Ben James Golf: James Leads By One Shot In Pro Debut
Ben James golf surged to the top of the 2026 RBC Canadian Open on Friday, shooting a second-round 63 to reach 10 under par in his professional debut. He takes a one-shot lead into the weekend at TPC Toronto after turning his first start as a pro into a 36-hole advantage.
Ben James At TPC Toronto
James, who earned his Tour card by finishing first in the PGA Tour University Ranking, reached the halfway point with the lead and did it a day after qualifying for his third U.S. Open on Monday this week. The 23-year-old said, "I wasn’t really thinking about really results at all this week," and added, "Just worried about getting comfortable, making new friends and having fun, and just seeing where everything kind of falls."
He also said, "Just seeing where my game stacks up," which fits the position he now holds. His 63 put him alone ahead after 36 holes, and the first professional start has already placed him in scoring position against a field that includes players with far more experience in closing out tournaments.
Sam Burns And Brooks Koepka
Sam Burns sat one shot back at 9 under par, with Brooks Koepka at 8 under and Sahith Theegala at 7 under. Seventeen players were within three shots of James, a tight group that leaves little room for the leader to coast through the final 36 holes.
James said, "Obviously I have some stuff to work on, just trying to see where everything goes," and, "Because this is just the baseline, it’s my first professional debut." He still said, "Obviously had a great two days, but just trying to get better," a useful reminder that the lead is real but fragile.
1:45 p.m. ET For James
James was scheduled to tee off in the third round at 1:45 p.m. ET alongside Burns. PGA Tour Live on + was scheduled to open early coverage at 7:45 a.m. ET on Saturday, with Golf Channel carrying the third round from 1-3 p.m. ET and CBS set for 3-6 p.m. ET.
The next round will show whether the first-time professional can keep the lead against a pack that is still bunched tightly behind him. For now, James has the only number that matters: 10 under and one shot clear.
