Fans embracing Rory McIlroy as he chases another Canadian Open victory

Defending Canadian Open champion Rory McIlroy says it's really nice to have the fans backing him at St. George's and how the extra support keeps him coming back. Courtesy: PGA Tour

TORONTO — As Rory McIlroy set up at the tee box surrounded by hockey boards on Friday at St. George’s G&CC, just before volunteers dressed like hockey referees got their arms up for silence, a fan shared a fun fact with the Irishman: “I named my son after you!”

As soon as McIlroy took his shot, fans pounded the boards and cheered his name. Minutes later when he missed his birdie putt on The Rink Hole, No. 16, there were expletives and sighs from the crowd who’d tried to will that little white ball into the hole.

That one didn’t sink, but the Canadian Open’s defending champion — McIlroy won the title in 2019, before COVID-19 forced back-to-back cancellations — is in good shape heading into the weekend, sitting just one shot off the lead. And the fans are enjoying every second of it.

“Everyone wants to be loved, I guess, and it’s nice to feel that love here,” McIlroy said, smiling, after carding a 2-under-par 66 to improve to six-under through two days. “I think people are just happy to have the Canadian Open back, it’s been three pretty long years. It’s just nice to be able to do this again.

“I certainly appreciate all the support and because of that I want to keep coming back and want to play good golf in front of all those fans.”

All of Listowel, Ont. (population 7,530, as per a 2016 census) may be here to cheer on the top-ranked Canadian in the field, Corey Conners. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is drawing a good crowd. And the homegrown trio of Mike Weir, Adam Hadwin and Mackenzie Hughes had a big following and were even treated to fans singing ‘O Canada’ on No. 18.

But there’s no denying that McIlroy is the favourite here. Fans clamoured to see him rip tee shots. They bottlenecked the walkways up fairways trying to get a glimpse of him. They exploded when his putts went in and sighed when they didn’t.

As he walked off No. 16, someone yelled: “Love you Rory!” Another fan followed up with one for Conners: “Love you, Corey!”

Among the fans watching their group, which also included Justin Thomas, was hockey’s greatest of all time, Marie-Philip Poulin, and fellow Olympic gold medallist Sarah Nurse. Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall was also in the crowd on Friday, watching with a few buddies, taking in both McIlroy’s group and the all-Canadian trio.

One member of that all-Canadian group, Hadwin, sported a red shirt that featured Canada geese, hockey sticks, maple syrup and moose, made specially for the day. He had an eagle on No. 9 that set the crowd roaring, but Hadwin struggled coming home and carded an even-par 70. He sits at one-under-par heading into the weekend, six shots off the pace set by the leader, American Wyndham Clark, who’s at seven-under.

Hadwin, Conners and Hughes all struggled in tougher conditions than Thursday’s wet course presented — Conners, who also wore that sweet red shirt featuring maple syrup and geese, pointed out the rough is “really rough.”

The top Canadians through two days are Aaron Cockerill, who’s making his PGA Tour debut, and Nick Taylor, a two-time winner on Tour. They’re both at two-under, five shots off the pace. 

Just one shot back, McIlroy is in a good position to keep his perfect record in Canada going. The 33-year-old has never lost in this country — this is just his second time playing here since his Canadian Open win in 2019.

“A couple of really solid scores,” McIlroy said, of his first two rounds. “Looks like I’ll be in one of the final groups [Saturday] and get to play in that sort of atmosphere again like we had this afternoon. I’m looking forward to that.”

And about that fan’s nice little fact share on No. 16, that he’d named his kid after McIlroy, McIlroy did hear that before he took his shot.

“I guess it’s not the first time I’ve heard it,” he said, grinning. “I guess that’s, in a way, a big responsibility. Hope they don’t meet me and end up thinking I’m a jerk. But yeah, I guess it’s quite an honour to have that.

“I named my first dog after Ernie Els, so…”

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