Ontario, June 6 || Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen and Chilean Cristobal Del Solar set the early pace at the RBC Canadian Open as each player carded a nine-under-par 61 to share a one-stroke lead during first-round play of the national championship in Ontario.
The United States' Cameron Champ was third on 62, one shot ahead of compatriot Jake Knapp on 63 at the 9.8 million U.S. dollars PGA Tour event at the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley North Course. The par-70, 7,389-yard public course, 40 minutes northwest of the provincial capital, is hosting the national championship for the first time.
Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard, Trey Mullinax of America and Ireland's Shane Lowry, the 2019 British Open champion, were equal fifth on 64. Scotsman Robert MacIntyre, the defending champion, was five shots back on 65 in a group of nine players that included Taylor Pendrith, the top Canadian, and England's Danny Willett, the 2016 Masters winner.
Beijing native Cao Yi, the only Chinese in the field, carded an even-par 70. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, a two-time winner in Canada, was a shot further back on 71, reports.
Del Solar, who last year shot a 57 at a tournament in Colombia, the lowest round ever recorded at a PGA Tour sanctioned event, took the lead at 10-under when he made a birdie three at the 502-yard 16th hole. He then dropped his only shot at the par-four 523-yard 17th hole before closing with a par at the last.