2025 RBC Canadian Open leaderboard: Rory McIlroy starts 10 shots back with Taylor Pendrith in contention
CBSN
Low scores were out there at TPC Toronto, but the world's No. 2 will be fighting merely to make the cut Friday
When the PGA Tour flipped the Memorial and RBC Canadian Open on the schedule, the latter became the final tune-up for the 2025 U.S. Open. While Oakmont looms large on the horizon as one of golf's most difficult tests, players at TPC Toronto were given an opportunity to pile up birdies in bunches during Thursday's first round.
The afternoon wave got the better of the weather draw, and it showed on the leaderboard as the 5 under mark that was leading after the morning wave was only good for T9 entering the second round. With rain in the morning, they opted to play the ball up, but once the rain stopped and the course began to dry out, players were getting the benefit of both roll out and the opportunity to lift, clean and place their balls in the fairways.
That led to some extremely low scores as Thorbjørn Olesen and Cristobal Del Solar fired matching 9-under 61s to set the pace after 18 holes. Olesen was a Monday qualifier and noted that his play just to get a Thursday tee time helped give him a confidence boost that carried over into his first round.
