Erik van Rooyen opened his scoring with an eagle on Thursday to card an opening four-under-par 66 in the first round of the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & country Club in Hamilton, Ontario.
He also made five birdies and three bogeys to be in a share of sixth with five other players, including two-time champion Rory McIlroy. They were four strokes off the lead which was held by England’s David Skinns, who posted a bogey-free eight-under-par 62. He led by one from Sean O’Hair and Sam Burns of the United States, with Robert MacIntyre of Scotland in fourth on six-under.
The other South African in the field, Garrick Higgo, signed for a one-under-par 69 and was in a share of 34th.
Skinns had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch and pulled ahead with a 47-foot birdie putt on his 17th hole, the par-three eighth. The 41-year-old Englishman was a stroke ahead of morning starters Sam Burns and Sean O’Hair.
Defending champion Nick Taylor shot a 72, playing alongside fellow Canadian Taylor Pendrith and McIlroy. Last year at Oakdale in Toronto, Taylor made an 80-foot eagle putt in a play-off to become the first Canadian to win the event since 1954.
McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open in 2019 the last time it was in Hamilton and again in 2022 at St. George’s in Toronto.
Skinns is a former PGA Tour Canada player, now known as PGA Tour Americas.
