CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Ben James commenced his round with a remarkable 25-foot eagle putt and maintained his exceptional play, carding a 7-under 63 to take a one-shot lead in his professional debut at the RBC Canadian Open.
James achieved All-American recognition for all four years at Virginia and topped the PGA Tour University ranking, securing a tour card through the 2027 season.
“Everything seemed to align today. It was simply one of those days,” James remarked. “My putting was excellent, I was consistently hitting fairways, recorded favorable scores, and managed to capitalize on what was a rather challenging scoring day.”
James stood at 10-under 130, holding a single-stroke advantage over a quintet of players, including Sam Burns, who had recently featured in the final group at the Memorial and finished tied for fourth.
Brooks Koepka posted a score of 68, placing him two shots back, a position shared with Tommy Fleetwood.
James delivered a flawless, bogey-free performance on the Osprey Valley course at TPC Toronto, entering the weekend having avoided a bogey for his last 33 holes. This event marks his tenth PGA Tour appearance, which includes two U.S. Opens, but it is his first as a professional.
“I wasn’t concerned with the results at all this week. My focus was simply on getting comfortable, building new connections, enjoying the experience, and observing how everything unfolds,” James commented. “Clearly, there are aspects I need to refine; I’m just trying to understand the full scope of things. This is merely the starting point, my initial professional outing. I’ve had two excellent days, but I’m continuously striving for improvement.”
Burns finished with a 67, bringing his total to 131. He was joined at this score by Jackson Suber (65), Haotong Li (64), Keith Mitchell (64), and Jesper Svensson (65).
Tommy Fleetwood, who famously lost in a playoff at the Canadian Open three years ago when Nick Taylor sank an unforgettable 72-foot eagle putt, carded a 65. This placed him two strokes behind the leader, in a group that included Koepka and reigning champion Ryan Fox, who shot a 66.
Koepka’s initial progress was hindered when his tee shot on the 13th went astray, forcing him to scramble for a double bogey, followed by a bogey on the par-3 14th. Despite this, he recorded four birdies and an eagle on the back nine (having started on the 10th hole), with the eagle coming after a colossal 379-yard drive on the par-5 18th.
His thoughts, however, were more fixated on the wayward drive.
“I’d really like to have that opening shot on 13 back,” Koepka stated. “I stood there for an extended period, attempting to hit a low fade, and it unexpectedly turned into a high draw. When you dwell on it for too long at the tee, that tends to be the issue. I would certainly love to have that one again. But apart from that, I played consistently, and it was satisfactory. My ball striking hasn’t been extraordinary, but it’s acceptable.”
Eric Cole, who was among the six players tied for the lead after the first 18 holes, began his day with a triple bogey, and his performance barely improved. He posted a score of 76, causing him to miss the cut, thereby ending his chance to compete in next week’s U.S. Open. Cole entered the week ranked 63rd globally, with the top 60 earning an automatic entry to Shinnecock Hills.
James successfully navigated the 36-hole qualifying in New York, securing his third consecutive spot in the U.S. Open. His current focus is on golf’s fifth-oldest championship—the Canadian Open, which dates back to 1904—and his inaugural professional event.
“I’ve never been in this exact situation, so I’m quite eager to see what the weekend brings,” James said regarding the upcoming rounds. “One goal I had was, ‘Let’s try to make it into that final pairing.’ I just want to experience that feeling and observe what transpires in such a scenario. Being so young, I’m simply thrilled. I have no specific expectations. I intend to play to the best of my ability, just as I have over the past two days.”
