Tommy Fleetwood shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 Saturday at the RBC Canadian Open. That score on a challenging Hamilton Golf and Country Club track pushed him to 9-under in the tournament and just a couple of shots off the leader.
He made 108 feet of putts during the third round and picked up 2.4 strokes on the field from the putting greens. After an even-par 70 on Friday, the Englishman redeemed himself.
Fleetwood is trying to complete his revenge tour after he fell to Nick Taylor last year in a playoff. Right now, that could be possible if he continues to play this consistently.
“Stay patient. I always try and visualize the best round possible,” Fleetwood said. “But I think the golf course, you have to take what the golf course gives you.”
He leads the players in pars right now but also leads the field in greens in regulation, hitting 45-of-54.
“It seems like such an easy golf course to push on,” he said. “Before you know it, you hit a wedge or a short iron out of position, and you can make silly bogeys — then it gets frustrating. I’ve been clinical in that way. If I’m out of position, I’ve put it in a good spot on the next one, settled for pars, and been patient — it’s not a golf course you push on at all.”
Fleetwood appears to understand how smart golf can benefit players this week. By making only two bogeys in 54 holes, he limited his mistakes. He cannot lose strokes if he continues to make pars.
The 33-year-old is another non-Canadian player, like Rory McIlroy, that the RBC Canadian Open fans love. He felt that energy Saturday and could not get enough of it.
“Rowdy, they were great. Yeah, very lucky with the support that I get out here,” Fleetwood said. “The late tee time — always going to get a good atmosphere on a Saturday. They’re having a good day of it. Yeah, great, again, grateful for the support, and they’re really, really good. It’s nice to play in front of.”
Looking back at last year’s gutwrenching loss, Fleetwood’s lone bogey on the par-4 3rd was his only “mishap.” Had he not dropped that shot, things would be different right now. Fleetwood would have likely won, and the Canadian drought would still exist.
Instead, he fell to the Canadian in extra holes as Taylor made a 72-foot eagle putt to win. Fleetwood is not focused on that, though; he has put that runner-up finish behind him.
“I’m very happy with the work that I’m putting in and starting getting rounds to show that hard work because things are very good,” Fleetwood said. “We’ll see where that leads us. The ultimate goal is to win, so it’s always in the back of your mind, but continue to do the right things and see where that leads us.”
Fleetwood will have another afternoon tee time for Sunday’s round as he looks to win his first PGA Tour event.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, be sure to follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
