Canadian Open: Robert MacIntyre leads as Rory McIlroy fades at halfway mark of PGA Tour event

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre is in the joint lead at the halfway mark of the Canadian Open as Rory McIlroy had a disappointing Friday.

MacIntyre followed up Thursday’s 64 with a 66 to post a 10 under total and take the lead at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club before New Zealand’s Ryan Fox ended up on the same overall score when he shot six under 70 in the second round.

The Ryder Cup winner, so far bogey-free, is currently without a regular caddie and his father flew out on Sunday to carry for him this week.

“We were walking up the last and he said, ‘I think I might need to start negotiating a wage this week,” said MacIntyre in his post-round interview.

“It’s an experience for both of us. He’s done a good job so far. It’s good for the two of us, it’s taken my mind completely off the game of golf.

“After the news of last week (Grayson Murray’s death) things are a lot bigger than the game of golf. We are human beings and I’ve put my dad on the bag and we are just trying to enjoy it as much as we can because we don’t know how much longer we have got of that.

“There has been zero expectation as there’s been a lot going on this week. I came out here, put my dad on the bag and tried to play smart golf, missing on the right side and I have done that so far.

“I’ve had a shot wherever I’ve missed it and had a chance to get up and down. I’m playing solidly enough and happy with the first two days. I’m just trying to get into position for the weekend.”

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The left-hander holed a 12-foot birdie putt at the first and added another after reaching the par-five fourth in two.

His sharp approach play on the back nine brought two further birdies after hitting it to seven feet on the short par four 12 and then even closer on the 422-yard 15th.

MacIntyre could not take advantage of the par five 17th after having to splash out of a fairway bunker but he got up and down for a par at the last.

Further back, McIlroy has dropped to tied-30th after a disappointing second round where he carded two over 72.

McIlroy, who finished 12th at the PGA Championship, made just one birdie on Friday and is eight shots off the lead.

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