RBC Canadian Open Round 2: Ben James Grabs the Lead in His Professional Debut

Most players spend their first week as a professional figuring out where the locker room is. Ben James spent his figuring out how to lead a PGA TOUR event.

The 23-year-old, making his professional debut, fired a bogey-free 7-under 63 on Friday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley to reach 10-under 130 and take a one-shot lead at the RBC Canadian Open. Five players sit one back at 9 under: Sam Burns, Jackson Suber, Haotong Li, Keith Mitchell and Jesper Svensson. Another six, including Brooks Koepka and defending champion Ryan Fox, are two back. Twelve players within two shots, and the man on top is playing his first event as a pro.

The Rookie Starts With a Bang

James wasted no time. On the par-5 1st, the opening hole of his round, he rolled in his eagle putt and was 2 under before most of the gallery had found a spot. He had eagled the same hole on Thursday, too, and he explained it simply. "I think that hole just likes me," James said, per the PGA TOUR.

From there it was a clinic in staying out of trouble. Two of his birdies, on the 8th and 12th, came off approach shots that finished around 4 feet from the cup. He closed with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th, and the card never had a blemish. According to the AP, James had not made a bogey in his last 33 holes.

"It all kind of came together today. It was just one of those days," James said, per the AP.

The résumé explains why this is less of a fluke than it looks. James was a four-time first-team All-American at Virginia and earned his TOUR card through 2027 by finishing first in the PGA TOUR University ranking. This is his 10th career TOUR start but his first as a professional, and his previous best finish was a tie for 33rd at last year's Valero Texas Open. He also qualified earlier in the week for his third U.S. Open, which comes next week at Shinnecock Hills.

Koepka's Wild Ride

If James played the round of a steady veteran, Koepka played the round of a man who refuses to go away. Starting on the 10th, Koepka lost his tee shot on 13 and made double bogey, then bogeyed the par-3 14th. Just like that, the co-leader was sliding backward.

Then came the rally. Koepka made four birdies and an eagle on his back nine, and the eagle was pure muscle. On the par-5 18th he crushed a 379-yard drive and then holed a 14-foot putt. It added up to a 68 and an 8-under total, two back.

"I would like to have that tee ball back on 13," Koepka said, per the AP.

The Logjam Behind James

Burns had the most consistent two days of the chasers, adding a 67 to his opening 64 to sit at 9 under. Li and Mitchell both posted 64 to climb into the group at 9 under, while Suber and Jesper Svensson each shot 65.

Tommy Fleetwood matched that 65 to reach 8 under, and this event carries some scar tissue for him. Three years ago Fleetwood lost a playoff here when Nick Taylor holed a 72-foot eagle putt. Fox shot 66 for the second straight day to join Fleetwood at 8 under, along with Brice Garnett and Jimmy Stanger.

The other big mover in that group was Bud Cauley. After an opening 69, Cauley matched James with a 63 and jumped into a tie for seventh.

Home Hopes Hang In

Matthew Anderson, the Mississauga native who shared the first-round lead, cooled off with a 69 but is still very much alive at 7 under in a tie for 13th. Taylor Pendrith added a 67 to join him there, and The Canadian Press noted that both leaned on their familiarity with the North Course as it firmed up in gusting wind.

Sahith Theegala and Emiliano Grillo, two more of Thursday's co-leaders, also shot 69 and are three back.

Big Names Head Home

The cut fell at 2-under 138, with 75 players moving on, according to Golf Today. Eric Cole had the cruelest Friday of anyone. A day after sharing the lead, Cole opened with a triple bogey and shot 76 to miss the weekend. It also ended Cole's hopes of climbing into the top 60 in the world rankings in time for a U.S. Open exemption.

Corey Conners, the top-ranked Canadian, shot 71-69 to finish at even par and miss the cut by two. PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai missed by one after a late bogey on 17, and Justin Rose missed by four. Mike Weir and Padraig Harrington are also done for the week.

Two Days, Twelve Contenders

The Canadian Open dates to 1904, and it has seen all sorts of winners. A first-week professional would be a new one. James sounded genuinely unbothered by the idea, saying he has no expectations and simply wants to play the way he has the last two days.

The weekend will test that. Behind him is a pack loaded with proven winners, including the defending champion and a former world No. 1 who just made eagle on his last hole. Saturday will tell us whether the rookie's calm survives a crowd this big.

Catch up on Thursday in our Round 1 recap. The PGA TOUR's Round 2 recap (opens in a new tab) has more details.

Sources: PGA TOUR, AP, The Canadian Press, Golf Today. More golf coverage on Undrafted.

Photo: PGA TOUR.