Winnipeg native Nick Taylor fired a course-record 63 in the third round of the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday afternoon, vaulting him to the top of the leaderboard with the clubhouse lead at 11-under.
Coming into the third round, Taylor was tied for 47th at 2-under before hitting nine birdies to finish at 9-under, 63 for the day, which set a new course record at Oakdale Golf & Country Club. Tyrrell Hatton held the previous mark at 8-under, which he set on Friday.
A Canadian has not won on home soil since Pat Fletcher did so in 1954 at Vancouver’s Point Grey Golf and Country Club. A couple of Canadians hope to end the drought ahead of the final round in Toronto.
Corey Conners finished the second round with a 3-under 69 to sit tied for second at 8-under. The Listowel, Ont., native now sits three shots back after Taylor’s dominant performance.
Other Canadians in the hunt include Adam Hadwin (68) of Abbotsford, B.C., and Roger Sloan (70) of Merritt, B.C., were tied for 17th at 5-under.
Edmonton’s Wil Bateman, playing in his first-ever Canadian Open and only his second PGA Tour event, rocketed up the leaderboard with a 6-under round.
-With files from the Canadian Press
