Hamilton, June 4: Searching for his maiden PGA TOUR win, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre landed a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 17th to make a late surge and take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club.Tied for the second-round lead with Kiwi Ryan Fox, MacIntyre shot a 4-under 66 to get to 14-under 196. The 27-year-old Scottish left-hander is seeking a breakthrough win in 44 career starts.
Mackenzie Hughes (67), trying to become the second straight Canadian to win the national championship, was tied for second with Fox (70) and Ben Griffin (65). Hughes shot a 67 and it included a missed 9-foot eagle putt on the 17th and a bogey on the par-4 18th.
Indian American Akshay Bhatia fell to T-58 as he carded 74 but Aaron Rai (65) was tied-ninth.
Fleetwood (64) was 9-under along with Sam Burns (67), Trace Crowe (67) and Joel Dahmen (69).
Two-time RBC Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy was tied for 11th at 7-under after a 65. He won in 2019 the last time the tournament was in Hamilton and again in 2022 at St. George’s in Toronto.
MacIntyre was 1-over for the first 13 holes with three birdies and four bogeys. After a bogey on the par-3 13th, he charged up with a 13-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th followed by a 50-footer on the par-4 15th and a 10-footer on the par-3 16th before holing the eagle putt on No. 17