Pineau and McIlroy "Tied for Lead by 2 Strokes"... Scheffler and Noh Seung-yeol Tied for 29th

RBC Canada Open Day 3: Finau at 8 Under, McIlroy at 5 Under, Thomas and Clark Among Four Tied for 3rd Place

Tony Finau is teeing off on the 18th hole on the third day of the RBC Canadian Open. Toronto, Canada - Photo by Getty Images/Multivitz

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ‘Knife Dance’ dancer Tony Finau (USA) is on the verge of victory.

On the 12th (Korean time), at the continued third day of the PGA Tour RBC Canadian Open (total prize money $8.7 million) held at St. George Golf Course (par 70, 7,014 yards) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Finau surged with an 8-under-par round to take the top spot on the leaderboard (11-under-par 199). Defending champion Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) joined the co-leader group, while Justin Thomas (USA) and three others are chasing from a tie for third place (9-under-par 201).

Finau collected one eagle and seven birdies (one bogey). He started with birdies on holes 1 and 6, then fired a birdie on the 8th hole (par 3), an eagle on the 9th hole (par 5), and back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes, reducing five strokes over four holes. After a brief pause with a bogey on the 12th hole (par 4), he secured the lead with birdies on the 14th and 18th holes. His long drives reached up to 334 yards, and his putting average per hole was an outstanding 1.50. Leading by two strokes, he seized the chance for his third career win after 10 months.

Ranked 18th in the world, Finau debuted on the PGA Tour in 2015 and won his first title at the Puerto Rico Open the following year. Standing 193 cm tall and weighing 90 kg, his powerful long drives are his main weapon. His ancestors hail from Samoa, an island nation in the South Pacific, and he has a unique background of making a living by performing knife dances as a child. In August last year, he earned his second career win in five years and five months at the first round of the playoffs, The Northern Trust.

Rory McIlroy is making a chip shot on the 17th hole on the third day of the RBC Canadian Open. Toronto (Canada) = Getty Images / Multibits

World No. 8 Rory McIlroy posted a 5-under-par round. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the tournament was not held for two years, and he attempted to defend his title for the first time in three years since his 2019 victory. Thomas reduced seven strokes to close the gap to two strokes behind the co-leaders. Wyndham Clark (USA), who led for two consecutive days, slipped to a tie for third place with a 2-under-par round. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) is tied for 29th place (3-under-par 207). No Seung-yeol (31, Jivent) is also in this group.