Clark takes Canadian Open lead into weekend

Wyndham Clark closed with an unlikely par save Friday to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Rory McIlroy and four other players into the weekend in the RBC Canadian Open.

After bogeying Nos. 15 and 16 in windy conditions at St. George's, Clark got up-and-down from about 50 feet from a semi-plugged lie on the downslope in a greenside bunker on the par4 18th. He was 7 under after an even-par 70.

“Really had no chance,” Clark said. “And I would love to say I was trying to do what I did, but I was trying to punt a little bit out to the right and somehow how when I came into the ball it like plopped up to the left and landed in the rough and trickled down to 4 feet. It was definitely the best save I've had of the year. It was pretty awesome.”

McIlroy (68) was tied with Matt Fitzpatrick (70), Alex Smalley (67), Keith Mitchell (67) and Jim Knous (67). McIlroy had to wait three years to defend his 2019 title because of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled golf's fourth-oldest championship the last two years.

“Challenging,” McIlroy said. “I think the only thing this golf course needs for it to feel a little more major like is just a bit of length. I think that's the only thing that's missing. The rough is very penal, the greens are tricky, the wind's up, it's drying out a little bit because of the wind. All of a sudden you've got a pretty testing golf course.”

Fitzpatrick closed double bogey-birdie-bogey-bogey-bogey.

Clark birdied the 14th to reach 9 under, then bogeyed the next two. On the par-5 15, he drove into the right fairway bunker and saved bogey with a 10-footer. On the par-3 16th, he missed a 7 1/2-foot par try after hitting short and right into a bunker.