OPELIKA, Ala. – Jhonattan Vegas failed to qualify for the British Open, relegating the Venezuelan Olympic qualifier to the Barbasol Championship. So far, it has worked out quite well.

In far gentler conditions Friday morning than his peers faced across the Atlantic, Vegas shot a course-record 11-under 60, making a hole-in-one, another eagle and two closing birdies. He pumped his fist when his final 12-foot birdie putt dropped in on the par-4 ninth.

“You have to celebrate a round like this,” Vegas said. “They don’t come that often and every chance you do it, I just have to celebrate it.”

Tied for the first-round lead with Angel Cabrera after a 65 on Grand National’s Lake Course, Vegas had a six-stroke lead and a 17-under 125 total – a shot off the PGA Tour record for strokes in the first two rounds.

“In a great place, no question about it,” Vegas said. “There’s still a lot of golf to be played.”

He missed a chance to become the seventh PGA Tour player to shoot 59.

“When I got to 8 under, I actually let myself think a little bit about 59,” Vegas said. “It’s a lot of pressure and, two, it’s real demanding because you always want to keep it going, you don’t want to feel like you want to protect the score. At the same time you, just want to shoot as low as you can.”

Vegas played a six-hole stretch on his first nine in 7 under. He started with a birdie on the par-3 12th, made a 12-footer for his second straight eagle on the par-5 13th, birdied the par-4 14th and 15th and par-5 16th, and capped the run with the ace on the 17th.

“I had a perfect number, 190 yards is my 7-iron,” Vegas said. “I hit a great 7-iron. I mean, high, right at it, turning toward the pin and I knew it was going to be fairly close but never expected to go in. It was just a great feeling seeing that ball go in.”

On his second nine, Vegas birdied the par-4 second, bogeyed the par-4 fourth, and birdied the par-5 fifth. He made a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 eighth and the 12-footer on the ninth.

“Obviously, I’m 10 under coming to nine. I know that I’m striking the ball well and I just wanted to be aggressive. That was my whole mentality coming into nine. I had 170 yards and hit a full 9-iron as far as I could and was able to make a great putt for a phenomenal round.”

Vegas has played the three par-5 holes in 8 under, making an eagle and two birdies each day. He won the 2011 Bob Hope Classic for his lone tour title.

Hudson Swafford was second at 11 under after a 63. He had an eagle, eight birdies and a double bogey.

“Saw Jhonny Vegas shot 60 today, that’s unbelievable,” Swafford said. “But I feel like I played pretty well today just to kind of maybe put a little heat on him on the weekend with some birdies. I don’t want just to sit around and try to make a bunch of pars so yeah, I’m pretty happy with today’s round.”

Former Auburn player Michael Johnson shot a 65 to reach 10 under in his pro debut.

David Toms, along with Cabrera the only major champions in the field, had a 66 to join Tim Herron (63), Kyle Reifers (65), Andres Gonzales (65), Roberto Castro (66) and Chesson Hadle (66) at 9 under. Herron holed out for eagle from 166 yards on the par-4 first.

Cabrera and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., were 11 strokes back at 6 under.

Weyburn, Sask., native Graham DeLaet shot 69 to sit 2 under, and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., missed the cut with a second-round 70.

Hunter Mahan also missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 70 in his first event since the birth of his third child.

The winner will get a two-year exemption and a spot in the PGA Championship, but will not be exempt for the Masters.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and RBC are pleased to announce the final field of competitors vying for the US$5.9 million purse at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open, July 18-24 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

Defending champion and World No. 1 Jason Day will be challenged by a stellar field of PGA Tour stars including World No. 2 Dustin Johnson, World No. 15 Matt Kuchar, World No. 20 and two-time RBC Canadian Open champion Jim Furyk, World No. 26 and 2013 RBC Canadian Open Champion Brandt Snedeker, three-time PGA Tour winners Ryan Palmer and Graeme McDowell, as well as World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els.

Other notable additions to the field for the 107th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship include 34-time PGA TOUR winner Vijay Singh, 12-time winner Justin Leonard, eight-time winner K.J. Choi, six-time winner Hunter Mahan, World No. 30 Kevin Kisner, World No. 40 Danny Lee, World No. 42 Charley Hoffman, World No. 46 William McGirt, World No. 47 Jimmy Walker, six-time winner Rory Sabbatini and three-time winner Angel Cabrera.

A number of international rising stars have also accepted tournament invitations, including American sensation Bryson DeChambeau, former World No. 1 amateur John Rahm of Spain, World No. 41 K.T. Kim of Korea and World No. 43 Matthew Fitzpatrick of England.

Led by World Nos. 1 and 2 Jason Day and Dustin Johnson, the field for the RBC Canadian Open will include 13 of the Top-50 players on the World Golf Ranking and nine of the Top-30 players on the 2016 Fed-Ex Cup Ranking.

“The field is nearly set and we’re ready to tee-up the 107th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship starting next week at Glen Abbey Golf Club,” said Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “We’ve got a tremendous mix of international stars and Canadian talents ready to compete and a family-friendly festival experience ready to welcome spectators of all ages to the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.”

In total, 156 players will compete for the US$5.9 million purse next week in Oakville when Canada’s National Open Championship returns to Glen Abbey for a record 28th time.

Past Champions…

Defending champion Jason Day will be joined by six other former champions, including Team RBC members Brandt Snedeker – who won in 2013 at Glen Abbey Golf Club – and Jim Furyk who claimed back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007. Other confirmed past champions include Sean O’Hair (2011), Carl Pettersson (2010), Chez Reavie (2008) and Vijay Singh (2004).

Olympians in the Field…

With golf making its return to the Olympic Games in 2016, seven freshly named Olympians will compete in the RBC Canadian Open, including Matt Kuchar (USA), Danny Lee (NZL), Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Alex Cejka (GER) and Camilo Villegas (COL) along with Canadian Olympic Team members David Hearn and Graham DeLaet.

PGA Tour In-Year Winners…

A total of 16 in-year PGA Tour winners will compete at Glen Abbey, including Greg Chalmers, Jon Curran, Jason Day, Tony Finau, Emiliano Grillo, Jim Herman, Charley Hoffman, Billy Hurley III, Dustin Johnson, Kevin Kisner, Peter Malnati, Graeme McDowell, William McGirt, Brandt Snedeker, Brian Stuard and Vaughn Taylor.

12 Canadians to compete for National Men’s Open Title…

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., who held the 54-hole lead in 2015 before finishing third will lead the 12-member Canadian contingent that also includes Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., Abbotsford, B.C., natives Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor, along with Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ont., who will be making his 25th start in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.

Other Canadians confirmed include Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., who sits fifth on the Web.com Tour money list, as well as Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Hugo Bernard of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., Calgary’s Jared du Toit and Burlington, Ont., native Blair Hamilton.

Former Team Canada member Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., has earned his second consecutive RBC Canadian Open exemption by winning back-to-back Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championships. PGA of Canada professional Dave Levesque of Montréal earned his way into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open by claiming the No. 1 position on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC, while Branson Ferrier of Barrie, Ont., won the 144-player Ontario Regional Qualifier to earn an exemption.

The Canadians in the field have their sights set on becoming the first Canadian to capture the national title since Pat Fletcher claimed victory in 1954.

Final Tournament Exemptions to be Named…

The top three players on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada Order of Merit following this weekend’s Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel in Thunder Bay, Ont., will earn exemptions into the field for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.

The final four exemptions into the field for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open will be handed out at the Monday Final Qualifier on July 18 to be played at Diamondback Golf Club in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Celebrating Canada’s Olympic Golf Team on Tuesday, July 19…

The 2016 Olympic golf team comprised of David Hearn and Graham DeLaet along with Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Alena Sharp of Hamilton will be officially welcomed by the Canadian Olympic Committee to Team Canada during a FREE public celebration at Glen Abbey on Tuesday, July 19 at 11 a.m. ET. The men’s team will compete from August 11-14, while the women’s team will take to the Campo Olimpico de Golf course in Rio de Janeiro from August 17-20.

In addition, Friday, July 22 will once again be Red and White Day at the RBC Canadian Open. Players and spectators are encouraged to wear Canada’s national colours in support of our Canadian hopefuls in the field challenging for Canada’s National Open Championship.

2016 MEDIA GUIDE AND PLAYER PERFORMANCE BOOK:

In advance of next week’s championship, media can also download the 2016 RBC Canadian Open Media Guide for complete stats, records and historical information. Media can also download the 2016 RBC Canadian Open Player Performance Book which details individual player statistics from 1904-2015.

TELEVISION COVERAGE:

Thursday July 21
TSN4 & TSN5 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
TSN1 & TSN3 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Golf Channel 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Friday July 22 – Red & White Day
TSN4 & TSN5 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
TSN1 & TSN3 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Golf Channel 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Saturday July 23
Golf Channel 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
CBS & Global 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Sunday July 24
Golf Channel 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
CBS & Global 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

TICKETS:

Grounds tickets for all days of the 2016 RBC Canadian Open, as well as a limited number of premium ticket packages are still available. A full list of ticket packages and pricing is available online at www.rbccanadianopen.com. Golf Canada and RBC are also pleased to offer FREE admission to juniors 17-and-under – click here to download a FREE Junior Pass.

The full list of competitors competing in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open can be found here.

TROON, Scotland — Phil Mickelson wore a black rain suit that he didn’t need until he approached the far end of Royal Troon and already had stretched his lead. Henrik Stenson opened the curtains at his house expecting to see rain coming down sideways and was pleasantly surprised by the calm.

Good golf and the good end of the draw is tough to beat in the British Open.

Mickelson hit a wedge that spun back toward the cup until it stopped about two postage stamps away on the par-3 eighth hole, the signature shot in his 2-under 69 that allowed him to back up his record-tying start and take the 36-hole lead in a major for the first time in three years.

“I thought it was a good round to back up the low round yesterday,” Mickelson said. “I played kind of stress-free golf again. I made one or two bad swings that led to bogeys. But for the most part, kept the ball in play.”

He just couldn’t shake Stenson, who timed his birdies perfectly.

The Swede made three straight birdies before the wind showed up and the clouds began to spit rain. He added two more during lulls in the increasingly bad weather. And he wound up with a Friday-best 65 that enabled him to close within one shot of Mickelson.

“I was five back of Phil from yesterday, so of course I was hoping to gain a little,” Stenson said. “And the way it turned out, I gained quite a lot. It’s still early in the tournament, though. We’re only halfway through. But so far, so good. I’m happy with the way I played the course. It’s not easy out there.”

Try telling that to the players who had to endure an afternoon of gusts that topped 30 mph and rain so heavy at times it was hard to see.

“Some draws go your way,” Rory McIlroy said, “and some draws don’t.”

Just look at the leaderboard.

Mickelson was at 10-under 132, the best 36-hole total ever to lead at Royal Troon. Stenson, a runner-up to Mickelson at Muirfield in 2013, was one shot behind. Soren Kjeldsen and Keegan Bradley each shot 68 and were three shots behind.

The top 14 players going into the weekend all played Friday morning. Of the 26 players still under par, only four of them played in the afternoon.

The nature of links golf, and this championship, is getting the good side of the tee times. Mickelson was soaked when he walked off the course, though he managed to get in eight holes before the rain arrived. On the ninth hole, he had his caddie hold the umbrella over his ball on a 10-foot par putt, walking away at the last minute to watch his boss roll in into the cup, like he’s been doing all week.

Jordan Spieth? He was lucky to still be playing.

Spieth battled through the worst of the elements to play the final six holes in even par for a 75 to finish at 4-over 146. Two hours before he finished, that looked as if it would earn him a trip back to Texas. Instead, he made the cut on the number.

“It’s tough when we all realize before we go out that you’re kind of what would be the bad end of the draw before you even play your second round,” Spieth said.

Then again, he wasn’t sure it mattered the way he was playing.

“But at 4-over par, my game is not major championship-winning caliber those first two rounds,” he said. “It just made it pretty interesting and actually somewhat nervous on the last five, six holes because I’d really like to play the weekend.”

McIlroy got within five shots of the lead until the weather and a few bad shots gobbled him up, and the four-time major champion dropped four shots in five holes. He had to settle for an even-par 71 and was eight shots behind, along with U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson (69).

Jason Day, the world’s No. 1 player, had a 70 and was among three players who broke par in the afternoon.

“I felt like I shot a low-career round out there today with just how tough the conditions were,” Day said.

Mickelson’s made his first bogey when he pulled an iron off the tee into the rough, missing a gorse bush by about two paces. He dropped another shot on the 15th when he pulled his drive into the rough and couldn’t reach the green. Those were the mistakes, offset by a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole when he played his tee shot off the back side of a bunker and let it feed toward the hole.

He looked like a links specialist the way he used the ground. Then again, his name is on the silver claret jug for a reason.

And he wouldn’t mind seeing it there again.

“I don’t feel the pressure like probably a lot of players do to try to win the claret jug because I’ve already won it,” he said. “The desire to capture that claret jug puts a lot of pressure on. The fact I’ve done it relieves some of that. I would love to add to it, but having already done that was big.”

Only two other players have started a major with rounds of 63-69. One was Raymond Floyd, who went on to a wire-to-wire victory at Southern Hills in the 1982 PGA Championship. The other was Greg Norman, who shot 78 in the final round of the 1996 Masters and lost a six-shot lead.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada has introduced a number of events to build excitement around this year’s 107th playing of the RBC Canadian Open.

On Saturday July 16, Glen Abbey Golf Club will welcome runners and fitness enthusiasts of all ages for the inaugural RBC Canadian Open 5K Run. Participants will have the chance to race through the historic Oakville, Ont., course – beginning at the first hole before crossing the finish line near the iconic 18th green. Participants will get the full running experience complete with race bibs and timed results.

That same day, Glen Abbey will play host to the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event, a golf competition similar to the popular Drive, Chip and Putt. The event will bring together 25 junior golfers from across the country in a test of essential golfing skills: driving, chipping, iron play and putting.

This year’s RBC Canadian Open is also one of the final events before golf makes its long-awaited return to the Olympic Games following a 112-year absence. For the first time since Canadian George S. Lyon won gold in 1904, teams from around the world will compete on international sport’s grandest stage. The 2016 Canadian Olympic Golf Team will be officially welcomed by the Canadian Olympic Committee to Team Canada during a FREE public celebration at Glen Abbey on Tuesday, July 19 at 11 a.m. ET.

The RBC Canadian Open will once again celebrate Canada’s Championship with Red and White Day on Friday, July 22. Players, families and fans are invited to wear their brightest reds and cleanest whites to support Canadian golf.

WestJet’s Closest to the Pin Toss returns to offer spectators the chance to win a flight for four. Fans can purchase mini-balls from WestJet volunteers at RBC Water Stations and then take part in the ball toss on the 18^th green at the end of each tournament day. Proceeds will go towards supporting Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada.

Located just off the 10^th fairway, the Golf Canada Golf Zone offers FREE fun activities for the whole family. Pose for a picture with the RBC Canadian Open trophy or the 1904 Olympic Trophy. Enjoy a bag of popcorn while signing-up for a free Golf Canada membership. Take advantage of phone charging stations and cool down in the air-conditioned environment – all for FREE. While there, experience the storied history of Canadian golf with a tour through the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.

The RBC Canadian Open is more than just 72 holes of world-class golf – it is one of Canada’s most historic sporting events with activities for golf and sport enthusiasts both inside and outside the ropes. Check out the ZTE Spectator Village for engaging activities from a number of the event’s supporting partners, including CN Future Links junior golf activities, charging stations, giveaways, Tweet Caddies, beer gardens, food trucks and more.

As part of the RBC Canadian Open’s commitment to family fun, admission for kids 17-and-under is FREE all week.

A full listing of events and activities at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open can be found here.

For information on tickets, click here.

Information on parking and directions can be found here.

OPELIKA, Ala. – Angel Cabrera and Jhonattan Vegas dominated the par-5 holes in steamy conditions Thursday to share the Barbasol Championship.

The 46-year-old Cabrera, from Argentina, eagled the par-5 13th on Grand National’s Lake Course, holing a 60-footer from the fringe, and birdied the two other par 5s in a bogey-free 6-under 65.

Cabrera left the course after his morning round without speaking to the media. The 2007 U.S. Open champion and 2009 Masters winner, he’s one of two major champions in the field at the PGA Tour event played opposite the British Open.

Vegas, from Venezuela, also eagled the 13th – making a 20-footer – and birdied the other par 5s in a bogey-free round. He won the 2011 Bob Hope Classic for his lone tour title.

“It was a great round overall,” Vegas said. “From the beginning all the way to the end, I felt like I did exactly what I had planned at the beginning of the day. Was able to hit the ball straight from tee, take advantage of the par 5s. I played the par 5s at 4 under, which is really good on this place. I was able to manage some missed shots that I hit to make some good pars to shoot a great round.”

Former Auburn player Blayne Barber was a stroke back at 66 along with Martin Laird, Ben Crane, Shawn Stefani, Matt Bettencourt, Michael Kim and Lucas Lee.

“Turned the heat up,” Laird said about the temperature. “I played nicely. The course is in good shape, so if you put it in the right spot and hit some good shots you can make some putts. I really hit the ball well tee to green today, putted solid but left a couple out there. But overall very happy.”

The Scot tied for seventh in Nevada two weeks ago in last start.

Crane is making his first appearance in the event.

“This is a big boy golf course,” Crane said. “You could play a major championship here, no problem. The course is in great shape, feeling great about my game and just played solid all day. Made a couple of those critical saves and just made a great up-and-down with an 8-iron on the last hole for birdie to get it to 5 under, so off to a great start.”

Stefani birdied four of the first five holes on his back nine, but dropped a stroke on the par-5 16th.

“I did a lot of great things today and, on top of that, I stayed patient and just kind of tried to play one shot at a time,” Stefani said. “It was nice to get off to a good start, especially in this heat. It kind of maybe started wearing on me just a little bit the last couple holes, you kind of start getting hungry, trying to eat lunch and started to get a little hotter.”

Former Auburn player Michael Johnson shot a 67 in his pro debut.

“I couldn’t ask for a better way to start my career,” Johnson said. “It was awesome. Played with two great guys (Omar Uresti and Dawie van der Walt), which helps. It was a great day, weather was good. I thought we were going to get rained on a little bit, but everything went great.”

David Toms, the other major champion in the field, also had a 67. He’s 49.

Former University of Alabama player Robby Shelton birdied the final hole for a 69 in his second PGA Tour start as a professional. He was third last year while still in college.

Matt Gilchrest, a rising senior at Auburn, had a 70.

Hunter Mahan shot a 74 in his first event since the birth of his third child.

Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn leads the trio of contending Canadians tied for 20th at 68. Weyburn, Sask., resident Graham DeLaet shot a first-round 71 to sit one stroke in front of Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C.

The winner will get a two-year exemption and a spot in the PGA Championship, but will not be exempt for the Masters.

The 2016 RBC Canadian Open is one of the final events before golf makes its long-awaited return to the Olympic Games following a 112-year absence. For the first time since Canadian George S. Lyon won gold in 1904, teams from around the world will compete on international sport’s grandest stage when the 2016 Olympic Games makes its way to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

The 2016 Canadian Olympic Golf Team comprised of Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.), Alena Sharp (Hamilton), Graham DeLaet (Weyburn, Sask.) and David Hearn (Brantford, Ont.) will be officially welcomed by the Canadian Olympic Committee to Team Canada during a FREE public celebration onsite at Glen Abbey on Tuesday, July 19 beginning at 11 a.m.

CBC Sports Olympic host Scott Russell will be joined by Canadian Olympic Committee Chef de Mission Curt Harnett to help Golf Canada introduce Canada’s Olympic golfers and coaches and to officially welcome them to Team Canada. The official opening ceremony for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open and the Olympic Golf Team Celebration will take place in the ZTE Spectator Village, festivities will include a military flyover at Glen Abbey by a H13 Hercules Transport and the singing of our national anthem.

Attendance on Tuesday, July 19 is FREE for all spectators. Information on directions and parking can be found here.

Olympic enthusiasts excited about golf’s return to the Olympic Games can also check out a special edition of Golf Canada magazine – the Olympic Games issue!

Join us at Glen Abbey on Tuesday, July 19 at 11 a.m. and show your support for the RBC Canadian Open and Canada’s Olympic Golf Team.

TROON, Scotland – Phil Mickelson pointed his putter toward the hole and was ready to step right into major championship history Thursday in the British Open.

Instead, he endured another dose of heartache.

All because of a 63.

The 16-foot putt looked good until the last turn, catching the right side of the cup. The ball then rode the edge until it sat there on the other side of the hole. Mickelson plopped his hand on his forehead in disbelief. His caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, toppled onto his back.

“I want to cry,” Mickelson said.

No tears were necessary at Royal Troon, not after a round that was brilliant even by Lefty’s standards, and certainly not after building a three-shot lead over Patrick Reed and Martin Kaymer on an ideal day by the Irish Sea.

Mickelson seized the moment with a birdie on the par-5 16th from a bunker short of the green, and a 4-iron to 15 feet for birdie on the par-3 17th to reach 8-under par. Over the last 43 years in the majors, there had been 27 rounds of 63. No one had shot 62.

Mickelson knew that. He also knew he most likely would never get a chance like this after his 6-iron settled 16 feet from the hole on No. 18.

“That putt on 18 was an opportunity to do something historical,” he said. “I knew it, and with a foot to go I thought I had done it. I saw that ball rolling right in the center. I went to go get it. I had that surge of adrenaline that I had just shot 62. And then I had the heartbreak that I didn’t and watched that ball lip out.

“Wow, that stings.”

What helped ease the pain is that it was only Thursday. He has gone three years since his last victory, the British Open at Muirfield, where his 66 ranks among the great closing rounds in a major. Mickelson still considers it his best round.

He might not have if that 16-foot putt had dropped.

It was reminiscent of his putt that spun all the way around the cup in the Phoenix Open three years ago when he could have shot 59. That didn’t hurt as badly as this one because five players have shot 59 on the PGA Tour.

“This one’s going to stay with me for a while because of the historical element of the major championships,” he said. “The opportunity to shoot 62 and be the first one to do it, I just don’t think that’s going to come around again. And that’s why I walk away so disappointed.”

Even with such a close call, Mickelson is in good company.

Jack Nicklaus missed a putt just inside 3 feet for a 62 in the 1980 U.S. Open at Baltusrol. Greg Norman had to only two-putt from 30 feet for a 62 at Turnberry in the 1986 British Open and took three putts. Tiger Woods watched his 15-foot putt for 62 spin 270 degrees around the cup in the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. Nick Price’s birdie putt for a 62 in the 1986 Masters dipped in and out of the cup.

Asked why there had never been a 62 in the major, Mickelson pointed to his putt.

“There’s a curse,” he said. “Because that ball should have been in.”

It wasn’t for a lack of effort. He went with a 6-iron to play a baby cut back toward the hole, and it worked out perfectly. He brought in his caddie and told him that “I need your best read.” Ernie Els did his part, putting out of turn to turn the stage over to Mickelson.

The pace was perfect. The putt looked perfect – until it wasn’t. By a fraction.

“I saw that ball going in and I just had a good, clear vision of what was going to happen,” he said. “What I didn’t see was what happened.”

And now, he faces a return to reality.

Of the seven previous players to open with a 63 in a major, only Nicklaus at the 1980 U.S. Open and Raymond Floyd at the 1982 PGA Championship went on to win.

Royal Troon might not be this gentle the rest of the week. The forecast was for strong wind and rain for Friday, especially when Mickelson and Kaymer play in the morning. Lefty was ready to embrace whatever came his way.

“One of the biggest challenges is when you shoot a round like this, you start expectations running through your head and so forth, and that’s the one thing that I’ll have to try to suppress and hold off,” he said. “We’ll have three more rounds. We’ll have varying conditions tomorrow. It’s going to be very difficult.”

Eight Americans were among the top 11 on the leaderboard at Royal Troon, where they have won the Open the last six times. That group included Steve Stricker, the 49-year-old in his first major this year, and Justin Thomas, the 23-year-old in his first British Open.

Defending champion Zach Johnson had a chance to shoot 63 if he birdied the last two holes. He went bogey-bogey for a 67.

But this day was all about Mickelson, who never seriously came close to making bogey. He missed only three greens and two fairways, one on the 18th when he switched to a 3-wood and, realizing what was at stake, sent his shot toward a pot bunker.

It bounced just far enough left to avoid it. It looked as though everything was going to his way. Right until the final inch.

TROON, Scotland – Rory McIlroy was never more thrilled to be playing the British Open.

Thursday was his first round since he won the claret jug at Royal Liverpool two years ago because he had to sit out St. Andrews with an ankle injury. And finally, he was able to talk about his birdies – all five of them – instead of jabs at Olympic golf that caused such a stir earlier in the week.

“It’s nice that the tournament started,” McIlroy said after opening with a 2-under 69. “I think I said all I needed to say on that matter and hopefully I can go out tomorrow and play similar to the way I did today and get myself right into contention for another claret jug.”

McIlroy gave away three shots, and a share of the early lead, with two sloppy holes on the back nine at Royal Troon. But in a procession of golf’s Fab Four, he made the best of the ideal conditions along the Irish Sea.

Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and McIlroy were in separate groups separated by four tee times. Spieth was heard uttering rare words – “I can’t buy a putt” – on his way to a 71, while Day made it three straight majors as the No. 1 player in which he failed to break par in the opening round. He had a 73. Johnson played in the easiest conditions and shot 71.

MCILROY’s MISSION

The strong talk from McIlroy on the idea of Olympic golf helping to grow the game might have revealed a deeper state of his mind. He is fed up with watching others go to No. 1 and win majors, and there was a sense he was ready to do something about it.

He came out firing, and with a third straight birdie on the Postage Stamp par 3 at No. 8, he was 4 under and tied for the lead. That changed with a shot over the green, a poor chip and three putts for a double bogey on the 13th, and he was so angry that he dropped another shot on the 14th.

“I think if I would’ve stepped on the first tee and someone would have given me a 69, I probably would have taken it,” McIlroy said. “But if somebody had given me that score on the 10th, I probably would have.”

The real test could be Friday with rain in the forecast. McIlroy, even with his roots in Northern Ireland, is not regarded as a player who thrives in bad weather. And he was six shots behind Phil Mickelson. His hope is that it clears out by the time he tees off in the afternoon.

“I don’t think we’re going to see the course like this for the rest of the week,” he said.

DAY’S SLOW START

Day takes his No. 1 ranking seriously. Maybe too seriously.

Favored in all three majors this year, he still can’t seem to get off to a good start. Dropped shots on the back nine sent him to a 72 at the Masters. He opened with a 76 at Oakmont and had to play well just to make the cut. And in the ideal conditions at Royal Troon, he shot 73.

For the third straight time, he has to spend the rest of the week catching up.

Day might be one of the few players hoping for bad weather because it might be his best way to get back into the tournament.

“I’m already missing greens anyways,” he said. “And if I’m going to miss greens, I’m going to miss greens on hard days, and if I can just grind myself out and make pars, it would be great. If I can hit a little bit better tomorrow, that would be fantastic.”

SPIETH STUMBLES

Spieth faced two 10-foot birdie putts on his opening holes. He missed them both, a sign of what was to come. The player known as the best putter in today’s crop of players required 18 putts on the front nine – a pair of two-putt birdies, one par save and a three-putt bogey on the ninth.

He stared for the longest time at a leaderboard next to the 17th green, realizing that even par wasn’t going to cut it on a perfect day as this.

When asked what was wrong with his putting, Spieth smiled and said, “That’s a question I almost never get asked. So because of that, I’m not thinking much of it.”

He at least hit the ball well from tee to green, calling it his best since he won by eight shots in Hawaii to start the year. He made a lot of putts in Hawaii.

JOHNSON’S MAJOR ENCORE

In his first round at a major since winning the U.S. Open, Johnson played a round that usually gets rewarded at a U.S. Open – 14 pars, two birdies, two bogeys. Except this was the British Open, and the conditions were never easier at Royal Troon.

He blasted driver on the opening hole toward the sea and made bogey. He played the par 5s in even.

“Obviously, you have to hole some putts here,” he said.

That’s true at any major.

OAKVILLE, Ont. – Golf Canada and RBC are proud to announce that Web.com Tour player Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., along with a trio of National Amateur Squad members are among the Canadians receiving tournament exemptions to compete in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open taking place at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont., from July 18-24.

Fritsch, who will make his ninth appearance in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship, is having a strong year on the Web.com Tour with a victory at the Servientrega Championship Presented by Efecty and a runner-up finish at the El Bosque Mexico Championship presented by INNOVA that positions the 38-year-old fifth on the Tour’s money list.

Tournament exemptions have also been given to Team Canada National Amateur Squad members Hugo Bernard of Mont St-Hilaire, Que., Calgary’s Jared du Toit and Burlington, Ont., native Blair Hamilton.

As well, this will be the second consecutive year in which Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., has earned his place in the RBC Canadian Open by claiming victory in the previous year’s Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship.

PGA of Canada professional Dave Levesque of Montréal earned his way into the 2016 RBC Canadian Open by claiming the No. 1 position on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC. Branson Ferrier of Barrie, Ont., shot 4-under 68 at King’s Forest Golf Course to top the 144-player field to earn an exemption through the RBC Canadian Open Ontario Regional Qualifier.

Fritsch, Bernard, du Toit, Hamilton, Rank, Levesque and Ferrier will be among 12 Canadians who will challenge for the 107th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship.

Leading the Canadian contingent at Glen Abbey will be Brantford, Ont., native David Hearn, whose 2016 season includes six Top-20 finishes, including a T9 result at The RSM Classic in Sea Island, Ga. Hearn, who held the 54-hole lead before finishing third in the 2015 RBC Canadian Open, is the No. 127-ranked player on the World Golf Ranking.

Joining Hearn will be fellow Canadian PGA Tour players Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., Abbotsford, B.C., natives Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., who will be playing in Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship for a 25th time.

“We are excited to have these 12 deserving Canadians compete in the 107th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship,” said RBC Canadian Open Tournament Director Brent McLaughlin. “The passion that these talented players have shown in representing Canada is a true inspiration to the country’s young golfers and we are proud to welcome them to the field for the RBC Canadian Open.”

The 12 Canadian players will look to become the first Canadian to capture the national title since Pat Fletcher accomplished the feat in 1954.

The Canadians confirmed for Glen Abbey will join a field of PGA Tour and international stars that includes defending champion and World No. 1 Jason Day, U.S. Open champion and World No. 2 Dustin Johnson, World No. 15 Matt Kuchar, 2006-2007 RBC Canadian Open champion and World No. 20 Jim Furyk, 2013 RBC Canadian Open champion and World No. 23 Brandt Snedeker, World No. 71 Ryan Palmer, World No. 74 Graeme McDowell, 2016 Masters low amateur Bryson DeChambeau, former World No.1 amateur Jon Rahm and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els.

Celebrating Canada’s Olympic Golf Team on Tuesday July 19…

The 2016 edition of the RBC Canadian Open is one of the final events before golf returns to the Olympic Games following a 112-year absence. For the first time since Canadian George S. Lyon captured gold in 1904, teams from around the globe will compete on international sport’s grandest stage.

The 2016 Canadian Olympic golf team will be officially welcomed by the Canadian Olympic Committee to Team Canada during a FREE public celebration at Glen Abbey on Tuesday, July 19 at 11 a.m. ET. The men’s team will compete from August 11-14, while the women’s team will take to the Campo Olimpico de Golf course in Rio de Janeiro from August 17-20.

In addition, Friday, July 22 will once again be Red and White Day at the RBC Canadian Open. Players and spectators are encouraged to wear Canada’s national colours in support of our Canadian hopefuls in the field challenging for Canada’s National Open Championship.

Confirmed Canadians in the 2016 RBC Canadian Open:

David Hearn

• Currently the No. 1-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 127)
• Currently ranked No. 74 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 14th RBC Canadian Open (finished 3rd in 2015)

Graham DeLaet

• Currently the No. 2-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 146)
• Currently ranked No. 105 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 8th RBC Canadian Open

Adam Hadwin

• Currently the No. 3-ranked Canadian on the World Golf Ranking (No. 182)
• Currently ranked No. 89 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 7th RBC Canadian Open (finished T4 in 2011; T7 in 2015)

Nick Taylor

• Currently ranked No. 286 in the world and No. 106 in the FedEx Cup standings
• Competing in his 7th RBC Canadian Open

Mike Weir

• 8-time PGA TOUR winner
• 2003 Masters champion
• Inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2009
• Competing in his 25th RBC Canadian Open

Brad Fritsch

• Currently ranked 5th on the 2016 Web.com money list
• Won 2016 Servientrega Championship on Web.com Tour
• Competing in his 9th RBC Canadian Open

Jared du Toit

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently the No. 1-ranked Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 56)
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

Blair Hamilton

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently the No. 2-ranked Canadian on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (No. 106)
• Competing in his 2nd RBC Canadian Open (tied for low amateur at 2015 RBC Canadian Open)

Hugo Bernard

• Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• Currently ranked No. 255 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking
• Won NCAA Division II Championship
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

Garrett Rank

• Former Golf Canada National Amateur Squad member
• 2014 & 2015 Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur champion
• Competing in his 2nd RBC Canadian Open

Dave Levesque

• Currently ranked No. 1 on the PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC
• Competing in his 3rd RBC Canadian Open

Branson Ferrier

• Winner of RBC Canadian Open Ontario Regional Qualifier
• Competing in his 1st RBC Canadian Open

The final field for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open will be released on Friday, July 15 after 5 p.m. ET.

Information regarding tickets, free 17-and-under junior passes, volunteer opportunities and corporate hospitality for the 2016 RBC Canadian Open can be found at www.rbccanadianopen.com.

TROON, Scotland – Jason Day is more motivated by failure than success, which helps explain how he reached No. 1 in the world.

And it all started last year at the British Open.

Day had never felt so calm in the midst of such raging emotion that being in contention at a major can bring. He had an innate sense that it would all work out in his favour, right up until the moment that it didn’t.

He had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at St. Andrews to get into a playoff. It was right on line. And he left it short.

But it was that moment he realized he was good enough to win majors, and that he would win them if he had more chances. The following week he won the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club. Two weeks later, he won the PGA Championship with such a dominant display of power that he became the first player to finish at 20-under par in a major.

Six weeks later, he reached No. 1 for the first time.

“It was kind of, I guess, the start of my run where everything kind of changed my world,” Day said.

The 28-year-old Aussie arrived at Royal Troon on the weekend and headed out to a links course he had never seen, playing in a wind he might not see the rest of the week.

The intrigue of Troon is that the shorter nine going out typically is with the wind, while the stronger, longer holes coming back are into the wind. It was the other way around over the weekend, and it began to shift on Monday on the first official day of practice with 25 mph (40 kph) gusts straight off the Irish Sea.

“In the last five days, the forecast has changed dramatically,” defending champion Zach Johnson said. “And my guess is, it could change again.”

The forecast for Day has a little more clarity.

He has finished out of the top 10 only twice in his nine tournaments dating to March. What he brings to the Ayrshire coast of Scotland is more motivation – his last golfing memory was more failure.

Day appeared to be firmly in control at the World Golf Championship in Ohio two weeks ago until he three-putted for bogey on the 15th hole, made a mess of the par-5 16th hole on his way to a double bogey, and wound up three shots behind U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson.

“I learn more when I fail than when I win,” Days. “We’re not going to win every single one. Even though I don’t like losing, it was great to be able to learn something from that and turn this into what I would say a learning experience. … It was really bad. It was a terrible way to lose, and it was frustrating and disappointing. But things like this, you can’t win them all.”

He said the Tiger Woods era spoiled golf fans into believing everyone should win tournaments when given a chance, and no one was better at that than Woods. Seventy times around the world, Woods had at least a share of the 54-hole lead. He won 60 of them.

“That’s what I’m shooting for, to be able to finish off like he did back in the day,” he said. “Will I ever get to a point like that? Maybe not. But that’s what I’m shooting for right now.”

As a kid, Day said the two biggest tournaments were the Masters and the British Open. Australians have a long history with the claret jug, dating to Peter Thomson winning five times and Greg Norman winning twice. Day was only a year old when Norman closed with a 64 at Royal Troon, only to hit his drive on the final hole of the playoff so far that it went into a pot bunker and ended his chances.

Norman still has his name on the jug twice. Woods, whom Day seeks out for advice in golf, is on there three times.

“Coming so close last year was definitely a motivational factor in that I would love to one day hold the claret jug and be able to put my name down in history with the best that have ever lived and played the game,” he said.

The jug for the last year belonged to Johnson, who poured wine from it one last time on Sunday night at a house he is sharing with players. Johnson’s first duty Monday morning was to give it back to R&A chief Martin Slumbers outside the clubhouse at Royal Troon.

“It was bittersweet,” Johnson said. “More sweet, but the fact that you’ve got to give it back, you know it’s coming. I guess a portion of that sweetness is you still have an opportunity to get it back.”

Day will defend his RBC Canadian Open title from July 18-24, 2016 at Glen Abbey Golf Club.