend, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Ariya Jutanugarn, third last week after winning her previous three starts, was 5 under after a 69. Older sister Moriya also was 5 under after a 68.

Laura Davies, the 52-year-old World Golf Hall of Fame member who shot a 65 on Thursday to share the lead, had a 73 to drop to 4 under. She won the last of her 20 LPGA Tour titles in 2001.

Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., shot 2-under on the day to take a share of 39th.

Michelle Wie made the cut by a stroke at 1 under, following her opening 71 with a 70. She’s winless since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open and hasn’t had a top-10 finish in 37 events.

TOYOTA CITY, Japan – Team Canada Men’s Development Squad struggled to close out their final round on Friday at the Chukyo Golf Club, carding a collective 4-over par to drop to an 11^th place finish at the 24th annual Toyota Junior Golf World Cup presented by JAL.

As a team, the Canadian contingent tallied an aggregate score of 1-over par through 72-holes of the play-four-count-three format. They were as high as T6 in the event, but struggled to hold their position. The foursome finished well back of the Americans, who ran away with the competition posting four consecutive rounds under par to lock down a score of 36-under par—good for a nine-stroke victory over runner-up Germany. The win marks the eighth title for the Americans and their first since 2005.

The Canucks were led by Vaughan, Ont., native Tony Gil, who closed at 4-under par (65-73-68-74) to finish alone in 18^th place. The 18-year-old University of Houston commit was a steady performer all week, playing in his third Toyota World Junior event. Trailing Gil by one stroke was teammate A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C. Ewart, 17, posted consistent rounds of 71-70-69-71 to end the tournament in 19^th place.

Rounding out the Canadian squad was Quebec’s Charles-Éric Bélanger, who came in at 11-over par (76-73-74-72) to end in a tie for 47^th. Jack Simpson, an Aurora, Ont., product, posted a total of 18-over par, ending in 56^th place overall.

Medalist honours went to Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, who fired a final round 62 (-9) in Friday’s final to close at 17-under par with a five-stroke margin over second place.

On the girls’ side, the Americans captured the team and individual victories, with Kristen Gillman taking home the medal at 10-under par. Canada did not have a squad compete in the girls’ division.

Click here for team scoring.
Click here for individual scoring.