Jared du Toit has a chance to make history at the RBC Canadian Open
7/23/2016 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
Jared du Toit will look to become the first Canadian to win his national championship since Pat Fletcher in 1954
If you dig a little deeper the drought for a Canadian golfer in their national championship goes even further. Fletcher was an English born Canadian, so one must go all the way back to the 1908 and 1914 winner Carl Keffer who is the only Canadian born winner in the tournaments history. Du Toit, a senior at Arizona State is from Kimberley, British Columbia.
"It feels good (to have that opportunity) and hopefully I can keep going," du Toit said to CBS' Peter Kostis following his round.
For much of the day du Toit didn't have all that much going on with two birdies and three bogeys on the front nine to turn in 1-over 36 and fall to 5-under. Du Toit's first birdie of the day came on the par-3 3rd after his tee shot came to rest four-feet from the cup.
The Arizona State product started the homeward nine with three straight pars before getting back to even-par for the day with a seven-foot birdie putt on the 13th. Du Toit would remain there until he electrified the Canadian crowd on the par-5 18th.
It could have been adrenaline, but the Canadian star blasted his drive 364 yards, leaving himself 145 yards to the green. From there du Toit knocked his approach to 40-feet and set up the highlight moment of the day, an 18th hole eagle that sent the hometown crowd into a frenzy and vaulted du Toit into the final group on Sunday.
This 40-foot eagle
vaulted the young Jared du Toit into 2nd place.
(via @PGATOUR)
https://t.co/qsiQK5jsz
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— GOLFonCBS (@GOLFonCBS) July 23, 2016"I have no idea (how I will handle the situation tomorrow) I have never been there, but yeah I am looking forward to it," du Toit said during his CBS post round interview. "I have never been in this kind of pressure, this kind of atmosphere before so I am just here having fun."
In Sunday's final round du Toit will tee off at 1:35 p.m. local time and play alongside 2013 RBC Canadian Open winner Brandt Snedeker. Du Toit is seeking to become the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson in 1991 at the Northern Telecom Open.
Amateur Garrett Rank also made the cut and he is 4-over and tied for 71st. Rank is the top-ranked mid- amateur and two-time Canadian Mid-Amateur winner.
-The PGA Tour contributed to his story
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