Ben James Leads by One at Canadian Open Golf After 63
Ben James leads canadian open golf by one shot after a second-round 63 put him at 10 under par at TPC Toronto. The 23-year-old entered the weekend in control of the 2026 RBC Canadian Open, but 17 players were still within three shots of him, so Saturday’s third round begins with the field packed behind him.
Ben James and Sam Burns
James opened the week as a first-time professional and turned the second round into the low point of his tournament so far. He earned his Tour card by finishing first in the PGA Tour University Ranking, then backed that up with a 63 that left him one shot clear of Sam Burns at 9 under par.
He also qualified for his third U.S. Open on Monday this week, giving this week in Toronto a fast rise for a player making his pro debut. After the round, James 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.”
Brooks Koepka at 8 under
Brooks Koepka sat two shots back at 8 under par, while Sahith Theegala was at 7 under par and still part of the group pushing into Saturday. That spread leaves James with a thin margin, not a cushion, heading into a third round that will start to split the leaderboard.
The tee sheet reflects that pressure. James and Burns were scheduled to go off together at 1:45 p.m. ET, with the round set for Saturday at TPC Toronto. PGA Tour Live on + was scheduled to begin exclusive early streaming coverage at 7:45 a.m. ET, and televised coverage was set for 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel before shifting to CBS from 3-6 p.m. ET.
TPC Toronto tee times
The rest of Saturday’s start times show how tightly the field is stacked around the lead, from Calen Sanderson at 7:15 a.m. to Brice Garnett and Jimmy at 12:55 p.m. Players such as Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Max Homa, Robert MacIntyre and Shane Lowry were all slotted into the middle of that schedule, giving James no room to coast if the low numbers keep coming.
James summed up the position neatly after his round: “Because this is just the baseline, it’s my first professional debut.” He added, “Obviously had a great two days, but just trying to get better.”
