OAKVILLE, Ontario -- Chad Campbell was perfectly content to take a two-stroke lead into the weekend at the Canadian Open after falling a stroke short of the course record.
"Never really felt like it was going to be a crazy round," the Texan said after shooting a 9-under-par 63 on Friday at Glen Abbey. "I'm definitely happy with it. Just solid play."
Campbell, 41, birdied all four par 5s in his bogey-free round to reach 14-under 130. He won the last of his four PGA Tour titles in 2007.
"It's kind of weird because it happened with the par 5s, knocking them on in two and two-putting," Campbell said. "I made a couple long putts, which always helps."
Greg Norman set the course record of 62 in 1986, and John Merrick matched it in 2013.
Brian Harman was second. He followed his opening 65 with a 67.
Canada's David Hearn was tied for third at 11 under after a 64.
"I felt really good about my game," said Hearn, who is from Brantford, Ontario. "I hit a lot more greens and my putter definitely got hot. Making those two birdies at the finish felt really, really good."
Hearn is trying to become the first Canadian to win the event since Pat Fletcher, born in England, in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver. Carl Keffer is the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914. Albert Murray, a Canadian also born in England, won in 1908 and 1913.
"If I continue to keep playing the way I am, I know I have a chance," Hearn said. "I can't control what Chad or any of the other players are going to do. But if I keep doing what I'm doing and stay focused on that, I like my chances."
Johnson Wagner also was 11 under after a 66. Jason Day was another stroke back after a 66.
"I'm driving it great," Day said. "I'd like to tune up the iron shots, but overall I'm hitting it good. Biggest thing for me is still trying to get as much rest as possible, especially coming off last week so that I can stay mentally sharp."
Bubba Watson, two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton and Eric Axley were 9 under. Watson had a 67, Compton shot 69 and Axley 68.
Argentina's Emiliano Grillo, the first-round leader after a 64, had a 72 to drop into a tie for ninth at 8 under.
Ricky Barnes had a hole-in-one on No. 4, winning a car in the process.
"It was a perfect 8-iron," said Barnes, 6 under after a 70. "I think the yardage was 165 into a little breeze, and it just landed right in the hole and never came out."
South Africa's Tim Clark, the winner last year at Royal Montreal, was 5 under after a 67.
Former Georgia Tech player Ollie Schniederjans made the cut in his pro debut, shooting 71-69 to move into a tie for 44th at 4 under. He tied for 12th in the British Open.
Robert Allenby withdrew after firing caddie Mick Middlemo during his opening 81. Local school principal Tom Fraser carried the 44-year-old Australian's bag the final nine holes Thursday.
Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Arkansas Razorbacks) four birdies and two bogeys for a 2-under 70, placing him at 6-under 138. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) did not make the cut.
EUROPEAN PGA
Willett leads by 1
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland -- England's Danny Willett shot an 8-under-par 62 to take a one-stroke lead in the suspended second round of the European Masters.
Willett, coming off a tie for sixth Monday in the British Open, had a 13-under 127 total.
South Korea's Y.E. Yang and Seukhyun Baek were tied for second after shooting 63.
Defending champion David Lipsky was tied for fifth at 8 under after a 66. Fellow American Patrick Reed was tied for 25th at 4 under after a 69.
Thirty-six players were unable to complete the round.
LPGA
Three share lead
BELMONT, Mich. -- Lexi Thompson birdied six of the first eight holes and finished with a season-best 7-under-par 64 for a share of the Meijer LPGA Classic lead with Alison Lee and Lizette Salas.
The 20-year-old Thompson matched Lee and Salas at 9-under 133 at Blythefield Country Club.
Lee, the 20-year-old former UCLA player in her first season on the tour, had a 66, and playing partner Salas, a former Southern California star, shot a 69. Lee birdied six of her first 10 holes.
Kris Tamulis closed with a bogey on the par-4 ninth to drop into a tie for fourth at 8 under with Gerina Piller, Jaye Marie Green, Wei-Ling Hsu and Q Baek and. Tamulis shot 68, Piller 65, Baek 68, and Green and Hsu 69.
Top-ranked Inbee Park, a playoff loser last year in the inaugural event, was tied for 18th at 4 under after a 68. She has a tour-high three victories this season.
CHAMPIONS
Rain suspends play
SUNNINGDALE, England -- Scotland's Colin Montgomerie had a share of the Senior British Open lead when play was suspended because of heavy rain.
Montomerie was 5 under through 12 holes when play was stopped on Sunningdale's Old Course. He won the Senior PGA Championship this season for his third senior major title in two years.
Defending champion Bernhard Langer of Germany, Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Americans Bart Bryant, Jeff Sluman, Michael Allen, Marco Dawson and Lee Janzen also were 5 under. Bryant played two holes, and the other six were not able to begin second-round play.
Sports on 07/25/2015